In the early hours of the 6th of Tammuz, 5736 (July 4, 1976), Israeli commandos executed a daring and precise rescue mission at Entebbe Airport in Uganda. Inspired by the incredible heroism and precision of the Entebbe raid, Yerachmiel Begun and his newly formed “Miami Choir Boys” released “Victory Entebbe,” the title track of their 1977 debut record.
“I am a Chabad chossid, and I come from a family of shluchim. Our Rebbe’s motto is that the geulah won’t happen until every single Yid comes along with Moshiach. In other words, no Jew gets left behind.” I turned around on the stool, I put my fingers on the keys and sang, 🎵“No Jew will be left behind….”🎵
The great chazan mesmerized those fortunate to hear him, and continues to carry us in his role as shliach tzibbur, leading us through our tefilos and zemiros ad bi’as goel tzedek, bimheira v’yameinu.
The key to returning to Hashem is feeling His love, and that if we were only to experience some of Hashem’s love, we would surely find our way back to Him. For this reason, I felt particularly inspired to feature a song that portrays within its words the warmth and comfort that Hashem’s love provides.
Ninety years after his passing, Yossele Rosenblatt’s impact on chazzanus, in particular, and Jewish music, in general, continues to be felt.
Imagine – this is the place where Avraham davened and was answered, thereby elevating and transforming its ground to the place most conducive for prayer and repentance – a place to which his children would forever flock to perform these spiritual feats…
Having been among the first wave of Baalei Teshuva who somehow managed to survive the 60’s and return to the fold, Yess somehow manages to condense the entire tragedy of American assimilation into the space of a few simple lyrics and then task each and every one of us with a mission of epic proportions:
Imagine – this is the place where Avraham davened and was answered, thereby elevating and transforming its ground to the place most conducive for prayer and repentance – a place to which his children would forever flock to perform these spiritual feats…
The Yidden proclaimed, וַאֲנִי בְּחַסְדְּךָ בָטַחְתִּי יָגֵל לִבִּי בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ – My enemies think that there is no one to save me, but I trust in Your infinite kindness, my heart will rejoice in Your salvation. אָשִׁירָה לְהַשֵּׁם כִּי גָמַל עָלָי – I will sing to Hashem because he has dealt kindly with me (Tehillim 13:6)!
The Ribnitzer was a wonder worker known to possess ruach hakodesh. His incredible yeshuos continue to this day, as the multitudes who seek his help are drawn to his tziyon today – on his yahrtzeit – as well as around the year.