[HANASHIR:12535] Re: Return Again / Hashiveinu

[Jeff Klepper <jeffklepper...>]

> Thank you so much for your interest in Return Again/Hashiveinu. For your
> information - Return Again is by Reb Shlomo Carlebach, of blessed memory.

The English verse was written by Ronnie Kahn, an acquaintance of mine from
the Upper West Side in the mid-70s.  I did a quick Google search looking for
his Hebrew name (Rafael Simcha, which is how he prefers to be known) and
came upon this wonderful reminiscence by Jewish music expert and radio host
Robert Cohen.  (A couple of years ago I came across a web site Rafael Simcha
put together in which he told the story of his writing the lyrics with Reb
Shlomo's blessing, and about being hurt that his contribution had been all
but forgotten.)  So, here's the story, which I've edited slightly, and I
hope Robert Cohen won't mind my quoting him.

Jeff Klepper

===

 >Date: Mon, 22 Apr 2002
 >From: Robert Cohen
 >Subject: "Return Again"
 >
 >If your poster means the song that I know of by that name, the
 >music--which is really a contemporary niggun--is by Shlomo, and I had the
 >rare, priceless privilege of being present at its creation, during a
 >Jewish retreat in June, 1974.  Shlomo first just came up with it as a
 >niggun (as he usually did); the next day, I think it was, he set it to
 >words from the Shalosh Regalim Musaf service that begin:  "V'hausheiv
 >kohanim la'avodausaum"--The Kohanim will return to their service (and the
 >Levi'im to their songs and ... songs; and [the people] Israel to their
homes.
 >
 >A musician and songwriter I (and Shlomo) knew then named Rafael Simcha
 >(Ronnie) Kahn--I have not heard of or spoken with him in many
years.,..wrote English words to the niggun that
 >begin, "Return again, Return again, Return to the home of your soul; You
 >who have strayed, Be not afraid, You're safe in the house of the
 >Lord."  (I may actually be one of the few people who knows who wrote those
 >words, as it happens.)
 >
 >At a certain point, Shlomo, who started singing his niggun with Ronnie's
 >words as well as the original Hebrew ones, changed the first verse to "...
 >Return to the land of your soul"--making it more of a (religious,
 >obviously) Zionist verse and less of a general "spiritual" one.  I
 >personally thought it was a change for the worse, as it particularized and
 >narrowed whom it might speak to.  Ronnie's words, I thought, spoke to
 >every Jew--as the verse in tefillah does.
 >
 >I did not think of this song--if this is the one you're referring to!--as
 >popular in Jewish Renewal circles, and am curious where, exactly, and when
 >it's being sung!  I'd welcome hearing from your correspondent(s) on the
 >matter and will be glad to enlighten further if I can.
 >
 >--Robert Cohen

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