Students and friends of the late "singing rabbi" Shlomo Carlebach gathered at his grave in Jerusalem Sunday to mark the 13th anniversary of his passing.
Loved in some circles and shunned in others during his lifetime, 'Reb Shlomo' - as he was called - saw a nearly-universal embrace of his music and neo-Chassidic Torah teachings after his passing. Jerusalem's Har HaMenuchot cemetery saw Jews from every walk of life making their way to pay their respects and sing the sweet tunes that he "brought down." Some brought guitars, others booklets of transcribed Carlebach Torah teaching and others arrived with only their songs and prayers.
Psalms are recited to tunes composed by Carlebach during his life.
R' Simcha Hochbaum of Hevron, a student and 'musmach' of Reb Shlomo, leads Psalms.
Sha'arya Witt, of the famed Witt family of Reb Shlomo Chassidim.
R' Shlomo would always invite anyone with an instrument to join in, and so it is each year at the grave.
A yeshiva student arrives with his guitar.
An off-duty IDF soldier plays Carlebach songs on his guitar.
Kohen (priest) and singer Shlomo Katz, a student of R' Shlomo after he passed away, recites Psalms from outside the gravesite due to his priestly status.
R' Ben-Zion Solomon, former member of the Diaspora Yeshiva Band, chassidic teacher and former neighbor of R' Shlomo at Moshav Me'or Modi'im
Yehuda Solomon, former neighbor of R' Shlomo and lead singer of the Moshav Band.
Jewish folk legend Dov Shurin with CDs he recorded with Reb Shlomo.
R' Moish Stepansky, a former leader of the 'Chevra' from NYC's Carlebach Shul and Reb Shlomo's last gabbai, now lives in Tzfat.
Books of transcribed teachings of Reb Shlomo, as well as the latest edition of 'Kol Chevra' in honor of R' Dovid Zeller, a Reb Shlomo student who recently passed away.
More on 'Reb Shlomo':
Students of Reb Shlomo Bring Judaism to Festivals
2005 Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach Memorial Concert
(Photos: Ezra HaLevi)
