S ONG: “IVRI ANOCHI”│ALBUM: BENNY FRIEDMAN – FILL THE WORLD WITH LIGHT
COMPOSER: ARI GOLDWAG│YEAR: 2016
Like many great ideas the song “Ivri Anochi” was a collaborative effort enlisting several innovative musical talents. Singer-songwriter Ari Goldwag initially composed the song sitting behind his desk at home in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
“I have a Tanach in front of me when I look for words for new compositions. I asked Hashem for words that day and when I opened the sefer it opened to Sefer Yonah Perek Alef. Immediately I seized on this pasuk Yonah’s reply to the sailors as a violent storm threatens to capsize their ship and take their lives. ‘Ivri Anochi — I am a Jew and I fear Hashem G-d of the Heavens.’ The words were calling out for a song.”
Goldwag’s original plan for the song was to set the preceding pasuk the sailors’ question to Yonah to a first part of the song and Yonah’s sincere and inspiring answer to the refrain. He chose a tempo reminiscent of the “swing songs” that were popular in the 1990s — songs like “Adam Do’eg al Damav” and “Neilech B’naareinu Neilech” sung by Avraham Fried.
