We’re Better Than That

If you want to be discouraged about Israel, look at the politics. But if you want to be encouraged about Israel, listen to the music.

The redemptive power of song!

“Kattan Aleinu” (“We’re better than that”) was originally written, produced and released on YouTube in the depth of COVID, (November 2020). At that time, I dismissed the song as merely a knockoff follow-up to the hugely popular “Shevet Achim v’Achayot” (“Tribe of brothers and sisters”, 42 million YouTube views), which also gathered top Israeli musical talent to collectively sing selfies.  But in the 2023 context of the terrible division and conflict in Israeli society, this beautifully produced and masterfully edited music video, with its inspiring message of hope and encouragement, is more meaningful and poignant than ever.

And it is a treat to see 40 of Israel’s singers – a few Golden Oldies like Gidi Gov and Gali Atari, but mostly a very current crop of young talent, including superstars Noa Kirel (placed 3^rd in Eurovision 2023), Omer Adam, Yasmin Moallem, Static and Ben El Tabori, Nasreen Qadri, and many, many others, from the enormous diversity of Israeli society.  A few of the lines written about the COVID crisis don’t fit this moment (“Time moves so slowly…” – not!) but mostly the lyrics have greater relevance now than when originally released.

And the proof is in the pudding.  This 3-year-old song has now resurfaced in Israel and is blossoming.  Children in grade school sing this song, and know all the words.

And if you’re interested to get a quick 5-minute introduction to the beautiful faces and voices of current Israeli popular music, this YouTube video, with the lyrics AND the names of the artists in English, is perfect.

I also set out below the lyrics with my translation (and the artists’ names). The English-subtitled video version translates the Hebrew idiom “Zeh Kattan Aleinu” (literally: “it is small on us”) as: “We’ve got it”. In 2023, I would translate “Zeh Kattan Aleinu” as: “We’re better than that.”

The English-subtitled video also translates “Lo Yipol Paneinu” (literally, “Our faces will not fall”), as: “We will not fail”.  I would translate it in 2023 as: “We will not be discouraged”.

The music and lyrics, the faces and voices, and the revival of this song in the current moment, delivers hope and encouragement.

We’re Better Than That (“Kattan Aleinu”)

First verse:

Land of sunshine, on the Mediterranean Sea (Omer Adam)

The waves now are stormy, that says a lot (Gidi Gov)

From the Negev sands, up to Mount Hermon (Eden Alene + Yasmin Moallem)

A warm homelife, where everyone says “Shalom” (Roni Dalumi,  Lior Narkis)

Transition:

Against every obstacle and every challenge, “our hope is not yet lost” [“od Tikvateynu lo avda” (from national anthem) (Rotem Cohen)

What tomorrow may bring, we cannot know, but for it all we’ll say thank you (Mergui)

Chorus:

As once it was, so may it be; we’ve survived it all, we’ll survive this too (Noa Kirel)

We won’t get discouraged – we’re better than that (Ben El Tabori)

As it once was, so shall it be; we’ve survived it all, we’ll survive this too (Anna Zak)

We won’t get discouraged – we’re better than that (Mooki)

Second verse:

Coffee on the balcony, the smells of Shabbat (Lior Narkis)

How here we are all almost the same (Nasreen Qadri / Dudu Aharon)

To rally round the flag, one more time (Rami Kleinstein + Gali Atari) (Eliad, Roni Dalumi)

How much longer – time passes slowly (Anna Zak / Rotem Cohen / Rami Kleinstein)

Transition:

Against every obstacle and every challenge, “our hope is not yet lost” (Ella Lee / Mergui)

What tomorrow may bring, we cannot know, but for it all we’ll say thank you (Eden Hason)

Chorus:

As once it was, so may it be; we’ve survived it all, we’ll survive this too (Dudu Aharon / Yasmin Moallem)

We won’t get discouraged – we’re better than that (Agam Buhbut / Ben El Tabori)

As it once was, so shall it be; we’ve survived it all, we’ll survive this too (Moshe Peretz) Nasreen Qadri (NOROZ, Loren Peled)

We won’t get discouraged – we’re better than that (Stephane Legar) Roni Dalumi (Shrek, Static) Tzukush

Rap:

Israeli Rap (Subliminal)

We won’t get discouraged, our troubles are minimali (minimali – Yasmin Moallem)

One people, we’re all mixed together, like chemicalim (chemicalim – Yasmin Moallem)

Work from eight to five, dreamin’ of dollars (give me the money – Peled)

Weekends we fill the clubs and pubs, ya ya ya (Yasmin Moallem) (For sure – Michael Swissa)

Aye! ‘ts not a dream or a joke,

Aye! Our families have our backs (Yes! Yasmin Moallem)

Aye! You and me together

Aye! We’ll all breathe a sigh of relief

We’ve all got heart, brains, and determination, and a bit of luck

We’re all fire, we’re not afraid

That way for sure it will be easy…

Transition:

Against every obstacle and every challenge,

our hope is not yet lost (Eliad/Yasmin Moallem)

What tomorrow may bring, we cannot know, but for it all we’ll say thank you (Eden Ben Zakan)

Chorus:

As once it was, so may it be; we’ve survived it all, we’ll survive this too (Ben El Tabori + Ella Lee)

We won’t get discouraged – we’re better than that (Noa Kirel)

As once it was, so may it be; we’ve survived it all, we’ll survive this too (Eden Hason)

We won’t get discouraged – we’re better than that (Eden Alene)

As once it was, so may it be; we’ve survived it all, we’ll survive this too (Omer Adam)

We won’t get discouraged – we’re better than that (Eden Ben Zaken)

Ya’llah, everybody! (Subliminal)

As once it was, so may it be; we’ve survived it all, we’ll survive this too (Shalom Asayagh)

Yes (HaTzel)

We won’t get discouraged (Doron)

We Won’t (HaTzel)

We won’t get discouraged (Doron)

Improv:  Eden Hason / Anna Zak / Lior Narkis / Eliad / Noa Kirel / Rami Kleinstein / Gali Atari / Ella Lee / Agam Buhbut / Rotem  Cohen / Eden Ben Zaken / Mergui / Omer Adam / Yasmin Moallem / Static / Ben El Tabori / Roni Dalumi / Eliad

Final Chorus:

As once it was, so may it be; we’ve survived it all, we’ll survive this too (Mergui + Moshe Peretz)

We won’t get discouraged – we’re better than that (Gidi Gov / Anna Zak)

As once it was, so may it be; we’ve survived it all, we’ll survive this too (Stephane, Roni Dalumi, Lior Narkis + Rotem Cohen)

We won’t get discouraged – we’re better than that (Nasreen Qadri, Eden Ben Zaken)

As once it was, so may it be; we’ve survived it all, we’ll survive this too (Rami Kleinstein, Ella Lee, Gali Atari)

We won’t get discouraged – we’re better than that (Static, Eliad, Agam Buhbut)

We won’t get discouraged – we’re better than that (Ben El Tabori)