Though he goeth on his way weeping that beareth the measure of seed, he shall come They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. Turn our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the dry land. The LORD hath done great things with us we are rejoiced. Then said they among the nations: 'The LORD hath done great things with these.' Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing When the LORD brought back those that returned to Zion, we were like unto them Here is a new arrangement of this song by Raymond Goldstein, recorded live in Israel. The Zionist movement embraced it warmly, and even proposed using it as the anthem of the Jewish national movement. Whatever the case may be, the song, with its music of longing, became a symbol of the modern return to Zion. Some of Minkowsky's acquaintances insisted that Minkowsky, who was known for his nationalist ideas, is the true composer, and that the melody did not match Rosenblatt's style. As a result, the song was linked with his name. Although Rosenblatt recorded the song, he had never mentioned the name of its composer. In a film produced in 1933 during Rosenblatt's visit to Israel, he is seen performing the song with great pathos on a boat sailing the Jordan River. The work won publicity thanks to its rendition by Yossele Rosenblatt (1882-1933), who was a relative of Pinchas Minkowsky (1859-1924) of Odessa.
The text images are taken from the world of agriculture in the land of Israel – sowing and harvesting – and express a yearning to return to Zion. These sentiments in relation to my upbringing in Israel, are beautifully described in Shir HaMa'alot (Psalm 126).Īccording to Jewish Ashkenazi custom, this song is sung before birkat hamazon (the blessing after the meal) on Shabbat and holidays. Why? Because it's about giving thanks to all the blessings in our lives, it has agriculture roots as the harvest holiday, and then, of course, it's all about food. As an Israeli who immigrated to America I especially love the holiday of Thanksgiving.