Israel Matzav

New light

Here's Yonatan Razel with Ohr Chadash (New Light).

Let's go to the videotape.

Labels: Ohr Chadash, overnight music video, Yonatan Razel

I felt small

Here's Yonatan Razel with Katonti (I felt small).

Let's go to the videotape.

Labels: Katonti, overnight music video, Yonatan Razel

I am unworthy

Here's Yonatan Razel with Katonti (I am unworthy). The words come from the Torah portion of two weeks ago.

Let's go to the videotape.

Labels: Katonti, overnight music video, Yonatan Razel

Overnight music video

Here are Yonatan Razel and Aharon Razel with Ashira (I will sing).

Let's go to the videotape.

Labels: Aaron Razel, overnight music video, Yonatan Razel

Sabbath and Yom Tov music video

I think most of you can already guess what the video is going to be this evening. I'm just posting it a little bit early so that I can get the schnorring post on top at candle lighting.

Yes, it's Yaakov Shwekey and Yonatan Razel with v'Hi she'Amda (And that which has sustained our forefather and us), which comes from the Pesach seder.

Let's go to the videotape.

Chag Kasher v'Sameyach - a Happy and Kosher Passover to all of you. I'll be back on Saturday night, God willing, since the holiday on which work is forbidden here is only one day.

Oh - and we have all the children and grandchildren for the seder tonight. The last time that happened there were no married children and no grandchildren.

I hope you all enjoy your seders too.

Labels: Pesach seder, Sabbath music video, Yaakov Shwekey, Yom Tov music video, Yonatan Razel

Overnight music video

This week's Torah portion is Bo, which includes the Exodus from Egypt. And so, without further ado, here are Yaakov Shwekey and Yonatan Razel with v'Hi she'Amda (And that which stood for our forefathers and for us) from the Passover Haggada.

Let's go to the videotape.

Labels: overnight music video, v'Hi She'amda, Yaakov Shwekey, Yonatan Razel

In every generation they stand upon us to exterminate us

Michael Rosen reviews Giulio Meotti's new book : A New Shoah: The Untold Story of Israel's Victims of Terrorism.

The cultural editor of Italy's Il Foglio and a Wall Street Journal contributor, Meotti spent four years in Israel meeting with the families of the fallen, absorbing their stories, and marinating in their sorrow. The book lovingly and unsparingly describes the victims and survivors of Palestinian terror attacks, making flesh the abstract newspaper headlines that antiseptically summarize (and minimize) the brutal carnage. As Meotti explains, recounting these tales is nothing less than "an act of solidarity against the abandonment and dereliction of these thousands of victims, young and old, children and infants, women and men."

Both the Nazis during World War II and the Islamists today aim to eradicate not only the Jewish people, but also the Jewish name, and hope to stamp out any sense of Jewish personhood. As the author puts it, "the silence of Chelmno and the silence after a suicide bombing, the Zyklon B of the Nazis and the suicide belts of Hamas have this in common: the total destruction of the victim." And so Meotti set about "giving a voice to Israeli families destroyed by terrorism, letting them speak as the memories are beginning to fade" as "a form of incarnation like those stark walls of names at [Yad Vashem, Israel's] Holocaust memorial," which itself means "hand and name."

A sincere non-Jewish admirer of the Jewish state, Meotti enshrines the memory of the fallen in probably the most effective way possible: by gently turning over his pen to the families themselves. Seemingly half of the book consists of direct quotations by grieving parents, siblings, and children gleaned from interviews, eulogies, and other memorial speeches. These stories are organized haphazardly, and they're often graphic and difficult to stomach—both tendencies appear to be intentional.

Now, eight years later, insulated by the remarkably successful West Bank security fence, we easily forget the extreme anguish and mortal fear in which Israelis wallowed during the Second Intifada. In the 15 years since Oslo, 1,723 Israelis—equivalent in percentage terms to 74,000 Americans, or roughly 25 9/11's—have perished in some 150 suicide attacks, while another 10,000 have suffered injuries.

Read the whole thing.

Buy and read the book too (I would love to get a copy...).

And I know it's still early in the evening, but let's go to the videotape for Yaakov Shwekey's v'Hi She'amda.

Labels: Giulio Meotti, v'Hi She'amda, Yaakov Shwekey, Yonatan Razel

Overnight music video

Here's Yonatan Razel with Et Panecha Avakeish (I will seek Your face God).

Let's go to the videotape.

Labels: Et Panecha Avakeish, overnight music video, Yonatan Razel

Sabbath music video

Here's Yonatan Razel with Dror Yikra (Freedom will be called), which is one of the songs we sing at the afternoon Sabbath table.

Let's go to the videotape.

Shabbat Shalom to all.

Labels: Dror Yikra, Sabbath music video, Yonatan Razel

Overnight music video

Here's Yonatan Razel with v'Ani Tefilathi (And my prayers are to You).

Let's go to the videotape.

Labels: overnight music video, Va'Ani Tefilati, Yonatan Razel

Yom Tov music video

You all know what's coming....

Here are Yaakov Shwekey and Yonatan Razel singing v'Hi she'Amda (And who stood up for our parents and for us) from the Pesach Hagadah, which we will be singing in a few hours. The video is from a live concert in Caesaria a year and a half ago.

This is really a beautiful song.

Let's go to the videotape - I have more afterward.

I want to wish each and every one of you a Chag Kasher v'Sameyach - a Happy and Kosher Pesach.

For those of you who are not Jewish, or who are Jewish and live in Israel, I will be back on Tuesday night since we only have one holiday day at the beginning and one at the end (the rest of our days are Chol HaMoed - intermediate days with a different character) in Israel.

For those of you who are Jewish outside Israel, I look forward to having you back after dark on Wednesday night.

Chag Kasher v'Sameyach from Jerusalem!

Labels: v'Hi She'amda, Yaakov Shwekey, Yom Tov music video, Yonatan Razel

Overnight music video

Here's L'Yishuothcha Kivithi Hashem (I Hope for Your Salvation, God) from Yehoshua Hoter and Yonatan Razel.

Let's go to the videotape.

Labels: L'Yishuothcha Kivithi Hashem, overnight music video, Yehoshua Hoter, Yonatan Razel

Overnight music video

Here's Yonatan Razel singing Dror Yikra (He will call for freedom) which is one of the songs that we sing at the afternoon Sabbath table.

Let's go to the videotape.

Labels: Dror Yikra, overnight music video, Yonatan Razel

Sabbath music video

The Torah portion this week includes the Exodus from Egypt, and so... here are Yaakov Shwekey and Yonatan Razel singing v'Hi She'amda (That which has stood up for us) from the Passover Haggada. For those of you who - like me - grew up on a very dry tune for this song, I have to tell you that this tune is stunning.

And it's from a live concert in Caesaria with a full orchestra (the person who uploaded it to YouTube claims not to be religious).

Let's go to the videotape.

Shabbat Shalom everyone.

Labels: Sabbath music video, v'Hi She'amda, Yaakov Shwekey, Yonatan Razel

Sabbath music video

Here's Lecha Dodi, the main prayer of the welcoming the Sabbath service. The melody is by - HaAdmor Halutz, Rabbi Yeshayahu Shapira and its sung by Yonatan Razel.

Let's go to the videotape.