Singer-songwriter Hanan Ben Ari on Wednesday released footage of a live performance of his song “Hashivenu," from his recent “Hindikim 360°" show. The performance incorporates a recording of the late Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach.
Alongside the release, Ben Ari reflected on the song’s journey over the past year and how, to his surprise, it has become a melody sung by Jewish communities around the world.
“Everything that has been happening with this song under the radar over the past year is completely crazy," Ben Ari wrote. “Jews from all over the world are singing it and praying with it everywhere, as though it were an ancient melody hundreds of years old!!"
Ben Ari also addressed his decision to compose a melody for the verse that concludes the Book of Eicha (Lamentations), despite saying that he rarely sets Biblical verses to music.
“And I, who almost never compose melodies for verses, who believe so strongly that a person should honestly write what is within himself rather than quote the words of others, discover again and again how little I understand, what a genius God is, and how the songs are so much greater and wiser than I am."
“I’m excited to release "Hashivenu" for you in a live version from the Hindikim 360° show," he added. “And I want to take this opportunity to wish all of us a Gmar Chatima Tova and a good year filled with new creativity and a joyful heart. It’s yours."
“Hashivenu," based on the verse, “Return us to You, O Lord, and we shall return; renew our days as of old," was originally released against the backdrop of the hostages being freed from captivity after two years. When the song was released, Ben Ari said that he had not planned to publish it at that time, but the news of the hostages’ return led him to change his plans.
“How many times this melody played inside me over the past year," he wrote at the time. “This prayer that we might become ourselves again. How many times I sang to myself this verse that closes the Book of Lamentations, the book of destruction."
“I thought it would close the album that is on the way, and I didn’t plan to release it like this," he added. “But with the good news about Zivi and Gali coming home, together with all our brothers and our sister, I felt a burning need inside me to release it now. With a sample of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, whom I love dearly. This is my prayer."
Ben Ari concluded at the time: “Freedom is a gift from heaven. I’m overwhelmed with emotion together with all my people. We are waiting for you!! Crying and overjoyed. Am Yisrael Chai."