IDF Golani Troops Leave Gaza and Visit the Kotel

Our Heroes Say the Gomel Blessing and Sing Hatikva~Hamas Is Still Threatening...

Jews Have Always Longed for Their Homeland...

One only has to go to a library, open a history book and see that the Jews have wandered and longed for their homeland for thousands of years. 

It does not matter that those who hate can post lies on the internet, protest the truth and lobby to have history changed. The facts remain, Jerusalem is the capitol of the Jewish state. Jerusalem has always been the capital for the Jews. 

Nobody, has been able to change this truth~Ever~Nor will they be able to. Am Yisrael Chai!

This is the Recording Made in Bergen-Belsen~20 April 1945

Hatikva~With Translation

Astrith Baltsan on Gershwin with Israeli Philharmonic

You Can See the Amazing Astrith Baltsan Explain the Origins of Hatikva HERE...

The Origins of Hatikvah~How An Anthem Was Born

Most of us are familiar with the Israeli National Anthem~Hatikvah (The Hope). Not many know (or even think of) its origins. One Israeli, classical musician Astrith Baltsan, did think about it, and for her it became an eight year quest to track the origins and sources of Israel's National Anthem. When her research was complete, she decided to share her findings via a book and a concert~lecture. In the clip below she explains that the two hundred page book (which includes two CD's with three hours of music) was produced by the Ministry of Education and is used for the matriculation exams in Israel. It is also used at the officers schools in the IDF. 

There are those who like classical music and then there are others~each to his own, as they say. Perhaps, there can also be a blending of tastes. Many musicians over the years have tried to bring the genres together. Singers like tenor Mario Lanza crossed into popular music and movies, and to this day has a following. The incomparable Luciano Pavarotti and his appeal to wider audiences came to attention with "The Three Tenors". Pavarotti went on  to make amazing music with rock and pop stars such as Let it Rain with Jon Bon Jovi, the ballad Live Like Horses with Elton John, and the beautiful Baby Can I Hold You Tonight with Tracy Chapman. (Follow the Links~You May Like It!)
 

Back to the Israeli musical world and the phenomenal, Astrith Baltsan. She has developed an imaginative story-telling style for her chamber music lecture-concerts, Classica be-meimad ishi (Classics from a Personal Viewpoint).

Using a combination of music, imagery and story-telling, Astrith is able to explain, enlighten and entertain with musical history and facts. Her unique entertainment style has filled concert halls with a new type of audience, who have laughed, cried, learned, and gained an appreciation for the classical side of music. Astrith Baltsan's "concert~lecture" series has become the largest classical chamber music series in Israel, and she takes her concerts around the world to the delight of all. 

Hatikvah is one of five programs that Astrith created with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, directed by Zubin Mehta, and televised by Herzliyyah Studios for the Israeli Education Channel (2000–2002).
 
Below, you can listen as Astrith tells of her investigation into Israel's National Anthem (Hatikvah), and the discovery of the history behind it. You will also get a glimpse of the personality of Astrith Baltan, and just a hint of her amazing talent.

* At the bottom of this post are the words to Hatikva~for those who are not familiar with them...Enjoy!

Astrith Baltsan Explains How She Came to Investigate and Reveal Hatikva's Origins

 

Excerpts From Astrith Baltsan's Concert on The Origins of  Israel's National Anthem

Transliteration	התקוה
Kol od balevav p'nimah	כל עוד בלבב פנימה
Nefesh Yehudi homiyah	נפש יהודי הומיה
Ulfa'atey mizrach kadimah	ולפאתי מזרח קדימה
Ayin l'tzion tzofiyah	עין לציון צופיה
Od lo avdah tikvatenu	עוד לא אבדה תקותנו
Hatikvah bat shnot alpayim	התקוה בת שנות אלפים
L'hiyot am chofshi b'artzenu	להיות עם חופשי בארצנו
Eretz Tzion v'Yerushalayim	ארץ ציון וירושלים

 

Hatikva (The Hope)

As long as deep in the heart,
The soul of a Jew yearns,
And forward to the East
To Zion, an eye looks
Our hope will not be lost,
The hope of two thousand years,
To be a free nation in our land,
The land of Zion and Jerusalem.

Israel Sends a Message to Anonymous....

* Thanks to Weasel Zippers for posting... 

Israel hacks Anonymous #OpIsrael site~enjoy the Israeli National anthem and some real truth about the Israel and palestinian “question”. Israel doesn’t take anything lying down...

I did follow the link to OpIsrael site and listened to Hatikva and viewed the info. The following was posted there under A Few Forgotten Facts. I have added them here, but do go to their site and leave OpIsrael a message of congratulations!

[1] Israel became a nation in 1312 BCE, two thousand years before the rise of Islam.

[2] Arab refugees in Israel began identifying themselves as part of a Palestinian people in 1967, two decades after the establishment of the modern State of Israel.

[3] Since the Jewish conquest in 1272 BCE, the Jews have had dominion over the land for one thousand years with a continuous presence in the land for the past 3,300 years.

[4] The only Arab dominion since the conquest in 635 CE lasted no more than 22 years.

[5] For over 3,300 years, Jerusalem has been the Jewish capital Jerusalem has never been the capital of any Arab or Muslim entity. Even when the Jordanians occupied Jerusalem, they never sought to make it their capital, and Arab leaders did not come to visit.

[6] Jerusalem is mentioned over 700 times in Tanach, the Jewish Holy Scriptures. Jerusalem is not mentioned once in the Koran.

[7] King David founded the city of Jerusalem. Mohammed never came to Jerusalem.

[8] Jews pray facing Jerusalem. Muslims pray with their backs toward Jerusalem.

[9] In 1948 the Arab refugees were encouraged to leave Israel by Arab leaders promising to purge the land of Jews. Sixty-eight percent left without ever seeing an Israeli soldier.

[10] The Jewish refugees were forced to flee from Arab lands due to Arab brutality, persecution, and slaughter.

[11] The number of Arab refugees who left Israel in 1948 is estimated to be around 630,000. The number of Jewish refugees from Arab lands is estimated to be the same. [Ed. Note: These figures differ widely, with Arabs listing as low as 450,000 and Jewish refugees listed as One Million. It is believed that the number of Jews expelled from Arab lands was far greater than the numbers of Arabs who left Israel~under direction of their own leaders]

[12] Arab refugees were intentionally not absorbed or integrated into the Arab lands to which they fled, despite the vast Arab territory. Out of the 100,000,000 refugees since World War II, theirs is the only refugee group in the world that has never been absorbed or integrated into their own people's lands. Jewish refugees were completely absorbed into Israel, a country no larger than the state of New Jersey.

[13] The Arabs are represented by eight separate nations, not including the Palestinians. There is only one Jewish nation. The Arab nations initiated all five wars and lost. Israel defended itself each time and won.

[14] The PLO's Charter still calls for the destruction of the State of Israel. Israel has given the Palestinians most of the West Bank land, autonomy under the Palestinian Authority, and has supplied them.

[15] Under Jordanian rule, Jewish holy sites were desecrated and the Jews were denied access to places of worship. Under Israeli rule, all Muslim and Christian sites have been preserved and made accessible to people of all faiths.

[16] The UN Record on Israel and the Arabs: of the 175 Security Council resolutions passed before 1990, 97 were directed against Israel.

[17] Of the 690 General Assembly resolutions voted on before 1990, 429 were directed against Israel.

[18] The UN was silent while 58 Jerusalem Synagogues were destroyed by the Jordanians.

[19] The UN was silent while the Jordanians systematically desecrated the ancient Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives.

[20] The UN was silent while the Jordanians enforced an apartheid-like a policy of preventing Jews from visiting the Temple Mount and the Western Wall.

IDF Paratroopers Sing "Hatikva" in Jerusalem's Old City

Viewing the City from Har HaZeitim

Here is a beautiful story. On Thursday night ninety IDF paratroopers were led on a march~through the Old City of Jerusalem. 

The young troops stood on Har HaZeitem (Mount of Olives), where prophets, countless Rabbis, Hasidic Rebbes, cultural figures and politicians are interred. The view overlooking Jerusalem's historic "Old City" is truly breathtaking. They marched through Ir David (City of David), and the ancient streets before finally arriving at the Kotel (Western Wall) where their swearing in ceremony took place.

Carrying their colours and Israeli flags, they smiled and sang as they viewed their ancient capital which has been the focus of wars for thousands of years. This is the city they are called upon to defend. It was a joyful, yet solemn occasion, because like those that came before them, these young people know that they may have to lay down their lives for these ancient stones.

Rabbi Matti Dan, head of the Ateret Cohanim, led the troops as they waved banners and sang on a rooftop. Many of the students from the yeshiva enter into the military.

In the Old City with Ateret Cohanim

It looks like the same spot I visited with a friend when we took the tour through the old city (with Aterit Cohanim) during the high holidays. We like to go each year as they usually have different routes and new buildings to show. If you have not taken their tours (which are free during the holidays), I urge you to do so!

The tours usually start from the arch leading from the mens' section of the Kotel Plaza. To hear of the history and see the Jewish homes and yeshivas that existed before the ethnic cleansing of Jews during the wars is indescribable. Slowly, these homes are being purchased back (at unbelievably high prices), then renovated and inhabited once again by their rightful owners~the Jewish people of Israel. For the record, the Arabs willingly sell these places, which are in terrible (*read not livable) condition. Apart from that, should Jews not be allowed the same freedom as the Arabs to make an honest purchase in our own country?

For all the lefty haters and nay-sayers, I have only two words (and its not let's dance). Their whiny, politically correct mentality has cost lives, land and risks the destruction of this country. You don't have to come here to live, and you don't even have to like us, just butt out...And before you start the mantra of "we give financial support", I must ask...do you support disasters like the one in Haiti? Do you donate to other organizations around the world? Do you tell them they can't walk around their own capital cities because you give money? I thought not...

What a blessing it is to see our young IDF troops singing our National Anthem and dancing in our capital City just before Shabbos! Hashem should bless and keep them safe always!
 

Ah yes, and the sound of Barak and company plotzing in the background...

Hatikva~Heavy...

Unless you are into "heavy metal", the name, Marty Friedman will not ring any bells. He is well known for his guitar skills and has played with bands such as Megadeth and Cacophony. In 1999 he relocated to Japan where his career as a musician, producer and media personality has been very successful.

So why am I telling you this? 

It is a preface to the video Arutz 7 posted of his performance (his third in Israel)  in Tel Aviv on the 31st of May. 

His stylized version of Hatikva was a real crowd pleaser--and you don't have to be a heavy metal fan to enjoy it. 

Just goes to show you, Israelis will always sing along to their National Anthem and this crowd was no exception. Not bad at all...