New York – Mishpacha Magazine Profiles 5 Page Article On Yehuda Green! Is He The Successor Of Shlomah Carlbach?

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    Yehuda Green! Is He The Successor Of Shlomah Carlbach?New York – Faithful fans thought there would never be another Shlomo Carlebach, a composer whose simple, soulful tunes could draw out the spark in the most estranged Jews.

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    At the Carlebach shul on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, however, a successor is working the same magic, using Carlebach’s tunes and some of his own. Mishpacha Magazine Yisroel Besser speaks with Yehuda Green, who has captured the music world with his melodies and message.

    When did Reb Shlomo first become aware of Yehuda’s gift?

    It was in 1980, and he was doing a kumzits in Golders Green, in London. I was working there at the time, with no intention of pursuing a career in music. Yet since Shlomo was in town, I joined the gathering. He was familiar with me from Jerusalem, and knew that I enjoyed singing. In the middle of a song, he looks at me and says ‘Yid’l, come sing with me.’ I was so shy that I only would sing from behind a curtain, so that I was obscured. That was the first time.”

    Yehuda’s first recording venture had a rocky start. “In 1993, I recorded a few songs — some of my own, and some of his, including ‘Mimkomcha.’ I asked him for permission, and he said that he wanted to hear it first. I played it for him and he grimaced at the musical arrangements.

    I saw he didn’t like it, but I was scared to tell the arranger, who had invested much time and effort in the music. I was in a bind. Then, the arranger called me to tell me that there had been a fire in the studio and everything was gone.” He smiles, “A rebbishe maiseh!”

    Which song of Reb Shlomo’s does Yehuda consider his personal favorite? Of course, that’s a tough question, but he obligingly answers. “I find that his ‘Eishes Chayil’ touches me in a very deep place.”

    I ask Yehuda if he strives to imitate Shlomo, or to expand on Reb Shlomo. “We are only trying to carry on his work. Of course, I have my own interpretation of his music — all the talmidim have their own personal stamp — but he is the background to all of it. People comment that I sing the Berditchever niggun at
    a different pace then he sang it. What shall I do? That is how it appears to me! There is also a clear Breslov infl uence on my music; it’s who I am. He encouraged us to be individuals, right?”

    And he closes with a beautiful thought. “The Rebbe, Reb Nachman, said that his fi re will burn until Mashiach comes. I say that Shlomo’s music will play until Mashiach comes!”

    Read the full 5 page fascinating article in this weeks Mishpacha Magazine, available at your newsstand.


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    40 Comments
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    I met him
    I met him
    14 years ago

    Not a chance
    He does not have half the talent or voice of shlomo,
    i sat with him a shabbos seuda in the old city he”s good but not close to shlomele

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Green has a nice voice and has put out some really wonderful negunim but to compare him to Reb Sholomo, Z’tl, is borderline apikorsus. Its not even a close call.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    carlibach is like the chabad rebbe, no one is good enough to succeed him

    There will be noone like shlomo
    There will be noone like shlomo
    14 years ago

    Carlbach was one in a million. There won’t be another like him for a long time. He was a special soul who touched all he came in contact with. True love of every jew on a deep level. I know there were problems with many of the things he did. I’m not saying its ok. However in his ability to inspire and love people and bring them close there will never be another like him.

    Inside Man
    Inside Man
    14 years ago

    Crazy. Everyone by us in the Carlebach shul considers Yuda to be the return of our Rebbe. He has the energy and feeling. The spirit.

    rr
    rr
    14 years ago

    Yehuda Green is one of the only , like Shloimele, that goes anywhere hospitals, yeshivos, homes to be mechazek yidden has no clue of money.

    Moishe Oysher
    Moishe Oysher
    14 years ago

    A successor doesnt mean like him. It means he succeeded him. For now, this is what we got

    Willieboy
    Willieboy
    14 years ago

    Yidel is no Shloime but he is sure a reflected light. Like a son.

    gadolwannabe
    gadolwannabe
    14 years ago

    “MeSlomo ad Shlomo lo kom K’Shlomo”. Every time Shlomo HaMelech heard some pasuk in Shir Hashirim put to music by Reb Shlomo, he must have kvelled in Gan Eden. A hundred years from now, we will speak of Reb Shlomo as we speak of the Baal Shem Tov. Those of us who knew him were zocher to be in the midst of the Gadol Hador. I still think they should name a street for him on the Upper West Side.

    Raphael
    Raphael
    14 years ago

    He is no Shlomo, but give him a chance, He is something unique, warm, energi and life.

    joe
    joe
    14 years ago

    Just looked this guy up on youtube he is phenomenal! I need to go listen to him!

    big fan
    big fan
    14 years ago

    If he is as good or better then R’Shlomo I don’t know!! But what I do know is that yisroel besser is a fantastic writer!!!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    “Eishes Chayil’ touches me in a very deep place.” Mine too.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Part of what made Carlebach an icon was the fact that he infused his music with his vast Torah knowledge – Strories, anecdotes, pshetlach and the like. Yehudah would have to sit in Yeshiva for the next 50 years to even come close to being able to be compared to the great Reb Shlomo.

    midwesterner
    midwesterner
    14 years ago

    R’ Shlomo was mechadesh a style. R’ Shlomo also composed thousands of tunes. Just about every single one is easy to sing, even if you’re not a porofessional singer. A Carlebach Kumzitz is an exeprience that everyone can participate in.

    Yehuda Green is the best one since at mimicikng that style. (Apologies to Sruly Williger and Eitan Katz. I think WIlliger does the voice well, but not the atmosphere. Katz is the opposite. The atmosphere but not the voice.) As much as he reproduces that aura (he even combs his hair and trims the beard the way R’ Shlomo did in the 1960s and 70s), it is only a reproduction. He fills a specific void. He does not create his own niche.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    It should be noted that his manager, aaron zutler does fantastic work

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    It should be noted that his manager, aaron zutler does fantastic work

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    He is single, never married, no kids, thus there is no comparison and there will never be another Reb Shlomo until moshiach comes when Rav Shlomo comes alive

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Full Disclosure: I read and enjoy Mishpacha magazine every week.

    Having said that, is it just me or has this magazine -and others like it- introduced a culture of celebrity that did not used to exist by “unzereh”? Glossy cover shots, photo spreads inside, feature articles… about everyone from Rabbonim to singers to Askanim. Yes, some of these people are indeed our celebrities (while others most definitely are not), but what happened to a little Hatzne’a Leches?

    It seems to be a perfect Shidduch between Yitzrei Hora- Money (for the publishers) and Kavod (for the subjects).

    Is it just me?

    Alan
    Alan
    14 years ago

    Give the guy a break: Don’t look for an imitation of anyone: take him on his own terms. The world needed R. Sholmo… now we need to move on…each generation needs something a little different.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Is this the best that MIshpocha magazine has to write about and feature on their cover?
    Is this what they mean by being a family magazine?
    Is this who we want our children to aspire to be?
    If you have no real personality to write about, then there is no mitzvah to just write?
    There is a reason why Chazl say”SYOG LCOCHMO SHTIKA”

    MM
    MM
    14 years ago

    Anon- your kids have a chance of staying frum

    Shmilfke
    Shmilfke
    14 years ago

    We need Jewish celebrities or our kids will idolize Brad Pit and Michoel Jackson.

    Who would you rather your kid try to emulate? Tiger Woods or Lipa? huh?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    yehuda is the holy of the holies….!!!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    I saw him on youtube he took me all over
    The has something to him I never heard before
    Real regesh

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Why not interview Yehuda and value him for who he is? By comparing him to Brother Shlomo, you are downplaying his Maalos. Of course no one comes close to Shlomo, but what does that have to do with Green and his talent?

    carlebach mavin
    carlebach mavin
    14 years ago

    yehuda green he never new reb shlome he had nothing with shlomo maybe he saw him a few times he never new reb shlome and does not come close

    lubab
    lubab
    14 years ago

    Yehuda Green is better than R’Shlomo.Yeah, he is younger, more energetic and has a nicer voice.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    He is a “wannabe” carlebach, but not even close to the real thing

    Yohan
    Yohan
    14 years ago

    today no one is like Yiddel! he sings so nice and warm

    RELEVATION
    RELEVATION
    14 years ago

    I heard from Reb Shlomo zt’l himself that Hakadosh Boruch Hu sent us a ‘Yid’l’ as he called him, to warm us up when, Reb Shlomo, won’t be here more.

    Shifchi Camayim
    Shifchi Camayim
    14 years ago

    Shlomo had a way of connecting to the soul like noone else. His stories and interpretations of the pesukim that he sung about brought out emotions and feelings of love to Hashem, the Torah and Holy people and he was able to elevate people to very high spiritual levels.
    If Shlomo was around today, he would be the holiest of the holy, sweetest of the sweet and would have been a huge positive influence on today’s generation.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    He has a Great voice, but he’s no Shlomo,and he never will be…..he’s more like avrom fried,

    manhatttan yid
    manhatttan yid
    14 years ago

    I thought that Rabbi Naftali Citron Shlita, curent rov of the Carlbach Shul and grandson of Reb Elye Chaim Carlbach Z”L (brother of Reb Shlomo Z”L), is the mamshich of Reb Shlomo. Reb Shlomo was not just a “singing voice.” He was a gaon otzum, mechadesh in chasidishe torah, mekarev thousands, composer of hundreds of original songs, etc. etc. — mi yidmeh lo? This is what Reb Naftali Shlita is continuing with: giving shiurim in chasidus & kabalah, various events, sermons, even some singing, etc. etc. — in short, a full rabbi. While Reb Yidl is a sweet fellow and has a nice voice, he has zilch of the real spiritual charisma of Reb Shlomo Z”L, especially when he is not singing. Reb Yidl is hired by the Carlbach Shul to be the baal tefilah, nothing else. Such sensational headlines like the one here is just plain silly and insulting to Reb Shlomo Z”L and Reb Naftali Shlita.

    apples n oranges
    apples n oranges
    14 years ago

    Its been a long time since A foolish article like the one about green this week has been published,reb shlomo was an adam gadol b’yisrael that hasn’t been seen in generations, his g’oinois, tzedaka,mesiras nefesh for every jew, all in one is somthing that we cannot even begin to understand, day by day even now after 15 years of his passing we find out new stories of people coming forward and sharing it, and on top of all these maalot he also happened to be composing thousends of niggunim which had and still posses the power of making thousends of balei tshuvas…the man was ready to be labled and stamped for the rest of his life as a baal aveirah all this because he felt that the only way to save a jew. Was through the way he knew…now , what did u say about green?

    BCS
    BCS
    14 years ago

    I was zocheh to be in the presence of Reb Shlomo Al”h so many times (100’s maybe). He always had about 5 seforim with him, taking every free moment to learn – like on the plane, but only when he wasnt busy mekareving someone. He was a great lamdan, a great teacher, and a fabulous story teller. For sure his niggunim were awesome, but he was so so much more, and so deep…
    I also had the zchus to spend a lot of time with Yehuda Green. He is very sweet and kind. He sings Sholomo songs unbelievably beautiful… and his own songs – up to the heavens.
    But he is Yehuda Green, nothing to do with the legacy of Shlomo.