A series of events is being held to honor the 15th anniversary of the death of the “Singing Rabbi,” Shlomo Carlebach.
The main event will take place at the Binyanei HaUmah Convention Center this coming Saturday night, Nov. 7, at 8 p.m. Entitled “Shir HaShirim Asher L’Shlomo” (the first verse of the Biblical Song of Songs, which mentions both “songs” and “Shlomo”), the event themes one of Reb Shlomo’s favorite topics, the holy Sabbath. Performing there will be the Re’im Duo, Aharon Razel, father-son duo Avshalom and Shlomo Katz, Chaim Dovid (Sarachik), Yehuda Katz, Chizky Sofer, the Solomon Family, and more.
Former Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau will be a special guest; his eulogy of Shlomo Carlebach can be read here.
The actual yahrtzeit, or anniversary of his death, is marked today, Tuesday, the 16th of the Jewish month of Cheshvan. Rabbi Carlebach died of a heart attack at the age of 69 while flying to visit relatives in Canada, and was buried in the Har HaMenuchot cemetery in Jerusalem.
Born in Berlin in 1925, Shlomo Carlebach and his family escaped the Nazis in 1931, and immigrated to the United States in 1938. He studied in traditional yeshivot such as Chaim Berlin, where he received rabbinical ordination, and Lakewood; the dean of the latter, the renowned Rabbi Aharon Kotler, was disappointed that one of his prize students chose music over Torah.
In the end, however, he combined both, teaching Torah to tens of thousands of people in the ensuing decades. Selections of his profound Hassidic-style Torah thoughts continue to be studied even today by increasing numbers of students.
Founder of the original “House of Love and Prayer” in San Francisco, Carlebach was considered a pioneer of the movement encouraging assimilated young Jews to return to their heritage. Dozens of his musical compositions – Biblical verses set to music of all types - are still widely sung at all Jewish gatherings. He recorded more than 25 albums, including some of his unique stories-set-to-music, and so-called "Carlebach prayer-services," featuring his unique tunes and style, flourish around the world.
A large community of followers of Shlomo Carlebach live in the moshav (communal settlement) that he founded in central Israel in 1976, Mevo Modiin (known officially as Meor Modiim).
Among other events scheduled in Carlebach’s memory was one at Jacob’s Pillow at Neve Shalom in St. Louis, where organizers say he began his career, this past Saturday night. In addition, “A Shabbos of Singing, Dancing, Torah and Joy” will be celebrated this coming Sabbath at the Sephardic Congregation of Greater Boston, featuring speakers and performers, followed by a traditional Melava Malka event in Carlebach’s memory.