Source: https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/uk-gigs-by-radioheads-jonny-greenwood-and-israeli-singer-dudu-tassa-cancelled-apparently-amid-bds-pressure/
Musicians try to unite for cross cultural peace
Song: “New Day Will Rise” will be Israel’s Eurovision entry this May 2025
Nova massacre survivor Yuval Raphael won the “Rising Star” singing competition on Israeli TV. She was at the Nova Festival during the massacre on Oct 7, 2023, and survived by staying at the bottom of a pile of dead bodies in an Israeli bomb shelter, being shot up by Gazans. She waited there for 8 hours before being rescued.
Lyrics in English, French, and Hebrew (Song of Solomon 8:7):
And even if you say goodbye
You’ll never go away
You are the rainbow of my sky
My colors in the grey
My only wish upon a star
sunshine in the day
The only song that my piano ever plays
And even if you say goodbye
you’ll always be around
To lift me up and take me high
keep my feet close to the ground
Are you proud of me tonight
dreams are coming true
I choose the light
Nothing to lose if I lose you
New day will rise
Life will go on
Everyone cries
Don’t cry alone
Darkness will fade
All the pain will go by
But we will stay
Even if You say goodbye
Et même si tu dis adieu
Tu ne partiras jamais
T’es l’arc-en-ciel de mon ciel bleu
Mes couleurs dans le gris
Et mon seul souhait sous un ciel d’art
Un rayon dans ma journée
La seule chanson que mon piano peut jouer
New day will rise
Life will go on
Everyone cries
Don’t cry alone
Darkness will fade
All the pain will go by
But we will stay
Even You say
New day will rise
Life will go on
Everyone cries
Don’t cry alone
Darkness will fade
All the pain will go by
But You will stay
The love of my life
מים רבים
לא יכבו
את האהבה
ונהרות לא ישטפוה
New day will rise
Everyone cries
Don’t cry alone
Darkness will fade
All the pain will go by
But we will stay
Even if You say goodbye
A new day will rise
New day will rise
Lyrics & Music: Keren Peles
Produced & Arranged: Tomer Biran
French translation :Tamir Hitman
מילים ולחן: קרן פלס
עיבוד והפקה מוסיקלית: תומר בירן
תרגום לצרפתית: תמיר חיטמן
Acoustic Guitar: Avi Singolda
Piano, Keyboards, Bass, Drums and Programming: Tomer Biran
Additional Keyboards: Keren Peles
Strings Performance and Strings Arrangement: Yoed Nir, Tomer Biran
Strings recorded at Yoed Nir Studio
Recorded at Tomer Biran Audio Artists
Recording Engineer: Jonathan Sror
Mixing and Mastering: Roee Berezowitz, Tomer Biran
Hebrew lyric:
Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned. (Song of Songs 8:7, KJV)
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Israel placed 5th in song contest, out of 37 nations and 26 finalists
Outside of North America, Eurovision is a global annual song contest, with this year’s slogan, “United by Music.” Important to note that jury voters gave a ridiculously low number of points to the performance from Israel; Despite this, the public votes propelled Israel into 5th place. The jury awarded Germany (12th place) and Luxembourg (13th place) double Israel’s 52 points. However, the public proved their appreciation for the Israeli people, and for Israel’s songwriting and performance by awarding 323 points.
Give, and Pray for our work.
Israel’s singer Eden Golan performed the song “Hurricane,” and passed all the rules for non-political messaging. Some of the song’s lyrics:
Someone stole the moon tonight
Took my light
Everything is black and white
Who’s the fool who told you boys don’t cry?
37 nations competed, but only 25 became qualified for the contest (Netherlands was disqualified for behavior after the semifinal).
Notable headlines:
Eurovision organizers rebuke [non-competing] performer who wore keffiyeh during first semifinal show
Notable Mentions: Croatia (2nd place) with the funniest lyric: “Hey, I’m a big boy now / I’m going away and I’m selling my cow.”
Give, and Pray for our work.
Spring Concerts – April – Brahms Requiem
14, 19, & 22 Apr 2023: Our spring concert season:
Brahms’ German Requiem, in other words, funeral music, translated into Hebrew, performed with our 16-voice choir accompanied by two pianists.
The text is a bunch of Scriptures about death, the grave, its unavoidability, and the future hope and resurrection; “we shall not all sleep,” and the last Shofar.
Our Scripture ensemble choir is named “Fiat Lux,” Latin for “Let there be Light.”
Thanks to our donors who help towards our travel expenses and ongoing costs:
Daniel Oratorio – March Concert
6 Mar 2023, Samaria: The concert was a success, attended by around 900 people; We heard so many amazing comments afterwards; some were moved to tears by the music. Here’s the video and program links:
Video:
27 Feb 2023 Jerusalem:
Final preparations and rehearsals. Concert is this week, one night only, in Jerusalem.
Choir is 84 people plus soloists. Full accompaniment by the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, with Eli Jaffe, conductor.
Daniel Oratorio for Choir with Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra
Update: See this linked post.
13 Jan 2023, Samaria: We are in rehearsals with several choirs in preparation for this March 2, 2023 performance with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra.
A December 2016 performance of just the final section, with our Kamti Ensemble Choir:
Details, Names of Performers and Conductor, and Tickets:
Support JTOD’s expenses while in rehearsals:
Winter Season Concerts – Handel, Vivaldi
Reminder: 20 Dec, 30 Dec, and 7 Jan concerts around the Land of Israel featuring Handel and Vivaldi.
Handel’s Messiah & Vivaldi’s Gloria this December & Jan
Dec 2022 & Jan 2023, Israel: Our choir project “Fiat Lux” is now preparing for concerts December thru January for special selected pieces from George Friedrich Handel’s masterpiece “Messiah” in Hebrew. We seek donations immediately to help with the travel expenses to the rehearsals and concerts.
Fiat Lux Chamber Choir: The 16 Voice Ensemble of Amutat “Kamti”
This exciting new group presents liturgical music both in original languages and in
Hebrew. The name “Fiat Lux” is from Genesis 1:3 “Let there be Light!” — and that is our calling; to bring Hope and Light to the peoples of our Land; to express in inspiring music the Word and the Light!
Your Support is Needed
Handel “Messiah” in Hebrew:
Tenor Solo (#1): “Nachamu” (Comfort Ye My People)
Chorus (#3): “Venigla” (And the Glory)
Bass Solo: “Kah Amar Adonai” (Thus Saith the Lord)
Chorus (#6) “VeTihar et Bnei Levi” (And He shall Purify the Sons of Levi)
Alto: “HaAlmah Hareh” (Behold, A Virgin Shall Conceive)
Alto: “Mevaseret Tzion” (Oh Thou that Tellest)
Chorus (#9) “Al Har Gavoha” (O Thou that Tellest)
Bass Solo: “Ki Hineh haHoshech” (For Behold, Darkness)
Chorus (#12) “Ki Hineh Yeled Yulad Lanu” (For Unto Us A Child is Born)
Soprano Solo: “V’Raim Hayu Az” (There Were Shepherds)
Chorus (#15) “Shevach L’El” (Glory to God)
Soprano: “Gili Meod Bat Tzion” (Rejoice Greatly)
Alto: “Az Tipakhneh Ayinei Aurim” (Then Shall the Eyes of the Blind)
Alto & Soprano: “Kroiah Adro” (He Shall Feed)
Chorus (#19) “U’lo Naim” (His Yoke is Easy)
Chorus: “HalleluJah”
Vivaldi “Gloria” in Latin:
Chorus #1 Gloria in Excelsis Deo
Chorus #2 Et in Terra Pax Hominibus
Chorus #7 Domine Fili
Including all 12 portions.
Fliers:
Final English Announcement Winter Concerts 2022
Final Hebrew Announcement Winter Concerts 2022
Four Performances; these three open to the public:
Dec 20, Tiberias, 19:00-20:00;
Dec 30, Jerusalem, 14:00-15:30;
Jan 7, Nazareth, 20:00-22:00.
Prior Concert video:
Gorgeous Choir Concert in Nazareth
First Concert for Arab & Hebrew Mixed Audience
14 May, 2022, Nazareth.
Fiat Lux liturgical choir, first performance for mixed Arab and Hebrew audience, held in Nazareth.
Concert Excerpt Video: 14 May 2022 Nazareth
DVD’s are In: Handel’s Messiah
Minimum donation $20 (add $5 extra for shipping from Israel), and with each copy shipped, we donate one copy FREE to someone in need. For multiple copies, just $10 flat fee shipping–no matter how many you request.
Just send an offering via JTOD “donate” link page and let me know how many copies you request. Audio CD’s also available for minimum $8 donation. The CD is an excerpt of the audio from the same concert as the DVD.
As you know, I’ve been a part of this choir and on the board for years, proclaiming the Word in song in Hebrew.
The quality of audio and video recording here is excellent. Messiah was originally composed in English in about 2 weeks by G.F. Handel and performed first in Dublin, and over the centuries has been translated into many languages. Finally, a first Hebrew translation has been sung within Israel since 2007 and this is perhaps the best recording, outdoors before a live audience gathered at the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem. A very special event, indeed.
Text from the back of the DVD case: “The beloved classical oratorio “Messiah” by G.F. Handel performed in Hebrew at the most apt of places – the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem where we remember the resurrection of the Messiah.”