To read the previous chapters - click on the title above or on the link here
The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit
Nafthalie and Shlomo Carlebach
In August 1959, two American Jews, a father and son, arrived in Israel on a direct flight from the United States.
The father, Rabbi Naphtalie Carlebach, 70 years old, one of six brothers, a descendant of a distinguished rabbinic family from Germany – elegantly dressed, in a black suit with a serious demeanor, as befitted a rabbi and community leader of Orthodox Jews from the Litvak (Lithuanian) stream in America.
The son, Shlomo Carlebach, in his thirties, also ordained as a rabbi but looking a bit less like a typical rabbi. More like a yeshiva student, somewhat Litvak and somewhat Hasidic, adorned with a black beard filling his cheeks, and dressed more casually, without a jacket. His face radiated kindness and sporadic smiles, his hands holding a suitcase along with a guitar case.
The two did not come to "Make Aliyah" (immigrate to Israel).
Although the "Promised Land" was a cherished dream for every Jew, especially after the Holocaust and World War II, like the vast majority of American Jews, they were not quick to exchange the realization of the American Dream for the realization of a Jewish dream.
Jews in America were comfortable in their country – the land of unlimited opportunities, the most important superpower in the world. America offered them religious freedom and comfortable lives in organized communities. They contented themselves with being the "rich uncles" who supported their Israeli brethren from afar, sending clothing packages by mail and donating money at fundraising evenings for Israel.
Those who had some money would visit, meet relatives, taste the atmosphere of the "Holy Land," and return home. They came back awestruck by the Jewish state, by Israeli pioneering. They returned full of admiration for their people bearing the burden of realizing the two-thousand-year-old Jewish vision, while facing significant security and economic challenges. They recharged their Jewish spiritual batteries and returned to their comfortable homes, their communities, their businesses.
The Carlebach family also had relatives here, some of them very important. Such as: the legendary editor of Israel's most widely circulated newspaper, Ma'ariv, Dr. Azriel Carlebach, or Supreme Court Justice Haim Cohn, who was also a legal celebrity and a very important figure at the time. Besides visiting their relatives, the father and son stopped at an important station for religious Jews: Mount Zion in Jerusalem, from where one could overlook the Western Wall, a sacred site for Jews of all generations for 2000 years. The Wall stood beyond the border, in Jordanian territory, which was then an enemy state, and for many Israelis and Jews – only its return to the Jewish people would fully complete the return of the people of Israel to its land.
After experiencing the spiritual journey of the Holy Land, they turned to some spiritual business.
The father was engaged in promoting a book he wrote about the Carlebach family and its history before and during the Holocaust.
The son, who financed the trip for both of them, came with a second album he had just recorded, featuring new songs performed by him. Shlomo Carlebach was already a well-known and recognized singer in Jewish communities in the United States – they called him "the Singing Rabbi." His first album sold like hotcakes in America, and all 12 songs on it were embraced by American youth and teenagers. The album's songs also reached Israel and were in demand and played on "Kevakashatcha" (a 'By Request' program) on radio channels, the only media outlets in the small country.
1959 – The album "HaNeshama Lach" To listen on YouTube – click here
he State of Israel was another outlet for Shlomo Carlebach's music, perhaps the most important outlet for him.
Commercially, he could not earn much money there, because in those years, the 1950s, the music industry in Israel was in its infancy. It was tiny compared to the equivalent market in America. Besides, his religious style did not connect with the developing Israeli, Hebrew music, art, and culture that were shaped by a secular lifestyle.
His melodies for verses from Jewish holy scriptures might have been more suitable for the Jewish audience in the distant Diaspora. Their numbers were many times greater than the number of Jews in Israel, and their connection to religion was more comfortable. They could yearn for their homeland as part of paying the spiritual tax of being members of the Jewish people. But Israel is the newly beating heart of the Jewish people, and he sang songs with a Jewish soul.
And that was the most important thing of all.
Even if he incorporated folk songs and even Christian religious songs, ultimately, even then, at the beginning of his journey, he did not intend to be just a singer, but a bearer of a musical, religious, and social message. He combined art with the Holy Spirit, with financial profit being of secondary importance.
Moments before the visit concluded, the Singing Rabbi Carlebach managed to have his first introduction to an Israeli audience in a single performance held at the 'Mosad Harav Kook' in Jerusalem, before a mixed religious audience – men wearing knitted and black kippahs, and women with uncovered hair or wearing head coverings.
At the end of the visit, the two left the country.
The promotion of Rabbi Naftali Carlebach's book was not very successful.
The promotion of his son Shlomo Carlebach's music achieved its first success, opening the door for future successes, and already in the following year, the singer arrived for a series of performances whose tickets were sold in advance.
1960 – The album "Barchi Nafshi"
To listen on YouTube – click on the image or here
In the next chapter: Religious youth are captivated by the "Dancing Rabbi," and he becomes their cultural hero. His charm and unique music conquer hearts in Jewish communities worldwide.
To continue, go to the third chapter in the series, at the following link: Carlebach - Religious Cultural Hero.
This is the second chapter in the fascinating biography of the Hasidic singer Shlomo Carlebach – a pioneer and trailblazer who laid the foundation for today's Hasidic music genre.
To read all chapters of the series in the table of contents at the following link:
Shlomo Carlebach, A Hasidic Man and a Pop Man
(10 chapters - separate link for each chapter)
Research, writing, and editing:
Shlomi Rosenfeld