Eran Zur with the Meitar Ensemble-He and She

8 P.M on Monday night marked the end of the Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of terror and the beginning of Independence Day celebrations. This year I decided to pass the last few hours of Memorial Day in complete silence-no tv documentaries, no songs on the radio, just silence. And it did help with the sudden transition to "happy mode" which I always find very difficult. By 8:15 the neighbours were already playing loud music and I could hear kids in the street waiting for the fireworks and their favorite singers to perform on stages in the streets. Later in the evening I went to a party in Be'er Sheva with friends. I can't say that there was an "Independence Day" vibe because most of the music wasn't Israeli but it was a fun night, especially considering that for a change we didn't have lessons the next day as well as the fact that we didn't have to worry about rockets, something that's not very obvious even though it's been very quiet (for us) in the last few months. I came back home in a good mood and checked my facebook news feed. There were the usual pics of celebrations and late night barbeques and then I saw a status by my cousin from Newton, MA: "family's safe and doing OK. Thoughts and prayers go out to everyone back home". My first reaction was that there had been some kind of natural disaster like a hurricane or earthquake  so I was quite in shock when I checked the news and read about the horrific Boston Marathon bombings. I was relieved to hear that it could have been much worse: There were three dead and about 170 injured but then I remembered from over here that "slighly injured" means that even though a person's injuries aren't fatal, it could also mean that he has lost an arm, a leg or even worse. The number of wounded is now 176 meaning that 179 families are forever changed, not to mention the city of Boston. I grew up in the Boston area until I was 6 and have fond memories of weekends at the Boston Common and walks along the Charles River. I came back for a visit a few years ago and loved the bookshops and second hand shops, the friendly people and the Beacon Hill area. My parents always smile and have a twinkle in their eyes when they recall memories from their student life, despite the difficulties of being in a foreign country. My dad once told me that May is Boston's loveliest month and as a student this was very frustrating because of the exams! I really hope that those wounded will be able to enjoy May in Boston.
This is one of those songs that has stayed with me from the first time I heard it. When I heard the original with Rona Kenan in the background my heart trembled quite a bit when I heard the line "After the blast in Tel Aviv" although each line here is very emotional and beautifully written by Eran Zur and I had some difficulty translating them into decent English. Zur recently released an album of new versions to his songs with the Meitar Ensemble. Some of the versions are better than others and some make you want to hear the originals instead (like "On Nights of Full Moon") but overall the versions bring the songs to a new level, with this one especially.You can buy it here.


He and she, looking at each other
For two years now
She's in a relationship with someone else
And he-except for sometimes, he's alone
After the blast in Tel Aviv, looking at each other
She's so happy to see he's safe
On the way to the sea, looking at each other
The heart pounds, pulsing, the mouth stays silent

It's dangerous to fall in love like this
Therefore the compromise in love

Working hard to forget it
Labour frees you from the bitter taste of missed opportunity
And so they live from afar, not speaking a word
They remain strangers to each other

It's dangerous to fall in love like this
Therefore the comromise
In love
To fall in love like this
Therefore the compromise
In love
To fall in love like this
Therefore the compromise
In love

He and she, looking at each other
For two years now

https://he-il.facebook.com/eran.zur.page