This 9 and a half minute long video features the Israeli male a Capella group, Kippalive, singing harmonic versions of many of Rabbi Shlomo Calebach‘s most famous melodies for Kabbalat Shabbat. The group sings selected verses of each of the songs from the Shabbat Shabbat service, except for Psalm 99, which is not featured. In many synagogues, the congregation or chazzan sing only selected verses of each song aloud, reciting the rest to themselves quietly. Listeners can use the convenient index on the left hand side of the screen to jump between songs.Â
A Bit About Reb Shlomo
Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach (1925-1994), also known as the “Singing Rabbi,” composed thousands of melodies and recorded over 25 albums. Although his roots lay in Orthodox traditions, he branched out to create his own style, combining warmth and personal interaction, public concerts, and song-filled synagogue services. Credited with being a pioneer in the Ba’al Teshuva movement, he encouraged secular men and women to reconnect with Judaism through song and story telling. To this day you can find minyanim, or prayer quorums, all over the world that pray in a “Carlebach style.”