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Naomi Shemer:

“I Grew Up in her Light”

Sivan Rahav-Meir

he 7th of Tammuz is the anni- I remember there was a mother who was that I apologize, that I am very ill and
versary of the passing of one sitting shiva over the passing of her son therefore cannot answer them. I also ask
of Israel’s most well-known who fell while serving in the IDF. He was that they not send wishes for my recovery,
Tsongwriters, Naomi Shemer. 19 not the first son of hers to have given his because I will not be able to answer those
years have passed since the woman who life for his country. Mother took a sheet of messages either. Tell them that if they
wrote Yerushalayim shel Zahav (Jerusalem paper and wrote at the top of the page, “I bless me in their hearts, I will feel those
of Gold), Lu Yehi (If Only), Lo Tinatzchu Oti have no words” and, at the bottom, signed blessings in mine.’”
(You Will Not Defeat Me), and many other her name, “Naomi Shemer.” I asked Horowitz, a singer and composer
memorable songs passed away. I spoke to In the hospital, two days before her death, himself, what it was like to grow up in the
her son, Ariel Horowitz, and asked him if my mother suddenly said to me: ‘Ariel, shadow of such a prominent songwriter.
there was a story that had not yet been there is a problem.’ I asked what the prob- Correcting me, he said: “I did not grow
published about his mother. He immedi- lem was and she said: ‘I received a letter up in her shadow. I grew up in her light.”
ately told me the following story:
from fourth graders and I
“My mother felt compelled to cannot respond. I ask  Translated by Yehoshua Siskin.
answer every letter sent to her, that you locate their
and she received quite a lot of teacher, contact
them. These were the days her, and request
before email when you that she tell
had to sit with paper the children
and pen and actually
write. Furthermore,
she was not just
some celebrity Sivan Rahav-Meir
cut off from the is a media personality and lecturer. She lives
public; the oppo- in Jerusalem with her husband, Yedidya,
site was true. and their five children, and serves as World
Mizrachi’s Scholar-in-Residence. She is a
primetime anchor on Channel 2 News, has
a column in Israel’s largest newspaper,
Yediot Acharonot, and has a weekly radio
show on Galei Tzahal (Army Radio).

A member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau
mizrachi.org/speakers

(PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS/YAAKOV SAAR/GOVERNMENT PRESS OFFICE)
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