On the eve of Rosh Hashana 2020, Shira Isakov was baking challot at her Mitzpe Rimon home. At some point, she and her husband, Aviad Moshe, began fighting verbally. Shortly afterwards, Shira informed her husband that she wanted a divorce and would spend the holiday with her parents.
According to an indictment against Aviad, that’s when things got ugly. Ha’aretz reports:
The indictment alleges that Moshe attacked Isakov during an argument that broke out between the couple on Rosh Hashanah Eve, during which she had expressed a desire to divorce and spend the holiday with her parents. The indictment states that Moshe tried to murder Isakov “while cursing and humiliating her, blocking the door with his body so she couldn’t get out and while completely ignoring her cries and pleas for him to stop, the crying of their son and also the calls of her parents and the neighbors not to hurt her.” Moshe allegedly attacked her dispassionately and systematically, while switching between weapons, taking breaks between assaults, and even responding to the neighbors who had made multiple efforts to intervene and bring an end to the violence, including by trying to break down the door and climb in through the shutter.
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-indictment-reveals-israeli-s-systematic-attempt-to-murder-wife-1.9209311
Michal Amdursky: Women Are Ashamed To Speak Up
We’ll spare you the rest of the gory details. But when singer Michal Amdursky heard the news, she decided it was time to raise her voice against domestic violence.
So today (November 17) she released “Kumi V’lechi” (Get Up and Go), a powerful song of support for women who experience fear and abuse every day of their lives. It’s the first new song Michal Amdursky has released in a decade.
“Women who experience physical violence are ashamed to speak,” Amdursky said, “and when they finally get the courage to ask for help, they don’t get an answer from the ones who are supposed to protect them.”
“I Will Not Be Silent”
“This is what aroused in me the need and the desire to dedicate my whole being to creating this song that will convey the message,” Amdursky continued.
“If I can save one woman through the song and its publicity, I will have done what I needed to do.”
Amdursky wrote the music as well as the poignant lyrics for the song:
“Break your silence
Refrain from “Kumi V’lechi” – Michal Amdursky
It will end
When everyone knows, he will break
Take the power away from him
How much more can you forgive him?
Speak up, stop hiding it
At the end, you’ll pay the price
Take the girls and run away
And go. Get up, get up and go.”
Ha’aretz reports that there’s been a sharp rise in domestic violence cases in Israel (and likely around the world) in 2020. To underscore Amdursky’s message, the end of the music video lists the names of EIGHTEEN women who have been murdered by their husbands this year.
We can only hope that the message of the song is heard loud and clear throughout the streets of Israel.