House of Love and Prayer Safed

('''Hebrew:''' בית אהבה ותפילה צפת / '''Other Names:''' Carlebach Minyan of Tzfat / '''Definition:'''  A center and minyan in Safed run according to the teachings of Shlomo Carlebach.)

The House of Love and Prayer in [[Safed]] is a break off of the [[Beirav Synagogue Safed|Beirav Synagogue]]. It offers minyonim and events based on the philosophy of the outreach rabbi and musician, Shlomo Carlebach.

In the 1960s Shlomo established the House of Love and Prayer in the middle of the Haight Ashbury section of San Francisco. He was determined to place himself in the area where he could make a difference to the disenchanted young Jewish hippies who were roaming the area. During those years he succeeded in bringing many Jews of all ages and backgrounds back to their people.

Carlebach died in 1996 but many followers and admirers established “Carlebach minyans” in locations throughout the world. The people who lead these prayer groups make every attempt to adhere to Shlomo’s philosophy of acceptance and inclusion. The services include the many “niggunim” -- tunes -- that Shlomo composed for Sabbath, holiday and day-to-day worship.

In 2010 some of Carlebach’s followers opened Tzfat’s second Carlebach synagogue. Many of these people had previously been associated with [[Beirav Synagogue Safed|Beirav]], but felt that, with the overcrowding at Beirav, it was time to open a second Carlebach venue. With the blessings of the Beirav synagogue they opened the House of Love and Prayer.

The House of Love and Prayer is housed in Sha’arey Playtah, an old synagogue off of Safed’s main commercial street, [[Jerusalem Street Safed|Jerusalem Street]]. The original “minyan” -- prayer quorum -- at Sha’arey Playtah was comprised of Holocaust survivors and the synagogue had been empty for a number of years when the House of Love and Prayer members received permission to use it as their synagogue.

The members of the House of Love and Prayer garin are followers of Shlomo and infuse the Shlomo spirit and melodies into their prayers. They named their synagogue after the Haight Ashbury house that Shlomo established in 1965 and they include special musical events to encourage unaffiliated and already-affiliated people to worship in the joyous Shlomo tradition. In addition to the regular prayer times the House of Love and Prayer offers an extensive class schedules for both English-speakers and Hebrew-speakers.