1,000 Israelis cry out to God in song 'Bring Them Home'
Old and young, amateur and professional, came together in solidarity at the Caesarea Amphitheater
One thousand Israeli musicians and singers gathered at the ancient Caesarea Amphitheater and sang 'Bring Them Home' as a song of prayer to God to bring home the Israeli hostages still held captive by Hamas in Gaza. The event took place on Dec. 18, 2023 and was produced by Talya Yarom.
Amazingly, there were a lot of similarities between the 'Homeland Concert' and a typical Christian worship concert with hands lifted up and hearts poured out in song.
An emotional peak of the 'Homeland Concert' was when the families of the hostages entered the amphitheater at minute 2:23 in the video. The families are wearing shirts with pictures of their loved ones held in captivity.
When the hostages' families are entering, the melody subtly changes to the Israeli national anthem 'HaTikva,' meaning 'The Hope,' and then returns back to families together with the 1,000 musicians crying out "HaBayita." The song "HaBayita" which means "Home" or "Bring Them Home" was written by Ehud Manor in the 1980's.
As you watch this emotionally moving video, join in song and prayer to God, together with the 1,000 Israelis, to bring the hostages home and "to proclaim freedom for the captives" (Isaiah 61:1).
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners (Isaiah 61:1)
Here are the lyrics to ‘Bring Them Home’:
Another Hour has passed
Another Hour of madness
The weeds have grown in the path and garden
The wind sighed
Opening the shutter
Banging the old wall
As if calling
Home, Home
It’s time to return
From hills and foreign fields
The day is fading and there’s no sign
Home, Home
Before the light is dimmed
Cold nights, bitter nights
Closing in
Until the dawn, I pray for you
Bound in the grip of fear
I hear steps
Home, Home
Because it hasn’t yet been given
As was promised long ago
All of the participating musicians were volunteers representing a wide spectrum of amateur and professional artists, both young and old.
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
