#hatikvah #freedomofreligion #weremember
To Live with Hope, Equality, Freedom and Joy are ideals to strive for.
The songs are Hatikvah, Prayer for the State of Israel, and the Shehecheyanu Blessing.
The songs are relevant for Yom Ha'Atzmaut Israel's Independence day and for life immediately postCovid: what a relief!
Watch the video and Celebrate Yom Ha'Atzmaut and commemorate Yom HaShoah with the diverse South African Jewish community.
Am Yisrael Beyachad: in preCovid, during Covid and post Covid times.
2023 is the Hakhel year for gatherings and Jewish unity: may this come to pass.
In South Africa 27 April is Freedom Day which honours the first democratic elections in South Africa. And South Africa has an excellent Constitution and Bill of Rights.
In 2023 Freedom Day (on 27 April) is the very day after Yom HaAtzmaut (on 26th April on the secular calendar in 2023).
Viva Equality, Diversity, Freedom of Religion & Association, Cultural identities, and Creativity.
Comments on the video include:
"Beautiful celebratory and remembrance video."
"Wonderful Carolyn. Well done!👏👏"
"Beautiful ❤️"
"🔯Shabbat✡️Shalom🔯
Hugs~From my end of world to yours" (message from the daughter of a Holocaust survivor of the Warsaw ghetto)
"Looks really fabulous. Nice idea to juxtapose covid and current.
🙏❤️🙏❤🙏"
"Ahhhh, thanks Carolyn. Such a privilege to celebrate the miracle that is Israel and what an awesome vibe it was 🇮🇱💕🇮🇱"
"Goosebump stuff !! 👏👏👏👏💌💌🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱"
"I love the way you bring in the African dance and the Jewish celebrations."
"Wow awesome"
"Thanks Carolyn. Another meaningful video"
"It's lovely. Well done, Good Shabbos ✡️"
"Cool thank you. Have a good Shabbos"
"Fabulous Carolyn xxx"
The Pandemic in South Africa lasted for 2 years from 2020 March - April 2022 and it had 4 different waves and there were different levels of lockdown. Generally, people had to isolate themselves at home, wear masks, sanitize and wash their hands.
In-person singing & dancing was prohibited as germs/ the virus could spread. Many events moved online and people participated via their computers. This YouTube Channel went live the day before Yom HaShoah in 2020 during strict lockdown level 5.
During the Pandemic, large gatherings were banned as super spreader events could cause a big wave of the Pandemic and this happened in December 2020-Jan/February 2021 which was the 2nd wave in SA & many people were at risk of getting sick.
Finally the lockdown restrictions were phased out by mid-2022.
South Africa officially ended the COVID-19 State of Disaster after 750 Days on 5 April 2022. A few transitional measures including the wearing of face masks indoors lapsed 30 days later. Face masks did remain optional for individuals thereafter.
Yom Ha'Atzmaut in Joburg in 2022 (on 4 May 2022) was a month after the official end of lockdown.
In 2022 at the Yom Ha'Atzmaut big communal event in Joburg the Ndlovu Youth Choir performed & the poster said "Yalla Mesiba" (meaning COME ON, LETS PARTY) & "it's time to celebrate together again". The choir added a fantastic vibe full of Energy & Diversity & Life.
A friend on this video: "Amazing, thank you."
In 2023 large public cultural events are the norm again. Thankful we can meet in-person & sing & dance. You can see joy & fun at Yom Ha'Atzmaut in 2023. 2023 or 5783 is the Jewish year of Hakhel which means gatherings.
Welcome back to normal Life!
May we all know Health and long Life.
For more inspiration we can look to the life of the Cape Town based Holocaust survivor Ella Blumenthal. In the video we see her lighting the menorah on Chanukah in 2021. (the text in the video incorrectly says 2022 but in fact it was in 2021 when people were still wearing masks). Chanukah reminds us to find light in the dark.
