Shtikah Kehoda'a

Coachella needs to speak up. 

Eve Barlow on Coachella

Shtikah Kehoda'ah. Where are the leaders? 

A Heavenly Voice

Peter Himmelman on the antisemitism at Coachella.

It Don't Mean A Thing...

says Rabbi Greenspan. 

Rabbi Greenspan and Thank You Hashem

Rabbi Greenspan's first(?) collab with TYH Nation - Yum Yum 

Music Inspired/Composed/Performed by Hostages and Chayalim

I haven't seen anyone assemble the numerous inspirational songs/performances that have come out of the tragedy, so here's a list of songs that speak to me. I'm sure I've missed some. Please send in any you think I should add. 

Am Yisrael Chai - Eyal Golan - no explanation needed.

Gam Ki Elech - Composed by Yossi Hershkovitz HY'D Yossi was a soldier who composed this song in the field and was tragically killed. Avraham Fried has covered this song as well.

Acheinu by Lior Narkis - This deceptively complex melody resonates.

B'derech Emunah Bacharti - Moshe Peretz - A beautiful song inspired by freed hostage Agam Berger's message which she held up on a whiteboard as she was being flown back from Gaza.

Drishat Shalom MeChayim Acherim - Idan Reichel A retelling of the incredible connection hostage Sagi Dekel Chen and his wife Avital had while he was in captivity. They shared dreams. Here's a powerful video about the inspiration behind the song.

Beyachad Nenatzeach - Avraham Tal & Lior Narkis

Zeh B'seder - Beniah Berabi

And while this is not a "new" song, this  Concert Moledet remake of Yardena Arazi's Habaita is so, so powerful.

Mei'afeilah Le'orah!

Freed hostage Sagi Dekel Chen recorded a version of Keren Shemesh  weeks after being released.

BD'E - Shiri, Ariel & Kfir Bibas HY"D

The Jerusalem Post reports on the music Yarden Bibas chose to be played at the Bibas' funeral today.

BDE - Benzion Miller Z"L

Saddened to report that Chazzan Benzion Miller Z"L has died. 

Ishay Ribo Interviewed

Interesting Ishay Ribo profile.

Keeping the Faith in the IDF

 Mendel Roth, son of the Shomer Emunim Rebbe enlists in the IDF today and releases a song, "Ani Ratz Lakrav".
ראיתי עם עתיק שחידש את נעוריו נלחם כמו אריה ומשמיד את כל אויביו ראיתי איך בורא עולם שומר בניו אשרי העם הזה שאלו ילדיו שמעתי יש לי אח שלוחם למען אחיו משפחה גם עבודה שנה שלמה עזב ראיתי עם גיבור שיש לו לב זהב והרמתי דגל, אני רץ לקרב כמו דוד המלך כמו שמשון הגיבור כמו הפרטיזנים, שלחמו למען האור כמו המכבים, שניצחו את היוונים אני רץ ללחום להגן על יהודים אני רץ אני רץ אני רץ אני רץ הנני אני רץ אני רץ אני רץ אני רץ הנני ובין חורבות ובין סלעים רצים שם לוחמים ילדים של עם חזק הוא שמש העמים והם פותחים ת׳דרך בשירת גבורה אריה שואג בדרך ומי לא יירא ובין כותלי בית המדרש הבזיק בי אור חזק דם אחיי נשפך כמים שם ליבי צעק שמעתי כאבו ראיתי דמעותיו וליבי היכה בי, אני רץ לקרב כמו דוד המלך כמו שמשון הגיבור כמו הפרטיזנים, שלחמו למען האור כמו המכבים, שניצחו את היוונים אני רץ ללחום להגן על יהודים אני רץ אני רץ אני רץ אני רץ הנני אני רץ אני רץ אני רץ אני רץ הנני ראיתי עם עתיק שחידש את נעוריו נלחם כמו אריה ומשמיד את כל אויביו ראיתי איך בורא עולם שומר בניו אשרי העם הזה שאלו ילדיו

Bageled

The general concept of "bageling" involves someone who isn't obviously Jewish looking identifying themselves to someone who is, not by saying "I'm Jewish too", but rather, by casually dropping a cultural signifier into their approach. For example, saying "boy, that bagel I ate for breakfast hit the spot", "do you know where I can find a good feli around here?" or "Shabbat Shalom" (on a Tuesday). I've noticed a similar musician-specific dynamic as well, particularly in the Yeshivish world..

A few recent examples:

1)

Me: <setting up to play a Bar Mitzvah breakfast at a Yeshiva>
Rebbi 1 to Rebbe 2 commenting loudly in front of me about my gear: RCF, pssshhh, they make the best speakers... etc.

2)

Guy in store who'd clearly been at the public concert I'd played down the road: "You have a 4X?"
Me: A 5X, actually.
Guy: "No one in Lakewood is using those yet."

3)

Guy: <places two-year-old on stage post-show while we are obviously breaking down the gear>
Me: Please take him off the stage, I don't want him to get hurt.
Guy: "It's ok. He knows how to behave around music and sound gear."

People, how about being normal and just saying "Hi! My name is x and I play x?"

Chanuka-pella!

From the Y-Studs... a Jackson 5 Chanukah! 

From Six13... a Wicked Chanukah!

From the Maccabeats... a Wicked anthem!

Happy Chanukah!

from Tower of Power!!! 

Od Yoter....

I suppose this was inevitable...

עוד יותר רע!

Pasken First, Assess The Case Afterwards

This keeps happening!  Rabbis need to stop taking positions based on either ignorance or impression without investigating who/what/why and talking to both sides of an issue before deciding. They don't even know what they don't know.

Additionally, this is a stupid excuse, because if the content is not objectionable, then it shouldn't matter whether or not he thought the songwriter was Chiloni. Sad.

Heartbreaking Superheroes

 No words.

And Even More Tov...

Apropo of yesterday's post... 

Divide and Conquer

Od Yoter Tov Ve....Od Yoter Tov!

Royz, Royz, Vi Vayt Bisti

Over at the Forward... Riki Rose, Yiddish rock star. 

Singer Mendel Roth Is Joining Tzahal.

 Chasidic singer, Mendel Roth, the son of the Shomer Emunim Rebbe is joining Tzahal.

Shirei Eretz Yisrael

Found where I want to live in Israel! 

BD'E - Rav Aviezer Wolfson

 Saddened to report the passing of Rav Aviezer Wolfson, the composer of the well-known Mah Ashiv many of us sing in shul.

BD'E. Yigal Calek Z"L

BD'E, Yigal Calek has died. 

No hedpeidim on Chol Hamoed.

Baruch Dayan Emes - Chatzi Katz Z"L

 Sad to hear of the sudden passing of singer Chatzi Katz Z"L on Rosh Hashana.

Baruch Dayan Emes.

Sheitel-Wearing To Save Her Life

 Eden Golan wore a sheitel in Malmo.

Like many frum women, she wore a blonde wig despite being a brunette.

Jill Biden Demanded Her Own Theme Song

 Ha ha ha!

She really did!

And it's terrible.

Jew With Horns - Tower of Power Edition

 

Hamas Does Kiruv

Seriously. 

When "Ki Mala'ah Ha'aretz Hamas" = " Ki Mala'ah Ha'aretz Dei'ah Es Hashem."

My Heart Is Crying

The Illustrated Hostage Diary of Moran Stella Yanai

"The Song"

One day I caught a bacterial infection in my intestines. It felt like I had a fever of 40 degrees Celsius. On the first day, I vomited and had diarrhea that drained my life away. I had 20 milliliters of water that they gave me for two days, and I vomited that, too, so my body became even more dehydrated. On the second day, imagine a corpse. My head was slumped on the mattress. I said, this is it, I'm going to die like this. This is hat's going to happen. In my mind, I was already saying goodbye. And we had this thing with their radio. Obviously, we didn't listen to the radio, but when the terrorists would scan through the stations, sometimes they would come across an Israeli station. The door was open. On of them came in with his radio, and he saw me with my head slumped, and as he entered, I heard :Hear Israel, you are the omnipotent..." [From the song "When the Heart Cried" by Sarit Hadad].

Do you know what kind of smile that gave me? And then we remembered the song's end is : "Make it end, for no more strength is left within me." I didn't agree to say that, so I changed the lyrics to: "For I have plenty of Strength! For I have plenty of strength!" and I recovered."

 

Rimon's Song

Via the Jerusalem Post.

מונח עד שיבא אליהו

 

Vehi She'amdah