Reason #12,368 why I love Israeli music: it helps us reflect on the difficulties of life in Israel, and encourages us to remember causes we care about.

Lt. Hadar Goldin. z’l, was kidnapped and killed by Hamas during Operation Protective Edge in 2014. His body has been held by Hamas ever since.

Hadar’s family, however, has worked tirelessly to get him back to Israel. His mother, Leah, frequently appears on Israeli TV to remind the public and the government not to forget her son. This past Memorial Day, nearly five years since Hadar’s murder, Leah Goldin released a powerful video urging Israelis to keep her family’s plight on their minds.

At one of Leah Goldin’s television interviews, she met Nili Aronowitz-Peterson who worked at the TV station. The two developed a connection, and soon, Nili decided to write a song called “Hadar”. She recruited composer Udi Turgeman to write the melody, as well as several well-known Israeli singers to record the song.

“Hadar” features vocals from Dafna Armoni, Zehava Ben, David D’or, Dudi Levy, Yishai Levy, Arik Sinai, Nicole Peterson, and Leah Shabbat.

“Hadar” – Hebrew Lyrics and Translation:

זהבה: ילד שלי מלא הדר והוד  אני לא מוכנה לחכות עוד ועוד  דאור: שלחתי אותך עם חיוך של אהבה  ונותרתי עם לב שבור ואכזבה  לאה: ילד שלי מלא הדר והוד  אני מתגעגעת אליך מאד מאד  דפנה: בכל ערב לוחשת לך חרש תפילה  וביום אני צועקת שאין מחילה  פזמון כולם:  הייתי רוצה לנסות לסלוח  אך החיוך שלך לא נותן לי מנוח  האמא שבי לא נותנת לשכוח  שלעולם לא ייגמר בי הכוח  עד שתשוב  ישי : ילד שלי מלא הדר והוד  איך כולם יכולים יכולים פה למעוד  ניקול: הכל כה פשוט אך לא בא בקלות  איך חוזרים שוב ושוב על אותה הטעות  דודי: ילד שלי לנצח הדר  שלעולם לא יהיה לא יהיה מאוחר  אריק: בכל יום שעוד יש בי חלום שמחר  יבשרו שהדר כבר אלי חזר  פזמון – כולם:  הייתי רוצה לנסות לסלוח  אך החיוך שלך לא נותן לי מנוח  האמא שבי לא נותנת לשכוח  שלעולם לא ייגמר בי הכוח  עד שתשוב

Zahava: My child is full of splendor (“Hadar”)and majesty I am not prepared to wait any longer D’or: I sent you with a smile of love And I was left with a broken heart and disappointment Leah: My child is full of splendor and majesty I miss you very much Daphne: Every night I whisper a silent prayer to you And in the day I shout that there is no forgiveness Chorus (All): I would like to try to forgive But your smile does not give me peace The mother in me does not let me forget That I would never run out of strength Until you return Yishai: My child is full of splendor and majesty How can everyone here can stumble Nicole: Everything is so simple but does not come easily How we keep repeating the same mistake over and over again Dudi: My child forever, Hadar That will never be late Eric: Every day I still have a dream that tomorrow I will receive news that my Hadar to me has returned Chorus – all: I would like to try to forgive But your smile does not give me peace The mother in me does not let me forget That I would never run out of strength Until you return

For more information about Hadar Goldin and how you can help bring him home, visit https://www.hadargoldinfoundation.org.