A Melody from Loss: How One Cantor Is Bringing Hope Through Song

"Over 900 families joined the circle of bereavement last year due to the War of Iron Swords," says Tzvi Greenheim, a military cantor who, by the nature of his duty, participated in numerous funerals of IDF soldiers and witnessed the pain up close.

Yet, from this very pain and deep abyss, he decided to embark on powerful and moving initiatives. "I have a good relationship with Shay Graucher, known for his substantial contributions during the war. One of his recurring statements about the bereaved families is, 'I want to take some of their pain,' emphasizing 'some,' and this is exactly how I feel," he explains.

Two Weeks of Funerals

Greenheim recounts the day the war broke out: "I was in Prague, having been invited to perform there by Chabad for 400 students. It was as far from everything happening in Israel as possible, but of course, I returned to Israel the next day and was even drafted to serve as a military cantor at the Shura base near Ramla.

"From that day, I was engaged in funeral services, and for about two weeks, I was the military cantor leading dozens of IDF soldier funerals. There are no words to express the immense pain when you encounter death from the closest proximity and realize the overwhelming sadness and suffering the families endure, as their worlds have turned upside down in an instant.

"Two weeks after the war broke out, I happened to watch a video of a Chassidic gathering with the Rebbe of Lubavitch. He sat there with several dozen wounded soldiers from the Lebanon War, greatly strengthening them. Among other things, he used a quote often mentioned in his name, regarding not referring to 'IDF wounded' but rather 'IDF distinguished,' which gave them great strength.

"On that occasion, the Rebbe also spoke about how during war, the national mission of the Jewish people is to uplift the morale, both emotionally and spiritually, of the soldiers. He explicitly stated that 'It doesn't matter the state of the army or whether there are the best planes and guns and the most advanced weapons. The moment the soldiers' morale is low, there exists a mortal threat,' without a doubt. His remarks deeply resonated with the pain I personally saw at funerals, and at that moment, I decided to initiate a project aimed at boosting the soldiers' morale."

The decision quickly translated into action: "It started with events I organized for hundreds, even thousands, of soldiers in the northern and southern sectors," Greenheim shares. "At the same time, I began visiting injured soldiers in hospitals, singing to them, and striving to bring joy and as much strength as possible.

"A few months ago, I received a shocking statistic: there are over 900 bereaved families in Israel since the onset of the War of Iron Swords. I decided to also commit to them. Initially, I thought of a conventional approach—bringing toys from the U.S. Unfortunately, I couldn't reach everyone due to the high costs, but I continue to work in that direction, and towards Tu Bishvat I plan to distribute packages of dried fruits and boutique wines from Israel to each family. These aren't grand gestures, but they convey the feeling that the people of Israel are united, which is so important."

Singing from the Heart

Yet, the most significant project he discusses is at the end. "These days, I am thrilled to bring to life the 'Children of Heroes Sing Hits' project," he shares. "This is a musical project shared between the children of bereaved families and leading artists in the country. I started with the assumption that every famous singer has their 'hit' that brought them recognition. My goal is to pair each artist with one or two children from a bereaved family, and together they will perform the singer's song in a new and special rendition."

According to him, the first song has already been recorded and is about to be released. It’s the song 'My Little Leaf' performed by Yishai Lapidot and the children Yonatan and Yedidya Weis, sons of Rabbi Ilan Weis, who fell in battle in the Gaza Strip. We are now in the final stages, needing only to film a clip and publish it. The plan is to release it by Tu Bishvat, the holiday of trees."

Do you feel it truly empowers the children?

"Certainly, and even more so—it was during the recording that I realized how this was the quintessential answer to pain and bereavement, because when Yonatan and Yedidya arrived at the studio, their heads were down, you could see the weight they bore. But when they began singing with Yishai, they suddenly stood upright, singing in such a professional, amazing, and moving way. It reinforced my resolve to continue with more songs. Through many more songs and hits—naturally, all done in accordance with halacha and the Torah of Israel."

And what do you plan to do with the recorded songs?

"I truly hope we will have many such hits, and we'll release them in a special album featuring all the songs, and we'll also organize a performance. But my greatest hope is that the Messiah will come before everything is ready, and we'll be able to sing and praise the songs in the Holy Temple."