Today marks the 16th yahrzeit of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach z"l. His influence on the Jewish community is in some ways completely unmeasurable.
It is almost impossible to walk into a synagogue today and not hear at least one of his melodies. So many of his songs have become so famous that they are now simply referred to as "traditional Jewish folk songs." All of us (at least us youngsters) grew up with songs like Am Yisrael Chai and Siman Tov u'Mazel Tov. For many of us who know these melodies as synagogue staples it is hard to believe that they were not handed down at Sinai and passed along ever since (a small joke).
It is also difficult to meet a Jew (particularly a boomer) who does not have a story of how Reb Shlomo changed their lives. Not only did Reb Shlomo change the world musically, he changed it one sweet neshama at a time. He always referred to everyone as "holy sister..." or "holy brother..." and greeted everyone with a smile and a hug. And everyone who met him, even for a moment, felt as though he was their best friend.
And interestingly, there is a whole new generation of people, like myself, who have been so incredibly impacted by Reb Shlomo - and yet, we never personally met him. His music, his stories, and his teachings are continuing to inspire people spiritually.
What is even more amazing are the stories people do not know. Stories that have only surfaced since his passing. Stories of how he would go to prisons and visit and sing to Jews and non-Jews, sick children who Reb Shlomo would visit in homes and hospitals, and the countless dollars he extended to anyone in need. Not only was he a great rabbi to the world - he was also a rabbi to the fringes of society. Reb Shlomo considered every soul a diamond. Some, he said, might need a little polishing, but everyone was special. Many homeless, unaffiliated, and even countless non-Jews all referred to Reb Shlomo as "my rabbi."
Although most people know Reb Shlomo for his music, many do not know about how great a chacham (a sage) he truly was. Reb Shlomo was born in Germany to a great line of rabbis. He was considered a prodigy as a young child, and his parents made sure that he received only the best tutelage in his studies of Torah and Jewish law.
As the Second World War broke out in Europe, his parents came to America, where his father planted a synagogue. Reb Shlomo continued his studies, eventually finding himself at the prestigious Lakewood Yeshiva (a sort of Harvard of the yeshiva world).
During his time in America, Reb Shlomo became more and more intrigued with Chasidus - the philosophy and way of life of Chasidic Jews. And then something happened to him that changed his life forever - the Holocaust. Upon hearing of the devastating news of the Holocaust, Reb Shlomo decided to leave Lakewood for the Lubavitcher Yeshiva in Crown Heights. Many people asked Shlomo what his reason was for choosing to leave the prestigious Lakewood yeshiva for what was considered a much lesser yeshiva. And Reb Shlomo responded with, "I have '6 Million' reasons ..."
What attracted Reb Shlomo to Lubavitch Chasidus was its emphasis on outreach. Its insistence that every Jew is holy. That is why Reb Shlomo left Lakewood. Following the Shoah, he foresaw his role as being prophetic - as being a light to rekindle the Jewish flame.
Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach personally did more than any other Jew in modern times in regard to keruv (Jewish outreach). Reb Shlomo is personally credited with bringing tens of thousands of Jews back to Judaism and spirituality. What was his secret? Getting involved! He went to places where Jews were. If that meant to Jewish day schools ... he went. If that meant to prisons ... Shlomo packed his guitar. If it meant to Buddhist ashrams and temples ... Reb Shlomo went singing the most Jewish of songs. And it worked!!!
Shlomo was just who he was. Reb Shlomo, along with his colleague, Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (who later founded the Jewish Renewal Movement) were the creators and the initiates of outreach on college campuses, “Chabad Houses,” and engaging people in the specialness of being Jewish. Reb Shlomo truly understood the mitzvah of “leaving the world more Jewish than you found it.”
Hold on a second. This kind of white-washing I would expect from a frum organization, or even some others. But not from Yinon.
Shlomo Carlebach is alleged to have molested and harassed children and women since the 1960s. I say alleged because nobody really talked about it publicly until Lilith Magazine wrote an article about it in 1998.
He did so many great things for women and girls (and music), but he also did many horrible things. As a blog dedicated to a path most people would say is invalid or unreal, you need to have the guts to do what others might not. You need to let this be known. What is done in the dark will be brought to the light, right?
You can read more about the article here.
You can read more about it here
Mamzer Hakodesh,
Thanks for bringing this to our attention. I'll check it out!
Thank you. It's a big shame because he brought so much enrichment to the community.