Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Reunited and it feels so good...

Yom revi'i, 28 Iyar 5771, Yom Yerushalayim.

Kol isha alert:  Ofra Haza sings "Jerusalem of Gold."  Besides its beauty, this version is especially nice, as it gives translation and Hebrew subtitles; so it makes a good learning tool.

What else needs to be said than is stated so clearly and poignantly by the great Naomi Shemer?


יום ירושלים שמח לכולם


When G-d gave out the vocal gifts, He gave an extra portion to the Leviim (Levites), I am told.  I would not be surprised to learn that Ofra Haza, a"h, is a descendant of the family of Levi.


Glossary:
Kol isha: Various interpretations exist regarding the subject of men listening to the singing of women.  Check with your own posek (rabbi who answers questions of Jewish Law).

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

The minute I saw that a video accompanied this post, my heart literally skipped a beat over the prospect of you posting a Peaches & Herb video.
Pierre

rutimizrachi said...

Pierre: Sorry to disappoint, my friend. Thanks for the laugh. :-)

Bat Aliyah said...

I also thought the title of your post was an inside joke for us anglos of a certain age. But oh! The video! Corny production values aside, the Hebrew and English subtitles combined with her slowish singing made me realize how much more of this song I understand than before ulpan. And her last notes brought tears to my eyes. A worthy post indeed!

Y said...

Love the blog, but begging your pardon, I must strenuously object to your choice here; no one can touch Shuli Natan on this song:

A very early performance ('60s?):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRCAaggIqDs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2j3QyBdrBE

Festival En Gev, 2002:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6B9qaPBbhs

Festival En Gev, 2008 (following her famous version of R. Chait's מי האיש):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGmKiJn1p48

Bonus: another ירושלים song sung by her (again following מי האיש):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RjQWWs7kgc

[Haredim may recognize the melody as the one used in the song ימים על ימי מלך תוסיף; it's actually an old Belzer niggun:

http://www.zemereshet.co.il/song.asp?id=734 ]

And, Gveret Mizrachi, you absoulutely *must* watch this - it's the perfect embodiment of the spirit of this blog:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v11AuXN33U0
http://bdld.info/2011/05/31/yerushalayim-od-kach-vekach-kilometer/

rutimizrachi said...

Bat Aliyah: It was, indeed! Thank you for enjoying it; and thank you for the compliment. (Though a friend from the Old Country informs me that the Hebrew translation may be seriously flawed; so we have homework.)

Y: Thank you for the compliment, and for sharing so many interesting alternative favorite choices. I'm still an unrepentant Ofra fan; but it's great to see other versions!