No Title

Add a Comment

11 Comments

Comment by Moad on September 9, 2008 at 10:38pm

Thank u Corey.. Jerusalem of Gold .. its awonderfull song i love too much.. listened to it .. as palestinian " Alquds" Jerusalem occupies a large area in my consciousness , mind, and heart..

in this link Fairooz song " Alquds " http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cVRDNcQkKA&feature=related

Comment by Moad on September 9, 2008 at 10:20pm

amazing information Neri .. thanks..
really "Jerusalem of Gold"..also written by Shemer :) .. it sung by Ofra haza..
Now ..i discovere that i impressed by Shemer :)

Comment by Corey Gil-Shuster on September 7, 2008 at 6:46am

For anyone interested,
Darkenu http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QRn29PKuo8 and words translated at http://www.hebrewsongs.com/song-darkeinu.htm
Jerusalem of Gold: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5SePLTBSU0

Comment by Neri Bar-On on September 6, 2008 at 9:03pm

Songwriter, composer Naomi Shemer dies at age 74 in 2004

I copied the text above from http://www.jewish-theatre.com/visitor/article_display.aspx?articleID=728

Comment by Neri Bar-On on September 6, 2008 at 9:02pm

Shemer was born in 1930 in Kvutzat Kinneret, and will be laid to rest there on Sunday at 6 P.M.

Shemer, among the most productive songwriters in Israel, was awarded the Israel Prize for Hebrew song in 1983. The prize's panel said Shemer was awarded the prize because "her songs are a wonderful fusion of lyrics and melody which express so adequately the people's covert feelings."

Among her most notable songs is "Jerusalem of Gold", written in 1967 and first performed during the Israel Song Festival in the same year. The song later became an anthem of the Six Day War, after the conquest of Jerusalem and the Old City.

After the Yom Kippur War in 1973, Shemer wrote the song "Lu Yehi", an expression of hope. After Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated she set a Hebrew translation of Walt Whitman's poem "O Captain! My Captain!" to music.

Song of peace, song of war

By Michal Palti

From `Jerusalem of Gold' to `Darkenu,' Israeli songs become symbols, and teach us about their times.

In 1968, Ha'aretz reported that then MK Uri Avnery had presented a bill to the Knesset Speaker, proposing that Naomi Shemer's "Jerusalem of Gold" be anointed the country's anthem. "Avnery spoke with Shemer," the newspaper reported, "and she informed him that she did not oppose the proposed law, and that its acceptance would be an honor for her."

Thirty-four years later, Avnery still believes that "Jerusalem of Gold" could serve as an excellent national anthem, instead of "Hatikvah." His perspective on Shemer's tune interestingly reflects the status of "period songs" - these are songs associated with a particular event or time in Israeli life, and which stir a flood of memories whenever they are heard. "Jerusalem of Gold" is apparently Israel's most conspicuous example of a period song.

In recent months, a new period song has struck a chord in the country. This is a new version of "Darkenu" - "Lo kala, hee lo kala darkenu" (not easy, it's not easy, our path). The song was first written in 1986 by Yaakov Rotblit (Danny Bassan performed the original version). Currently playing in the television series "The Bourgeoisie," the song has become a source of solace and encouragement in the current war. A comparison between the two songs points to differences that go well beyond lyrics and melody.

Uri Avnery adamantly believes that "Jerusalem of Gold" is a hymn worthy of all citizens of the state. He explains: "My position then was essentially a protest against `Hatikvah.' I wanted to propose an alternative song that had a chance of being accepted. I still think that `Hatikvah' is appropriate neither for the Hebrew population nor the Arab public in Israel. It is a song about the yearning for Zion, about homesick longing, and it doesn't deal with life in this country. `Hatikvah' also separates Jews from the rest of the citizens of Israel.

"With a few revisions in the lyrics, `Jerusalem of Gold' is more suitable, because Jerusalem is a holy city for the two peoples who live here, and both truly love it. The late Faisal Husseini and myself coined the slogan `United Jerusalem, capital of two peoples,' and I continue to believe that a non-partitioned Jerusalem will be the capital of Israel and Palestine. With a few changes, I think it could be a pretty good anthem."

Avnery had to meet with the song's composer, Naomi Shemer, in order to submit his proposed bill." I met her, and she didn't object," he recalls. "Of course, I didn't conceal my intention to change lyrics that wouldn't have been acceptable to the Palestinians."

And today? Would anybody today entertain the thought of proposing that "Darkenu" be made the national anthem? The answer is most likely no - and this is not only because the fervor and exaltation of "Jerusalem of Gold" are lacking in "Darkenu."

Comment by Moad on September 6, 2008 at 6:43pm

Thank you Corey..this is beautiful
the art is also a common language ....

Comment by Corey Gil-Shuster on September 6, 2008 at 4:56am

Moad, you made my day! A Palestinian who loves Naomi Shemer songs sung by Sarit Hadad. We should do a music get-together (shira betsibur).

Comment by Moad on September 6, 2008 at 4:08am

Its wonderful hebrew song .. Ilike it .. the composition , lyrics ,music and sarit voice ..its beautiful ..I love it.

I always listen to it ..
Many memories come to mind whenever I heard.. specially at the end of summer :(

Comment by Moad on September 6, 2008 at 1:08am

This is the end of summer, the end of the path
Allow them to return safely here
All that we seek, let it be...
Lu Yehi...
Lu Yehi...

Comment by Moad on September 6, 2008 at 1:02am

What I know about the song:
" The song was written in 1973 by Naomi Shemer in the honor of the IDF soldiers Killed In Action during the Yom Kippur War that year."

• 1
• 2