I'm being a bit unfashionably late but last week was the memorial day for Yitzhak Rabin and I feel like writing about it. The official memorial ceremony was this past Saturday (delayed because of weather) marking 16 years since his murder. Members of his family said that the ceremony isn't relevant anymore, but I personally feel that it's never been more relevant than this year. Rabin was many great things, but he will always be remembered as the prime minister who pushed the most for a peace agreement and that is why he was assassinated. The security at the peace protest on November 4 was very tight, but their eyes were searching for suspicious Arabs, not men in kippahs. The fact that his murderer was a religious jew came as a great shock to many, despite the strong criticism and propaganda against him that had become normal in the months before his death. I can't say that it's exactly the same today, but there are more and more violent acts of "price tag" against the left and the situation seems very delicate. Not to mention a series of anti-democratic laws that are being passed that seem too weird to be true. In general, it seems that as the religious community is getting more religious (if in the past it was common to see advertisements of women in Jerusalem now they are torn down, even if they are dressed modestly. Not to mention the criticism of women singing in public) the gap between the secular and the religious is getting harder to bridge and it's getting even harder to see ourselves as one united community. Among all this, the idea of peace seems more and more remote and if we do get there it certainly won't be a unanimous decision among us, to say the least.
Michael Greilsammer who has teamed up with his wife Shimrit is one of my favorite new artists around. It's quite rare to hear an artist voice his opinions so openly and the Reggae Irish influenced music is wonderful.
Who is it who is it who is it who is it who is it who is it who is it
I'm sitting here thinking in Zion
I've missed a lot
The days in which hope
Was not yet lost
I'm reminded of my childhood
How in the neighborhood field
I asked him to bring peace
In my world
Who is it who is it who is it who is it who is it who is it who is it
He can do anything
He sees everything
And his hand is in everything
Years have passed like a storm
The faith in me stayed
But my wish has already gotten old
To God lost
Yom Kippur arrives
I'm turning to him again clearly
To bring me the peace
Even if it is belated
Who is it who is it who is it who is it who is it who is it who is it
He can do anything
He sees everything
And his hand is in everything
He is the worst of all
He sees everything
And his hand is in everything
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=kLnHzLNuT-M
http://www.michaelgreilsammer.com/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2011/07/Greilsammer-Bio-English.pdf
Hi, I just can't believe it! when I was in Israel I heard "Tirkedi" of Michael and Shimrit Greilsammer in a radio. And now you're showing another great song of them. I'm from a country in southamerica and actually we have a park called Itzhak Rabin, it was named in his honour, I knew a little bit about his story, but thanks for making it even clearer.
ReplyDeleteThanks again for sharing good music. :D
thanks! "Tirkedi" is a great song but I also really like the song that made Michael Greisammer big "Ishti Hayekare" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K84tCCGNV6Y
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