Jerusalem, If I Forget You
Hit the pedal to the metal
Hit the pedal to the metal
And the ATV flies — like a bat out of hell
Watch my hat go flyin’, now it’s gone, no denyin’
Then it’s scooped up by Miss Arielle
Syrian border, new world order
People dying every day
Global conflict, no end in sight
Can we find another way?
On a mission in the desert
Tribe of leaders 50 strong
Israel’s new Reality
A journey one week long
First stop, Neot Kedumim
You know that Biblical Landscape Reserve
A shepherd leads from behind
(In case you didn’t get the word)
Off to Georgian food at Racha
Where a horn’s filled up with wine
Give a blessing called Tamada
Then it’s circle-dancing time
To the Carlton Hotel
On the beach in Tel Aviv
Meditation, yoga, gratitude
An Israel vision to believe
Israeli startups, tech VCs
So much success — what’s the key?
Military building deep tech
Sensors, optics, IOT
A culture built on chutzpah
Since David’s temple fell in 550 BC
“Next year in Jerusalem”
We’ll make it happen — watch and see
Old Jaffa, home of Simon the Tanner
And a famous orange tree
Where Peter dreamed of eating pigs
Helped spread Christianity
Impact Labs for hardware tech
A 3D printer beeps and whirs
Haredi startups, Kosher phones
Supporting women entrepreneurs
Endless knowledge dropped by Jules
On the bus to Michmoret Beach
West Bank, Galilee, Jordan River
There’s no subject he can’t teach
Israelites were slaves in Egypt
Four leaders got their freedom won
Aaron gave words to Moses’s vision
Miriam brought passion, Joshua said “git ‘er done”
Now build a raft from bamboo and twine
Raise a flag for all to see
Row your people through the water
Like Moses parting the Red Sea
A night spent in Natanya
At the Island Hotel
Then a glimpse of old world Israel
At Kibbutz Maagan Michael
Sharing avocados, collective underwear
Each member gets equal bucks
Some fat cats scoop up too much schnitzel
But don’t change the system for five schmucks
In Nazareth, Arab life’s a struggle
“My nation is at war with my state”
War of Independence or the Great Catastrophe
How can neighbors overcome the hate?
A vision for Arab-Israeli dialogue
Connecting founders from different lands
Make diversity work for startups
Build bridges, help people understand
Golan Heights, the Syrian border
Bombed-out buildings, carnage in sight
Assaf Winery, dinner meditations
A bonfire burning bright
Up the hill to Mount Scopus
The holy city comes into view
“Jerusalem, if I forget you
Let my right hand forget what it’s supposed to do”
Behold this tiny patch of land
A holy place for Muslim, Christian, Jew
From King David to Solomon’s temple
We raise a glass: Shehecheyanu
From MEET to Machane Yehuda
A street food culinary tour
Jungle dessert, sparklers blazing
Shout Yalla balagan! and stay out til 4
Rina Quint, Holocaust survivor
Lost her family, age of 3
Now a wife and mother, giving life to others
Eyes are open but still can’t see
Yad Vashem, the Hall of Names
A call to action to defend
Those abused for how they look or pray
“It happened, therefore it can happen again”
Western Wall, receive the sabbath
Kabbalat Shabbat, all dressed in white
Dinner on Mount Zion, Tomb of David
Shabbat candles burning bright
Down to the Dead Sea, 1300 feet below
Let the sea swallow you whole
Salty mud that has the power
To heal the skin and soul
Up the mountain to Masada
Where King Herod battled Roman lines
Showed what it means to defend the homeland
“Masada will not fall a second time”
Mizpe Ramon, we walk the crater’s edge
In the desert an oasis extends
Infinity pool at Beresheet
Havdallah candles mark Sabbath’s end
Nighttime journey into the crater
Meditate under star-filled skies
Speak aloud to God and don’t stop
Let nature open up your eyes
Around the bend, a hidden lake
Glow-light trail to guide the way
Bedouin tent feast, hookah, music
No #CraterProblems on this fine day
Grave of Ben Gurion, who made Israel free
A vision of the Negev where Jews could thrive
Through darkness, forged a path of light
He helped the Jews survive
As the sun sets on a hilltop
Looking back from sheep to goat
A journey like no other
There’s no goodbye: “L’hitraot”
