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Atira Ote

In concert

Wow! My recent blog post went viral in only a matter of hours. A tremendous thank you to all the relatives, friends, blog writers, commenters, and advocates who voiced their opinions, both publicly and privately, published their thoughts, and raised awareness worldwide. The outpour of support and encouragement is truly an inspiration.

It is extremely easy to believe what we hear and see. Many companies and individuals express support for movements and organizations that are based on fabrications, exaggerations, or propaganda. I would hope that those who are sensitive to human rights and the plights of innocent people would do a bit more research instead of blindly following the trend. There are many websites out there (Israellycool in particular is fast, efficient, and helpful!) trying to expose these half-truths or outright lies and it is important that we show our support for them.

The BDS movement has made it their mission to boycott Israel, and Alex Wallbank is one of many who have been deceived by their messages. Yossela sent Alex two articles, one on the BDS and another describing what is really happening in Israel today. Since then, I am thrilled to announce that Alex has commented publicly that he withdrew his support of the BDS. He realized that his actions in denying a student discount to an Israeli Jew were discriminatory.

Alex, it takes strength to admit that one made a mistake, especially in such a public forum. In Judaism this is part of a process called teshuva, repentance. The Hebrew word teshuva comes from the root word, shav – to return. We recognize our error and declare that we will not repeat our actions, perhaps “returning” to believe something that we probably knew at birth but have somehow forgotten along the way.

Upon hearing that Yossela encountered problems with his credit card on his site, Alex has even gone so far as to provide Yossela with a free Cinematic Strings 2 Library and has apologized. His letter reads as follows:

“Hi Yossela,

I’ve just checked the coupon, and it seems to work ok, so that’s strange. I certainly don’t want you to have any problems with a credit card payment, so I have generated a new coupon, which will allow you to receive the product for free. I hope you accept this as an apology on our part, and are able to enjoy using the library in your music…

Many thanks!

Kind regards,

Alex”

Thank you, Alex! Yossela has accepted your offer and we appreciate your apology and understanding.

Passionate people who act upon their ideals create tikun olam, repair of the world, striking a chord in our hearts and creating harmony in our souls. The fact that people from all over the globe stood together, albeit metaphorically, to express their outrage in this case shows the power of change, the influence of unity, and the intensity of music.

Music has the power to bridge gaps, spark discussions, and highlight truths. Music is a universal language. I do hope that future companies learn from Alex Wallbank, that justice prevails, and that many beautiful melodies permeate the world and promote such peaceful outcomes.

May all our challenges be this easy to overcome!

About the Author
Atira Ote is a passionate rabbi's wife, mother of five, artist and translator currently living in Jerusalem. She has translated a few volumes of Peninei Halachah by Rav Eliezer Melamed and has put out a CD of original Jewish songs, called "Vayhi Or", with her husband. Take a look at her artwork: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Art-by-Atira/837415652951429 or listen to their music: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/yosselaoteandatiraote