Friday 24 May 2019
Tune of the Day: Eli, Eli
for solo flute
This haunting song, composed by David Zehavi in 1945, is based on a poem titled “A Walk to Caesarea” by Israeli hero Hannah Senesh. In 1943, at the height of World War II, she volunteered to go into Nazi-controlled areas in Europe to save Jewish lives. In 1944 she parachuted into Yugoslavia, and after staying with the partisans, she went to Hungary, where she was discovered and executed by the Germans. She is known both for her heroism and her poetry. The song is now considered one of Israel's unofficial anthems, and is the most-commonly played song on Yom HaShoah (the Holocaust Memorial Day) in Israel.
Thanks to Duncan for suggesting this tune!