Jewish Unity Song (שירת אחדות ישראל)

Motza'ei Shemini Atzereth/Isru Hag 5772

On the night of Hoshana Rabba, I spent some time in the cool, chilled out atmosphere of the Jerusalem Soul Center's candlelit sukkah, hosted by Ezra and Malka Chana Amichai.

Drinks, snacks, conversation, and a nargila were on the menu. A combination of Torah and music was the main course.

Two amazing musicians played a big part in creating the atmosphere, Yitzchok Meir (also known as Isaac Shiraz) from the Jewish Unity Project and Maury Epstein.

Just as I was getting comfortable on a cushion in the sukkah, and closed my eyes to get centered and to take in all of the activity, my ears perked up to Yitzchok Meir singing a song about Ahduth Yisra'el (Jewish Unity).

It reminded me of a song I wrote back in תשס"ד/2004,...well, more of a chant which is sung. Tensions were rising within and between various Jewish communities over the possibility that 10,000 Jews would be thrown out of their homes in Azza and the Northern Shomron (Samaria).

When that possibility became a reality, and when the shock (ie. denial) began to wear thin, anger kicked in from all sides, and the blame game began.

It's the Leftists' fault, because they're such hypocrites!

It's the Haredis' fault, for voting for it!

It's the Settlers' own damn fault, for not fighting hard enough!

Trust me. There was, and is, plenty of blame to go around.

The original reason I wrote this song was to combat the childish name calling amongst my ninth-graders. The tension surrounding the current events of the day only added to my motivation in writing this song.

As childish as the lyrics may sound, on some level those ninth-graders of mine got the point about how hurtful it is to call each other names along ethnic and hashqafic lines.

There are some very unhelpful people in Israel who would like to maintain the status quo of Jewish disunity.

Don't get me wrong. I am not a pluralist, far from it. I can be very opinionated. But, I can also get very disturbed by the quite nefarious motivations of leaders across the spectrum for keeping Am Yisra'el divided.

It is not just the old cliché of "divide and conquer." It is more like divide, sedate, and periodically egg others on to fight against each other, so that those [truly] in power can stay in power.

This song was also influenced by when, as far back as תשס"ד/2004, I would see graffiti in Tel-Aviv which said...

המתנחל הוא לא אח שלי
(The settler is not my brother.)

A belief which has, no doubt, come courtesy from indoctrination by "Powers That Be."

Perhaps even those still under the influence of Western Galuth may believe I have crossed the line by considering farmers and those who clean our streets on the same level with doctors, lawyers, and those who work in high tech.

Nonetheless, this is the message I want to convey through song. A transliteration and glossary follow.

In case you are wondering, yes, I absolutely DID sing this song to my ninth-grade students, and had them join in.

כל יהודי הוא אח שלי
(Every Jew Is My Brother)

ספרדי
תימני
אשכנזי

כל יהודי הוא אח שלי

חסידי
ליטאי
ס-רוגי

כל יהודי הוא אח שלי

חרדי
חילוני
דתי לאומי

כל יהודי הוא אח שלי

פרסי
מרוקאי
רוסי
ואפילו
אמריקאי

כל יהודי הוא אח שלי

אקדמים
נוער הגבעות
מעריצי
בית"ר ירושלים

כל יהודי הוא אח שלי

קיבוצניקים
תל אביבים
חוצניקים
ומתנחלים

כל יהודי הוא אח שלי

איכרים
היי-טקים
רופאים
ומנקים

כל יהודי הוא אח שלי

Kol Yehudi hu ah sheli.

Se-phardi
Teimani
Ashkenazi

Kol Yehudi hu ah sheli.

Hassidi
Lita-i
Se-rugi

Kol Yehudi hu ah sheli.

Haredi
Hiloni
Datti Le'umi

Kol Yehudi hu ah sheli.

Parsi
Moroccai
Russi
V'Afilu
Americai

Kol Yehudi hu ah sheli.

Academim
No'ar HaG'va'ot
Ma'aritzei
Beitar Yerushalaim

Kol Yehudi hu ah sheli.

Kibbutznikim
Tel-Avivim
Hutznikim
u'Mitnah'lim

Kol Yehudi hu ah sheli.

Ikkarim
Hi-Tech-im
Rofim
u'Menakim

Kol Yehudi hu ah sheli.

Glossary:
Se-rugi = One who wears a crocheted kippah

Hiloni = Secular Jew
Datti Le'umi = Religious Zionist

Afilu = even

No'ar HaG'va'ot = Hilltop Youth
Ma'aritzei Beitar Yerushalaim = Jerusalem's soccer team's fans

Hutznikim = Jews from outside of Israel
Mitnah'lim = Settlers

Ikkarim = Farmers
Rofim = Doctors
Menakim = Cleaners