The song Shir Hashalom, written in the late 60’s, has become somewhat of a “second national anthem” for the Israeli left, according to Haifa University Professor Dr. Steven Plaut. “Particularly because leftists were increasingly uncomfortable with the words of the actual national anthem Hatikva,” says Plaut, “with its mentioning the yearnings of the Jewish soul and all.”
At the time when it was first released, “it was not played on the state-run radio because Golda Meir disapproved of its message,” Plaut says.
One stanza of the song reads:
"Nobody will return us from the dead dark pit.
Here, neither the joy of victory nor songs of praise will help.
So sing only for peace,
don't whisper a prayer,
it's better to sing a song for peace
with a giant shout!"
Though the words to his original hit song seem to say that Israel could have peace – if only people wanted it badly enough and sang about it more – Yaakov Rotblit, the composer of Shir HaShalom is singing a very different tune today.
Rotblit’s new song – which has also been banned from government-controlled radio – is called a Song of the Land of Israel. He released it just before the Likud referendum.
The words to the song can be viewed in Hebrew, at the following link.
The following is Plaut’s translation of parts of the song:
"My life have I given for you, Eretz Yisael Land of Israel,
The mists of purity filled my head,
I had believed they were the will of God,
The Jewish nation, the return to Zion.
"Every single kibbutznik,
sitting in his kibbutz atop the ruins of an abandoned Arab village,
is suddenly a bleeding heart liberal,
while declaring that I am public enemy number one,
building on 'occupied' land a new colonial empire.
They want to see me walking bare headed,
In a mourning sack after my home is destroyed,
While the poet from Sheikh Yunis, which is today Ramat Aviv,
Will write poems for the New York Times about 'justice.'
"Don't call it 'transfer' or expulsion,
Your spin doctor will find a new name for it.
And the Court will declare that human rights and civil rights
Just have no bearing on this,
Because the New Left and the Old One despise me
As do the media moguls and the industrialists,
The ones preach to the impoverished that they are poor because of some
settlers in Hebron.
"So when Jews hate other Jews,
Get the bulldozer running Arik,
Let's start the destruction."
At the time when it was first released, “it was not played on the state-run radio because Golda Meir disapproved of its message,” Plaut says.
One stanza of the song reads:
"Nobody will return us from the dead dark pit.
Here, neither the joy of victory nor songs of praise will help.
So sing only for peace,
don't whisper a prayer,
it's better to sing a song for peace
with a giant shout!"
Though the words to his original hit song seem to say that Israel could have peace – if only people wanted it badly enough and sang about it more – Yaakov Rotblit, the composer of Shir HaShalom is singing a very different tune today.
Rotblit’s new song – which has also been banned from government-controlled radio – is called a Song of the Land of Israel. He released it just before the Likud referendum.
The words to the song can be viewed in Hebrew, at the following link.
The following is Plaut’s translation of parts of the song:
"My life have I given for you, Eretz Yisael Land of Israel,
The mists of purity filled my head,
I had believed they were the will of God,
The Jewish nation, the return to Zion.
"Every single kibbutznik,
sitting in his kibbutz atop the ruins of an abandoned Arab village,
is suddenly a bleeding heart liberal,
while declaring that I am public enemy number one,
building on 'occupied' land a new colonial empire.
They want to see me walking bare headed,
In a mourning sack after my home is destroyed,
While the poet from Sheikh Yunis, which is today Ramat Aviv,
Will write poems for the New York Times about 'justice.'
"Don't call it 'transfer' or expulsion,
Your spin doctor will find a new name for it.
And the Court will declare that human rights and civil rights
Just have no bearing on this,
Because the New Left and the Old One despise me
As do the media moguls and the industrialists,
The ones preach to the impoverished that they are poor because of some
settlers in Hebron.
"So when Jews hate other Jews,
Get the bulldozer running Arik,
Let's start the destruction."