On January 18, 2003, the song “Zemer Nogeh” (aka “HaTishma Koli”) was the first Hebrew song ever played in space.
That’s because Colonel Ilan Ramon was aboard the space shuttle Columbia at the time, and his wife, Rona Ramon, selected it as the song to wake up the astronauts that day.
The shuttle exploded upon re-entry to earth on February 1, just 16 minutes before its scheduled landing. Ilan Ramon was gone.
Years after Ilan’s death, his widow Rona created the Ramon Foundation, “a nonprofit that promotes personal and social excellence through space, flight, science, and technology. She also gave speeches across Israel and offered grief counseling to others.” (The Times of Israel, 12/17/18)
Rona passed away just a few months ago, following a long battle with pancreatic cancer.
On Yom Ha’atzmaut, Rona Ramon will receive the Israel Prize at a special ceremony. In honor of her award, organizers asked Sarit Hadad to perform a cover of the first Hebrew song played in space, “Zemer Nogeh”.
The song, of course, was made famous by the “High Windows” (HaChalomot HaGvohim) – Arik Einstein, Shmulik Krauss, and Josie Katz – in 1967.
Elinor
May 8, 2019 at 5:54 pmWhat a story, love across the space and this beautiful song that I never knew it was a great medium of loving communication between the late Rona and her beloved husband in the space. It all sounds surreal, but it is real, sadly real but so significant. Kodus to Rona for not being defeated by such a tragedy and staying stong and helping others. Baruch Dayan Emet. In persian there is a verse of a sonnet saying ” I have not listened to any sound more pleasant than the voice of love: A souvenir that resides under this revolving dome of universe forever..”
By the way, the song by Arik Einstein is ” HaChalomot HaGvohim” or ” HaChalonot Hagvohim”, because in the text the transliteration is as the first one which might mean ” Subtle Dreams”, while the second one would mean ” High Windows”.
Elinor
May 10, 2019 at 6:59 pmI guess I got my answer. That is High Windows which is the name of their band nachon?
The High Windows https://g.co/kgs/FPBrbW