David D'or: "The Concert in Caesarea Will Be a Celebration of Music and Unconditional Love"

To celebrate his fiftieth birthday, which falls on the upcoming 6th of Tishrei, artist and singer David D'or received a special gift from his wife Pazit: a concert in Caesarea. David D'or describes the anticipated performance as "a great celebration with all the people of Israel, combining Selichot hymns with songs from my Psalms album with Tomer Hadadi, and other songs." The show will feature guest artists: Berry Sakharof, Ishay Ribo, Kobi Aflalo, as well as a choir of paytanim, and also 17 musicians. However, the most unique guest at the performance, in D'or's eyes, is Rabbi Zamir Cohen, who is expected to attend and bless the participants. This tribute, clearly, excites D'or. "I greatly appreciate him in general, especially for agreeing to come. Rabbi Zamir revealed a whole new world to me with his pleasant speech and conduct."

In accordance with the date – 6th of Tishrei – the evening will include a plethora of Selichot songs, and D'or details some of them for us: "Ya-H Shema Evyoncha, which is a song I really love. Adon Haselichot, which is really the anthem of Selichot, El Nora Alilah, Adir V'Naor, Avinu Malkeinu and many other songs."

Are there any Selichot songs that you personally love especially?

D'or starts with a declaration reminiscent of 'All were my sons': He loves all Selichot songs very much. With a little pressure, however, he agrees to share his favorites. "I really love 'Shamati Shimacha Yareiti' in the Yemenite tradition. In this song, we are essentially asking Hashem to remember that we are but dust. Who can't relate to that? After all, we all have small sins we fall into, and so we ask Hashem: Please remember I am human, that I am merely dust...like a child who comes to their mother and says 'But I'm just a child.' How can one not have compassion for that?"

"I also really love 'Avinu Malkeinu' – a prayer that I really feel opens the gates of heaven. The text intensifies from segment to segment, and when reaching 'Chmol Aleinu' I feel it is a cry sent straight up."

"In general," says D'or, "all Selichot songs have a different, very powerful energy. That's why most people who are not observant also connect to them."

Are there poems you love especially in the Rosh Hashanah prayers?

"Little Sister, which is such a wonderful opening to the prayers. Every Rosh Hashanah evening when I'm a little late to the synagogue I say 'Just don't miss Little Sister'. It's like missing 'Kol Nidrei' on Yom Kippur Eve...

"Of course, also 'At Sh'arei Ratzon', which pierces my heart anew every year. The author was a great rabbi from Spain whose son converted to Islam, and his personal tragedy resonates in the song: the Akedah is for him a metaphor for conversion. There are such painful lines: 'He said to Sarah: Your darling Yitzchak has grown and hasn't learned the work of Heaven', 'Please don't let the world be without a moon'. It's really a song that describes a very difficult process that the Jewish people have gone through over the generations. This sacrifice that we are required to make again and again – even today we are still sacrificing our sons in this land. This song speaks to every Jew: to those who went through the Holocaust, to those who went through wars. All Jewish suffering is distilled into one piercing text. It is simply the story of the Jewish people's pain.

David D'or (Photo: Flash 90)

"Every year when we get to 'Yinon and I send Elijah' I say 'send already, send!' We so want to be freed from this pain. It's a cry coming from the heart of a whole nation, which puts everything else in perspective – and also reminds us how much we do not understand Hashem's will."

In addition to the Selichot songs, D'or is expected to perform his original songs in Caesarea, including 'Shirat Hazamir' which was recently released. "Shirat Hazamir was inspired by a program I filmed for the Hidabroot channel together with Rabbi Zamir Cohen. The song compares the people of Israel to a tired bird, always being preyed upon and yearning for the pure song of the lark: for Mount Sinai, for the Temple, for peace and tranquility. This song was very well received, *Baruch Hashem*."

So the show will actually present a mix of styles.

"Yes. Throughout my career, I try to connect, emphasize the similar and the common, not adopt the 'divide and conquer' approach that people love so much. For me, it will be a show of love for humanity through Selichot songs, Psalms, and my original songs. Simply a celebration of music and unconditional love. It is indeed a very dear birthday gift to me, because I love performing very much. The direct connection with the audience inspires and excites me – and I hope it excites the audience as well."

Since we mentioned the program 'Song of Creation', how do you sum up the first season?

"I enjoyed it very much, I hope the program continues for another season. I receive amazing feedback from people who watched the program. The program actually connects Rabbi Zamir's book 'The Revolution' and the Psalms disc I composed with Tomer Hadadi. There was a marvelous connection between the texts, in my opinion. Overall, it is an immense experience to sit with Rabbi Zamir and hear the pearls he produces: for every question, he had an ear-opening answer on several levels – even for those who have not studied Torah. Rabbi Zamir does not have difficult definitions to understand: he speaks in a clear language that touches the heart."

Incidentally, 'Shirat Hazamir', D'or's new song, is a single from the album David D'or is currently working on: an album of original songs, which he defines as songs "with additional value from the learning and conclusions I've reached in recent years. Like in 'Shirat Hazamir', I often use metaphors. I think there is great importance to meaningful songs: the songs we hear as children plant many seeds in us. Today, our children's generation is exposed to many low-level texts with shallow messages. In my opinion, such songs somewhat numb the thought process, not stimulating a desire to understand. I try to create different songs."

The Psalms songs, as well as the songs with a Jewish message like 'Shirat Hazamir', are the musical fingerprints left by David D'or's strengthening process. D'or himself, however, does not like the word 'strengthening'. "It's not like you strengthen and that's it – it's a misleading word. After all, all our lives we strengthen, stumble, rise, and overcome. A Jew has to always be in a process, according to their level and the place they're in life. The evil inclination sometimes overcomes us all, and then we have to choose good again. The choice of good is the only thing over which we have control in life: 'Everything is in the hands of Heaven except for the fear of Heaven'.

"All we can do is wake up in the morning, and choose to believe in Hashem, and choose to try to do Hashem's will. Sometimes we do better, and sometimes we show weakness. The main thing is to strive, strive, and strive."

The Melody of Creation with David D'or and Rabbi Zamir Cohen: