So sad to hear of pop star Adam's death at 64, after a long battle with lung cancer. He left behind this statement: "If you are reading these words, it means that I am in a world that is all good, that's how they say, I can't recommend it yet. I want to thank you for the wonderful and unbelievable journey in this life. I did a lot, I went for it, and I went to the limit in everything, in love, in friendships, in creation. I have a few unfinished dreams left but not a lot. Thank you for the love, thank you for every person I met, or influenced in one way or another, thank you for the life. If I wasn't able to help from below in returning the hostages, I will try to act from above. Be good, love you."
He performed this lovely song in 1989 for the Festigal, a Hannukah show for children, back when it was a song contest and unsurprisingly it won first place. We won't forget you Adam ♥
People make mistakes in the darkness, pouring rain
They are silent, they are lonely
They forgot the miracle of happiness that was promised
When they were still children.
Don't forget, don't forget to feel and to see
Don't stop dreaming, hoping
Don't forget, don't forget to pity and to cry
Don't forget to love and to live.
I too was a child a long time ago
When I was better
And I forget the light blue in front of the cloud
But you, don't give up.
Don't forget, don't forget to feel and to see
Don't stop dreaming, hoping
Don't forget, don't forget to pity and to cry
Don't forget to love and to live.
When you grow up you'll still be a child in your own way
When Tamir Grinberg released this touching song way back in January he wrote:
When I wrote this song, I didn't think I would release it. I didn't there would still be hostages. I wrote it while the first hostage release deal was taking place, thinking this way or another, they would all come back. Now, I'm releasing this song to sound this message - bring them home, bring you home.
Now.
It's our duty and responsibility."
It's been 6 months since then and a few days ago he released this beautiful live version, the words still relevant today. When I listen to the song I think of the families of the hostages and today I am thinking of Ayelet Levy whose daughter Naama Levy is 20 years old today. A 20th birthday is always a special occasion, marking the beginning of a transformative decade. For most Israelis, it's also one of the last birthdays while still serving in the army, before life really begins. Naama still has so much ahead of her, as her mother said in a speech she gave in March: "One terrible video unrelated to the Naama we knew before October 7 turned Naama into everyone's daughter. Every previous video of Naama before that morning was full of joy, laughter, and optimism. Dancing with her friends, laughing with her brothers and sister, talking about peace as part of a peace-seeking delegation, and playing with refugee children in the kindergarten where she volunteered. Naama is a quiet, determined sportswoman, full of compassion and emotion. An optimistic girl who dreamed of making the world a better place. A girl who believes in the good in people, which I still believe in too.... Naama should be on this stage instead of me, presenting her vision for an equal and just world. For her sake, for Naama, do not stop demanding what is right. Do not stop saying her name."
Nightmares, afraid of sleeping
Voices, I hear them all
Please know that I've been thinking about you all along
Ran Danker's bold new single speaks for itself but here are parts from an interview he gave earlier this week which provide a bit more context:
"This song was written a year ago, during the legal revolution. There was an internal urge of mine amidst all the anger and frustration to add to it and say 'What a fear, we're in a free fall and we don't see that we're losing our language with each other'. And then October 7 came and made it more tangible".
Listening to his song, I'm reminded of how I felt when I went to bed on October 6th, not fearing a security incident, but fearing how the Simchat Torah celebrations the next day would play out in Tel Aviv, after the clashes on Yom Kippur due to forced gender segregation in Dizengoff Square. I looked at the news before going to bed and there was a notification that the police had called up extra forces to be on guard in Tel Aviv, should things get out of hand...
"I think it's kind of a warning sign for all of us," Danker says of the song in the interview. "It's a place to say that we need to find a new language, that we're tired of the language of divisiveness and everything that leads us to not seeing each other because of people's cynical interests. We the people must find our new language because we have lost it. In this song, I talk about not wanting to leave this place. I want to make an effort and find another, creative way to another language".
The truth is, at this point in time I'm apprehensive of any calls for 'unity', especially when said in response to protests and criticism. There can't be real unity if we don't respect each other and our differences. It still feels like each group is fighting for their language to not get silenced, I'm not sure we're ready to create a new language, but we might not have a choice.
I have to admit that while visually beautiful, the sight of people falling from the steps made me uncomfortable, but I guess that's the point. As Danker says, "I think the point is to look reality in the eyes and say 'the fall is already happening, we're already in it' and it could happen a second, third, fourth time, to infinity' I want to believe that it does make people think, to question, to wonder - why are we fighting for this place? In the name of what do we hate each other so much? The difference within us is enormous and that is the beauty. Even if we learn to live with each other here amid Israeli complexity, we need to understand that we are required to take action".
Overwhelmed with joy to hear of the stunning rescue of four hostages abducted from the Nova festival: Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov, and Shlomi Ziv. ♥♥♥♥
With all the happiness and excitement, 120 hostages are still held in Gaza. We can't forget them and we can't turn down a hostage deal that will bring all of them back.
Yehuda Poliker released this song in 2001 during the Second Intifada and sadly the lyrics, written by Yaakov Gilad, have never felt more relevant with the tense situation in the North and the dire situation in the South. I came across this moving performance from a concert Poliker gave a few weeks ago, here is what he says at the beginning:
"We're going through a difficult time. It's not clear whether the war in Gaza is over or not. But what it means is that the hostages still aren't here and our heroic soldiers are still getting hurt over there. I call from here for the return of all the hostages, and immediately. And let's also hope that all the soldiers will return safely and that the situation will improve and be good. And that the new Middle East will really be new, and it will be fun to live here."
