[1] Although his roots lay in traditional Orthodox yeshivot, he branched out to create his own style, combining Hasidic Judaism, warmth and personal interaction, public concerts, and song-filled synagogue services.

[2][3] Carlebach was also considered a pioneer of the Baal teshuva movement ("returnees to Judaism"), encouraging disenchanted Jewish youth to re-embrace their heritage, using his special style of enlightened teaching, and his melodies, songs, and highly inspiring story telling.

[9] That year, Carlebach attended a Hebrew language ulpan class at the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS), where he played hasidic melodies on the piano.

"[9] In 1951, Carlebach began learning English in a special program at Columbia University, having previously spoken mainly Yiddish.

[10] From 1951 to 1954, he worked briefly as one of the first emissaries (shluchim) of Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the seventh Lubavitcher rebbe, who urged him to use his special skills and go to college campuses to reconnect Jews to Judaism, but would later disapprove of the non-traditional tactics he used.

Carlebach began writing songs at the end of the 1950s, primarily based on verses from the Tanakh or the Siddur set to his own music.

Many of his soulful renderings of Torah verses became standards in the wider Jewish community, including Am Yisrael Chai ("[The] Nation [of] Israel Lives"—composed on behalf of the plight of Soviet Jewry in the mid-1960s), Pitchu Li ("Open [for] Me [the Gates of Righteousness]") and Borchi Nafshi ("[May] My Soul Bless [God]").

[13] Carlebach returned to New York City, where as part of his performances he spoke of inspirational subjects rooted in Hasidism and Kabbalah.

[citation needed] Carlebach died of a heart attack on his way to Canada while the plane was still on the ground at LaGuardia Airport in New York.

According to Rabbi Jonathan Rosenblatt, Carlebach "changed the expectations of the prayer experience from decorous and sombre to uplifting and ecstatic as he captivated generations with elemental melodies and stories of miraculous human saintliness, modesty and unselfishness.

A musical written about his life, Soul Doctor, by Daniel Wise was presented off-Broadway in 2008 and New Orleans in 2010, and was received with critical acclaim.

[19] Put most favorably, "He operated outside traditional Jewish structures in style and substance, and spoke about God and His love in a way that could make other rabbis uncomfortable.

"[22] After his death, Lilith magazine, a Jewish feminist publication, catalogued stories in which he was named as a sexual abuser by those who had come forward.

[23] Specifically, named accusers are quoted in this article, as well as unnamed sources and Jewish communal leaders with knowledge of the stories of harm.

Lilith reports that people present when he was confronted say he acknowledged that he caused harm, expressed regret, and agreed that his behavior needed to change.

The article indicates that most in Carlebach's circles were uncomfortable voicing their accusations at the time, leading to a widespread policy of "silence" which had, in part, enabled his continued offenses.

Most of his offenses were unexpected and undesired touching, or telephone calls "in the middle of the night", which his accusers describe as disturbing, but also as odd.

Even many of his victims state that he still had great positive impact on their lives, despite the irreparable hurt he caused -- and that, had his problem been more public, and more help been available to him, it is possible he would have willingly sought it.