Cantor Azi Schwartz Sings Hatikvah to Mark October 7 Anniversary

As we mark the one-year anniversary of October 7th, we reflect on the enduring strength of our friends and family in Israel, who continue to live through the ripple effects of war. 

Today, we remember the hostages still waiting for freedom, and we stand with their families in their suffering. We pray for peace.

Cantor Azi Schwartz of the Park Avenue Synagogue in New York City, accompanied by a choir and a full orchestra, sings Hatikvah.

Am Yisrael Chai!

An English Version of Hatikvah with Current IDF Footage from Israel

We have posted many versions of Hatikvah, Israel's national anthem over the years, but this is the first one in English, an exact translation of the Hebrew words.

The English words are shown over video images from the current war in Gaza in honor of the courageous men and women of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Jews everywhere.

Am Yisrael Chai!

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18-Year-Old Canadian Pianist Kevin Chen Opens Carnegie Hall Concert with Hatikvah

Last week at Carnegie Hall, 18-year-old Canadian pianist Kevin Chen, the winner of the prestigious Arthur Rubinstein Competition, created an unforgettable evening of music. 

Chen, known for his extraordinary talent, surprised the audience by making a spontaneous program change in a gesture of solidarity with Israel. This remarkable performance began with a stirring rendition of the Israeli national anthem, "Hatikvah," showcasing Chen's versatility and his commitment to bridging cultures through music. 

The audience was captivated by his heartfelt tribute to Israel, and the night will be remembered as a unique and moving experience in the world of classical music.

Enjoy!

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Celebrating Israel's 75th Independence Day with Rabotai a Cappella Group

Rabotai (meaning gentlemen) is a fresh and exciting Jewish a cappella group comprised of energetic vocal talent and professional beatboxing. 

Coming from different corners of the world, its members found each other in Israel, where they are rapidly becoming a sought after group to entertain audiences big and small. They specialize in mixing classical Jewish songs with modern pop. 

Today we're celebrating Israel's 75th Independence Day by sharing Rabotai's mashup of Hatikvah and the prayer for the State of Israel that they recorded for Israel's 70th Independence Day in 2018.

Wishing you a very happy Yom Haatzmaut!

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World Jewish Congress Presents the Hatikvah Project

Thousands of people from 50 countries, of all ages, faiths, and backgrounds, have joined the World Jewish Congress in compiling a special gift of hope for the State of Israel, to celebrate 70 years of Independence – singing Hatikvah, Israel’s national anthem, in one voice.

Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

A July 4 Special: Two Cantors Combine Hatikvah and America the Beautiful

Tomorrow is the Fourth of July, a holiday that we celebrate with Americans of all religions and ethnic groups. 

As the world is riven today by national rivalries, hatreds, and acts of unspeakable cruelty, we can take comfort in the knowledge that the United States of America and Israel share a value system that is truly exceptional.

A few years ago, Angela Buchwald and Julia Katz, the cantors of New York City's Central Synagogue, added a mashup of Hatikvah and America the Beautiful to a Shabbat service to give voice to the hope and vision that these two countries have shared from their birth.

Have a happy Fourth tomorrow and enjoy the music.

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO IS NOT VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)
 

Election Fever: Flash Mob Hatikvah on the Jerusalem Light Rail

 

This week's election in Israel produced lots of campaign ads and videos. Most were attempts to boost the prospects of candidates by overstating their positive attributes and minimizing those of their opponents. But not all were partisan.

One video, shown below, produced by Im Tirtzu, a non-partisan, non-governmental organization, and featuring the a cappella group called KOLture Shock, was called the most patriotic train ride in Jerusalem ever by the Israel Video Network. It was filmed as a flash mob aboard the light rail in Jerusalem.

Im Tirtzu is an extra-governmental movement that works to educate about the values of Zionism in Israel. Im Tirtzu was established in 2006, after the Second Lebanon War, by Israeli intellectuals, students and IDF reservists.  

Im Tirtzu's main objectives focus on working towards a renewal of the Zionist discourse, Zionist thinking and Zionist ideology, to ensure the future of the Jewish nation and of the State of Israel and to advance Israeli society in coping with the challenges it faces. A major portion of Im Tirtzu's efforts is devoted to combating the campaign of de-legitimization against the State of Israel and to providing responses to Post-Zionist and Anti-Zionist phenomena.

KOLture Shock is an a cappella group of Israelis and English-speaking students and olim living in Jerusalem.We have featured them before in a musical parody about the second seder. 

Enjoy!

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(A tip of the kippah to Dan Mosenkis for bringing this video to our attention.)

Tel Aviv Flash Mob in Mashup of Hatikvah and We Will Rock You to Support IDF

Last week a flash mob showed up in Dizengoff Square in Tel Aviv to perform a spontaneous salute to the Israel Defense Forces. 

The musical salute was a mashup of Hatikvah and the 1977 Queen hit We Will Rock You.

Enjoy!

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Unexpected Traces in Jewish Places: Charlie Daniels Plays Hatikvah in Israel Concert

Despite the constant criticism and bashing from many in the US entertainment industry, it's good to know that Israel does have friends among Country and Western entertainers and in Christian communities.

Charlie Daniels, who you may remember from his big hit Devil Went Down to Georgia, performed Hatikvah and I'll Fly Away at a Feast of Tabernacles event in Ein Gedi during Sukkot last October, sponsored by the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem.

The baseball cap he wore was embroidered with the words Super Dvora MKIII, the name of an Israeli patrol boat, and a picture of the boat.

The Super Dvora MKIII, the latest water jet-powered fast patrol craft, is a successor to the Dabur, Dvora, Shapirit, and Super Dvora Mark-1 and Mark-2 boats manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries.. The new multi-mission patrol and attack boat was first used by Israeli Navy in 2008.

Enjoy and Shabbat shalom!

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO IS NOT VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)

Two Cantors Sing a Fourth of July Mashup of Hatikvah and America the Beautiful

Today is the Fourth of July, a holiday that we celebrate with Americans of all religions and ethnic groups. 

As the world is riven today by national rivalries, hatreds, and acts of unspeakable cruelty, we can take comfort in the knowledge that the United States of America and Israel share a value system that is truly exceptional.

Last year, Angela Buchwald and Julia Katz, the cantors of New York City's Central Synagogue, added a mashup of Hatikvah and America the Beautiful to a Shabbat service to give voice to the hope and vision that these two countries have shared from their birth.

Have a happy Fourth and enjoy the music. Shabbat shalom.

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO IS NOT VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)

Hatikva and Game of Thrones - a Musical Mashup by Michael Greilsammer

Yes, we know it's Monday and you're expecting a Joke to Start the Week, but today is Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, so we're deferring our joke of the week to tomorrow, Tuesday.

But we can't let a day go without posting something relevant to the day that will be uplifting. Hatikva, Israel's national anthem, is a fixture in Holocaust remembrance ceremonies today in Israel and around the world. 

There aren't many different versions of Hatikva, but Israeli-born violinist, singer/songwriter Michael Greilsammer has come up with a unique version that blends the traditional melody with the main theme of the award-winning HBO fantasy series. Game of Thrones.

Greilsammer has been called a revolutionary musical phenomenon by the world press. 

The child of French immigrant parents and named a child prodigy at the age of five, Michael’s unique music blends Irish, Reggae and Rock flavors to create a magical sound. 

We'll be back tomorrow with a Joke to Start the week. 

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(A tip of the kippah to Esther Kustanowitz for bringing this video to our attention.)

Barbra Streisand Sings Hatikvah in Tel Aviv Concert

Last week we posted a video of Barbra Streisand singing Avinu Malkeinu in Jerusalem to honor Israeli Preisident Shimon Peres on his 90th birthday. That post had the second highest number of page views since we started Jewish Humor Central in October 2009. 

From Jerusalem she went to Tel Aviv to give a concert that included some of her greatest hit songs from her long singing career. We thought that we just had to follow up the Avinu Malkeinu video with Barbra's rendition of Hatikva at the Tel Aviv concert. Let's see if this one rivals or beats the Avinu Malkeinu video in views.

And thanks to Barry Shaw, who posted it on YouTube for all of us to see.

Enjoy!

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.) 

Tracing the Origins of Hatikvah - The Search Goes On

Two years ago, we wrote about the origins of Hatikvah, Israel's national anthem, tracing its words to Naftali Imber and its melody to an Italian folk song and Smetana's symphonic poem, The Moldau.

But the song has become so important to the State of Israel and to the Jewish people worldwide, that new research continues to uncover details that were previously unknown and that add color and insight to the story of this beloved tune.

Pianist Astrith Baltsan, Israel's most popular classical performer, is also a musicologist who has undertaken a personal quest to find the complete story behind the song that brings Jews to attention whenever it is played.

Baltsan discovered some surprising facts about the words and the music that she shares in the video below, revealing this information amid scenes of the song being performed by children in Hungary in 1933, by survivors of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp on their day of liberation, in Israeli films, by Barbra Streisand, and at soccer games. Enjoy!

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)

(A tip of the kippah to Sheila Zucker for bringing this video to our attention.)

Hatikvah: From Italian Folk Song To Czech Symphonic Poem To Israel's National Anthem

Hatikvah.  It's arguably the most recognized Jewish melody, even more than Hava Nagila.  OK, we'll admit we're on a Hatikvah kick.  Yesterday we posted a video of Hatikvah being played on a shofar.  We plan to post other versions, some traditional and some unusual, in the weeks and months to come.

But where did this song, that causes Jews everywhere to stand up and sing, come from?  The lyrics, the last verse of which was modified with the creation of the State of Israel, are well known as the work of Naftali Herz Imber, who wrote a nine-verse poem in Romania in 1877.  A few years later, Imber moved to Jerusalem, where the poem, Tikvatenu, was published in 1886.

And the melody?  Although widely believed to have been composed by Samuel Cohen in 1888, Cohen himself recalled many years later that he had adapted the melody from a Romanian folk song.  This folk song was itself adapted from an Italian madrigal called La Mantovana, written in 1600, which shares many structural elements with Hatikva.  This melody originated as an Italian madrigal around the year 1600 written by Giuseppino del Biado with the text "Fuggi, fuggi, fuggi dal questo cielo."

In 1874, Czech composer Bedrich Smetana wrote a symphonic poem called The Moldau, also based on La Mantovana as a tribute to his homeland.  Cohen may have also been influenced by Smetana's beautiful melody.

Here are two videos to illustrate these origins of Hatikva.  First, the Italian madrigal, played by Owain Phyfe, a performer at Renaissance Fairs around the U.S., followed by a performance of the first part of Smetana's symphonic poem The Moldau by Arie Vardi conducting the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Enjoy!