The House of Love and Prayer

Last updated

The House of Love and Prayer was a synagogue founded by Shlomo Carlebach in the 1960s. The synagogue's ritual was inspired by the American counterculture movement, and attracted young, non-affiliated Jews. The synagogue eventually disbanded, and some of the congregants relocated to Israel, [1] founding Moshav Mevo Modi'im in 1975.

Contents

Founding of the synagogue

Shlomo Carlebach, a rabbi and singer-songwriter founded a synagogue inspired by the counterculture of the 1960s. Carlebach called his congregants "holy hippielech" ("holy hippies"). Many of Carlebach's followers soon began practicing Judaism according to the Orthodox tradition. [1]

Legacy

Carlebach's synagogue inspired the creation of a musical presented by the National Yiddish Theatre titled "The House of Love and Prayer". Carlebach's daughter, Neshama Carlebach was among the production's collaborators. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

Jewish religious movements, sometimes called "denominations", include diverse groups within Judaism which have developed among Jews from ancient times. Today in the west, the most prominent divisions are between traditionalist Orthodox movements and modernist movements such as Reform Judaism originating in late 18th century Europe, Conservative originating in 19th century Europe, and other smaller ones, including the Reconstructionst and Renewal movements which emerged later in the 20th century in the United States.

Neo-Hasidism, Neochassidut, or Neo-Chassidus, is an approach to Judaism in which people learn beliefs and practices of Hasidic Judaism, and incorporate it into their own lives or prayer communities, yet without formally joining a Hasidic group. Over the 20th century neo-Hasidism was popularized by the works of writers such as Hillel Zeitlin, Martin Buber, Abraham Joshua Heschel, Lawrence Kushner, Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, and Arthur Green.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin</span> Yeshiva school in the United States

Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin or Yeshivas Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin is an American Haredi Lithuanian-type boys' and men's yeshiva in Brooklyn, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shlomo Carlebach (musician)</span> Jewish musician and rabbi (1925–1994)

Shlomo Carlebach, known as Reb Shlomo to his followers, was a rabbi, religious teacher, spiritual leader, composer, and singer dubbed "the singing rabbi" during his lifetime.

World Agudath Israel, usually known as the Aguda, was established in the early twentieth century as the political arm of Ashkenazi Torah Judaism. It succeeded Agudas Shlumei Emunei Yisroel in 1912. Its base of support was located in Eastern Europe before the Second World War but, due to the revival of the Hasidic movement, it included Orthodox Jews throughout Europe. Prior to World War II and the Holocaust, Agudath Israel operated a number of Jewish educational institutions throughout Europe. After the war, it has continued to operate such institutions in the United States as Agudath Israel of America, and in Israel. Agudath Israel is guided by its Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah in Israel and the USA.

A chavurah or havurah is a small group of like-minded Jews who assemble to facilitate Shabbat and holiday prayer services and share communal experiences such as life-cycle events or learning.

Moshav, formerly known as Moshav Band, is an Israeli-American Jewish rock band originating from Moshav Mevo Modi'im. Founded in 1996 by Yehuda Solomon and Duvid Swirsky, the group moved to Los Angeles in 2008 and have released ten studio albums. With a sound incorporating elements of alternative rock, folk, funk, and reggae, they were credited, alongside Soulfarm and Blue Fringe, with advancing Jewish rock in the early 2000s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West London Synagogue</span> Grade II listed Reform synagogue in City of Westminster, London, England

The West London Synagogue, abbreviated WLS, and fully the West London Synagogue of British Jews is a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue, located near Marble Arch, at 34 Upper Berkeley Street, in the City of Westminster, in Central London, England, in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mevo Modi'im</span> Moshav in central Israel

Mevo Modi'im, officially Me'or Modi'im, is a moshav in central Israel. It is also known as the Carlebach Moshav. Located north-west of Modi'in on Highway 443, it falls under the jurisdiction of Hevel Modi'in Regional Council. In 2022 it had a population of 238. In 2019, a fire destroyed most of Mevo Modi'im and it is currently in the process of reconstruction and expansion.

Neshama Carlebach is an American teacher, entertainer, singer, and the protégée of her late father, Shlomo Carlebach. Her career as a recording artist and as an occasional essayist has reached interfaith communities and has addressed social issues in America, Israel and Jewish communities spanning the world. While her spiritual origins were within the Orthodox Jewish community, she has also found a community in the Reform Jewish movement and beyond.

For the purposes of this article, “contemporary” refers to the period from 1967 to the present day, “Jewish” refers to the various streams and traits of Judaism practiced. Many Orthodox Jews use the term “religious” to refer to a strict adherence to Jewish law. For the purposes of this article, “religious” refers to the content and context of the music itself: liturgical or implicit references to the divine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baal teshuva movement</span> Return of secular Jews to religious Judaism since the 1960s

The baal teshuva movement is a description of the return of secular Jews to religious Judaism. The term baal teshuva is from the Talmud, literally meaning "master of repentance". The term is used to refer to a worldwide phenomenon among the Jewish people.

A Carlebach minyan or neo-Hasidic minyan is a Jewish prayer service that follows the style of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach and uses the melodies he composed for many prayers.

Orthodox Jewish feminism is a movement in Orthodox Judaism which seeks to further the cause of a more egalitarian approach to Jewish practice within the bounds of Jewish Law. The major organizations of this movement is the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance (JOFA) in North America, and Women of the Wall (WOW) and its affiliates in Israel and internationally, known as The International Committee for Women of the Wall (ICWOW). In Israel, the leading Orthodox feminist organization is Kolech, founded by Dr. Chana Kehat. In Australia, there is one Orthodox partnership minyan, Shira Hadasha, in Melbourne.

The Carlebach movement is an Orthodox Jewish movement inspired by the legacy of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. The Carlebach movement has promoted a form of Jewish worship, colloquially known as "nusach Carlebach". One of the centers of the movement is Mevo Modi'im in Israel.

Chevra Ahavas Yisroel, abbreviated as CAY, is an Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue located at 306 Albany Avenue, Crown Heights, in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States. The congregation is associated with the Chabad Hasidic movement.

Yehuda Green (born 1959) is a Hasidic Jewish singer and composer, and hazzan at the Carlebach Shul on Manhattan's Upper West Side. Singing in the style of singer-rabbi Shlomo Carlebach (1925–1994), he has been called "more Carlebach than Carlebach", and is acclaimed for his heartfelt renditions of Carlebach's songs.

Jewish rock is a form of contemporary Jewish religious music that is influenced by various forms of secular rock music. Pioneered by contemporary folk artists like Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach and the Diaspora Yeshiva Band, the genre gained popularity in the 1990s and 2000s with bands like Soulfarm, Blue Fringe, and Moshav Band that appealed to teens and college students, while artists like Matisyahu enjoyed mainstream crossover success.

Ben Zion Solomon is an American-born Israeli musician, best known as a founding member of the seminal Jewish rock group Diaspora Yeshiva Band, for whom he played fiddle and banjo from 1975 to 1983. A disciple of Shlomo Carlebach, Solomon and his family were among the first residents of Carlebach's moshav, Mevo Modi'im. His sons later founded the bands Moshav, Soulfarm, and Hamakor.

Noah Solomon Chase is an Israeli–American musician, best known as the lead singer, guitarist, and mandolinist for the Jewish rock band Soulfarm.

References