Galia Albin's blog
As I was making my way to Guinness world record London offices,
, holding 3 large folders of proven taped and documented evidence of the record set just a few weeks earlier, on the end of May, I came to realize how crazy this one woman's idea must seem and sound like .
I couldn't help think of how one person expressing his own crazy notions, believes and ideas, as Herzl was and once thought of in his time, eventually led to establish a Jewish state as if one has always existed. That is the nature of revolutionary ideas, when initially heard they usually get a lot of raised eye – brows and dismissal responses, but as time progresses, they increasingly show supportive growth, till they are realized.
There are many issues on which Jews can depart themselves from one another. It is a well known Jewish genetic problem – one problem – many solutions/ opinions, but unlike a lot of the Jewish people that surround us, there are a few things upon which there is full consensus. Hatikva anthem is definitly one of these things. It was sung by both European respected man of the Jewish congress ,Zion prisoners, Holocaust survivors, wedding / bar – mitzvah and prayer participants as well as during soccer games and Israel's establishment as a state, in which it was sung spontaneously. Every time we, as Jews hear the first notes of Hatikva unity embraces us, our bodies erect with pride, our eyes lean forward with yearning and our lips mouth the words even without a sound.
This crazy notion / idea was born from a view of our nations' past abilities to unite, that along side my desire to instill a positive motif around which Jewish people will be able to unite created a vision in my mind . A vision of one moment in time in which all Jewish people sing Hatikva together, having it be heard and sung, simultaneously, from everywhere, uniting all Jewish people to act together and do exactly the same thing at the same time. We've mentioned how crazy this idea sounds like once before, right?
This idea was gradually built during this past year and responses were accordingly. At first everyone thought I've gone mad and as did Herzl while tossing around his crazy idea, some just didn't understand and some on the other hand, enthusiastically joined to make it happen. During the course of this passing year, I've met many high ranking heads of organizations and communities as well as individuals who share a love, vision and willing to get involved for their love of Israel. I've been to many conferences and meetings in which I spoke of the worldwide Hatikva Initiative, set for Israel's recent 60th Independence day
At the pass of every month, as we drew closer to time of the event, a rapid growth of Jewish individuals and excitement was showing, leading the idea of having the initiative become a Guinness world record. This in turn led the "Hatikva initiative" to include massive worldwide preparations towards the event. Synagogues, Jewish schools and organizations around the world produced the Hatikva event, appointing respected community members to act as witnesses, hiring photographers and camera people to document the record. In Israel, mayors made the Hatikva singing become the pinnacle event of their, Israel's 60th years anniversary celebrations. Every singing was documented to the full and excitement was high.
The truly amazing thing that happened following the Hatikva singing was the fact that after merely a few days Guinness documentations from all over the world were poring in to our office . Dozens of Hatikva singing DVD's as well as witnesses statements were ll reporting of exact same time and day of the Hatikva singing in Israel and abroad: 32 local Israeli Municipaliies as well as 40 other worldwide locations in the USA, Europe, South America and others we haven't even contacted all took part in the Hatikva singing.
After all, when this is all said and done, we all , though taking Israel's existence as a state for granted, are afraid of losing it. As Jews, we all need one another. We are all a part of one nation, centralized in the middle east and divided across the world. After years of persecution, we have a home, a national home that every Jewish person can come to under the "Shvut law", we should all beware of those who wish to annul this law and make Israel open all. The Jewish National Home must maintain it's Jewish majority and worldwide connections with the Jews of the world. This force of unity will exemplify itself through the Hatikva singing that is to be sung each and every Israel's Independence day. This annual tradition celebrating the Hatikva as the song of the Jewish people by real time joined singing of Hatikva by Jews across the world each passing year was launched on Israel's 60th year anniversary.