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O Jerusalem / הו י​ר​ו​ש​ל​י​ם

from EYE ON ZION / ע​י​ן ל​צ​י​ו​ן by The Elevators המעליות

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about

Just before breaking the glass under the canopy, the Jewish bridegroom recites the line from Psalms: "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its cunning; let my tongue cleave to my palate if I remember thee not; if I place not Jerusalem above my highest joy" - and then proceeds to forget Jerusalem until it shows up once again on his newsfeed, usually for the most tragic reasons. In fact, if you just Google "terrorist attack" in Hebrew, Google will fill in the word "Jerusalem" as your first result.

Still, this is no wonder; Jerusalem is the Umbilicus Mundi and it's said that whoever controls Jerusalem controls the world. No doubt this is why Israel's enemies were so up in arms when Donald Trump moved the American embassy to Jerusalem. And why, for centuries, the Muslims and Christians have slaughtered each other (and any Jews in the way) over this ostensibly insignificant little piece of real estate.
To the Muslims and Christians, Jerusalem is incidentally holy; to the Jews it is Zion itself - when the Ethiopian Jews speak of Zion they call it "Jerusalem" - it's our past, our present and our future.

This is my updated take on King David's poem - maybe it will resonate for you, too.

lyrics

If I forget thee O Jerusalem
May my tongue cleave to my palate
Like Brer Rabbit in the tar
If I forget thee O Jerusalem
May my fingers stick like honey
To the strings of my guitar
If I forget thee O Jerusalem
May the fathers of my fathers
Frown and damn me for a slave
If I forget thee O Jerusalem
May the children of my children
Turn their back upon my grave

O Jerusalem
A hardened heart is hard to find
O Jerusalem
If it takes a little while
I hope you don't mind (This could take some time)

If I forget thee O Jerusalem
May my fingers lose their cunning
And my amplifier too
If I forget thee O Jerusalem
Won't you send my mind a-running
To a different point of view
If I forget thee O Jerusalem
May my vision turn to seeing
Like a diamond into coal
If I forget thee O Jerusalem
May my spirit in its darkness
See the light inside my soul

O Jerusalem...

credits

from EYE ON ZION / ע​י​ן ל​צ​י​ו​ן, released October 25, 2023
Words & Music: Aryeh Naftaly
Acoustic and Electric Guitars, Bass, Percussion, Saxophones, Vocals: Aryeh Naftaly
Keyboards: Rob Steiner
Drums: Michael Roth

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The Elevators Israel

Since starting out in 2007, The Elevators, based in Israel, have earned their place as the No. 1 jam band east of the Mediterranean. Their original music combines humor, love, philosophy and spirituality served up in a stew of rock, soul and a little psychedelia. ... more

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