Lyrics by Antithesis
Ima Mechaka Babayit
Four men abducted, you may well have heard
See I think it's time for awareness to be raised
Of the plight of the Israeli M.I.A.s
1982's the first date to remember
Three boys taken - Katz, Baumel, Feldman
And then after only four more years
Ron Arad's kidnapping caused more Israeli tears
The worst part of it is the huge frustration
At the kidnappers refusal to give any information
About their prisoners status, their health and wellbeing
We don't even know for sure that they're living
It's disgusting how they cause so many people so much anguish
Any sort of news we'd be desperate to have it
But no, it seems that it's just too much to ask
The mothers have to stay waiting, kept in the dark
Ima mechaka ba'bayit
We've gotta keep trying
So we can stop these mothers crying
We've got to put our time and the money that we earn
Into making sure that the M.I.A.s return
Home, to their parents, to their wives,
Let them have a family and live a normal life
We've gotta get them back to where they belong
End this injustice, right this wrong
On the Lebanese border security was flouted
Three more taken, this time by the Hizbollah
Their names - Adi, Benny and also Omar
And who looked on while terrorists stole our men?
It was those lovely soldiers representing the UN
I thought they were there in place as our friends
To help save us from terror, not to watch but protect
But no, we can't even expect that much
We should've learnt by now that the UN hates us
A clear indication of its ingrained impurity
Is that Syria has been put in charge of security
Now things had got worse, it wasn't four but seven
The lack of cooperation by the captors was so vexing
And three more families were missing a member
Their hope was failing, the fire was down to its embers
And what do we learn coming into November?
Israeli intelligence discovered that we'd never
See these three again, their lives had ended
Hizbollah had given false hope, they'd lied and pretended
You might ask what's the point in a continued altercation?
If three have gone for a year and already have died
What's the chance that the other four are still alive?
This may sound insensitive but perhaps they're not
But even so there's no reason why we should stop
Our campaign, even if it's just for the remains
So we can bury them in Israel, in proper graves
To let the families know for sure
Whether to celebrate, or whether to mourn
If it's the latter, at least they'll get some closure
It'll will be such a relief, to finally know the
Truth, to be able to continue with their lives
Without having to wonder if the soldiers have survived
How can you help? Start by wearing a blue ribbon
Then you might want to sign or even start a petition
Write a letter of support to the families
Take the initiative, organise some rallies
What it all comes down to is raising awareness
Make important people really start caring
Write to Kofi Annan, make him earn his prize for peace
By getting him to fight for the M.I.A.s release
And if at any point you require motivation
Just think of the mothers, sitting there, waiting
Ima Mechaka Babayit Part II
Four men abducted, you may well have heard
See I think it's time for awareness to be raised
Of the plight of the Israeli M.I.A.s
1982's the first date to remember
Three boys taken - Katz, Baumel, Feldman
And then after only four more years
Ron Arad's kidnapping caused more Israeli tears
The worst part of it is the huge frustration
At the kidnappers refusal to give any information
About their prisoners status, their health and wellbeing
We don't even know for sure that they're living
It's disgusting how they cause so many people so much anguish
Any sort of news we'd be desperate to have it
But no, it seems that it's just too much to ask
The mothers have to stay waiting, kept in the dark
Ima mechaka ba'bayit
We've gotta keep trying
So we can stop these mothers crying
We've got to put our time and the money that we earn
Into making sure that the M.I.A.s return
Home, to their parents, to their wives,
Let them have a family and live a normal life
We've gotta get them back to where they belong
End this injustice, right this wrong
In Gaza and Lebanon our borders were flouted
Three more taken by Hamas and the Hizbollah
Their names Ehud Eldad and also Gilad
And when Israel tries to take back our men
The rest of the world they all start to condemn
All hypocrites cos if it happened to them
I'd like to see them show restraint, to sit and pretend
That nothing was wrong, that no one had gone
Ignore mothers' cries and Antithesis's song
But that's not how it works - we all should have learned
When Israel's in trouble the world likes to turn
Its back on our suffering our grief and our pain
Ignoring our protests time and again
It's like their indifference is somehow ingrained
See the state of Israel as something of a stain
On their world - just getting in the way
As if it weren't for Israel there'd be world peace today
This is a message to everyone telling us what has to be
Forget your propaganda and think of the families
Hook
So now that you're clear on the current situation
You might ask what's the point in a continued altercation?
In 200 three were kidnapped, it turned out they'd died
So what's the chance that the others are still alive?
This may sound insensitive but perhaps they're not
But even so there's no reason why we should stop
Our campaign, even if it's just for the remains
So we can bury them in Israel, in proper graves
To let the families know for sure
Whether to celebrate, or whether to mourn
If it's the latter, at least they'll get some closure
It'll will be such a relief, to finally know the
Truth, to be able to continue with their lives
Without having to wonder if the soldiers have survived
How can you help? Start by wearing a blue ribbon
Then you might want to sign or even start a petition
Write a letter of support to the families
Take the initiative, organise some rallies
What it all comes down to is raising awareness
Make important people really start caring
Write to Kofi Annan, make him earn his prize for peace
By getting him to fight for the M.I.A.s' release
And if at any point you require motivation
Just think of the mothers, sitting there, waiting
Hook x 2
Ivrit Daber Ivrit
A guy called Ben-Yehuda, thought that he knew the
Best thing to do for all the tribe of Judah
A way to improve the communication to the
Other Jews around the world we could all speak through the
Holy language of our forefathers
A forgotten tongue, for us to once again master
A man with a plan, a man with a vision
A part of the new movement of Zionism
Trying to break Jews free from their thousand-year prison
The rebirth of the nation it was all of their mission
He would sit all day studying, finding roots
Take them and plant shoots hoping to see their fruits
After many long hours, he finally did it
A brand new language was fashioned and finished
His family all spoke it as dugma ish[iz]it
Soon all the man began to speak Ivrit
Hook:
To all my peeps on the street who like to rock the beat, next time you're gonna speak
Ivrit, daber Ivrit
And from my man down the way to across the UK, if you got something to say
Ivrit, daber Ivrit
To all my girl looking yat with the style to match, next time you gonna chat
Ivrit, daber Ivrit
Antithesis, bruv I be spittin it, so if you're listenin then
Ivrit, daber Ivrit
These guys had revived what had once been dead
Forget Yiddish and Ladino we got Ivrit instead
Whole new generations, were born and bred
On this new ish, all proud to be Jewish
Many didn't get involved cos they thought it was all foolish
But they've been proved wrong, they've all moved all
Ivrit stays strong, where have the others gone?
But yo, I don't mean to be standing gloating
Just wanna educate you on how my eyes were opened
Wanna make sure that you'll gonna be notin
What the final verse of this track is gonna be wrote in
I'm stoking the flames for the future
Hopin that I can inspire, all of you to
Learn the Jewish language cos there is only one
Hebrew, Ivrit, known as the holy tongue
Hook
Az ten li et hamaik ze ha tor sheli
La'asot hip-hop b'lashon ha'ivrit
Na'im me'od, korim li gam Sami G
V'gam Antiteiza, ani harapper hachi
Tov she'haya v'afilu she'yihiye
Kol ha'acherim pochdim lifto'ach et hape
Ki yodim mamash tov et ma she'po yikre
Im mishehu lo ose et ma she'ani rotze
Ani asape lachem et hachalom sheli
Ligmor ta'limudim v'linso'a le'artzi
Ki im ani be'emet rotze lihiyot tzioni
I'efshar l'hisha'er po v'lichyot k'yehudi
Ein po atid, v'ein po tikva
Ken yesh gam bitachon, v'gam kalkala
Aval ka'asher machlitim l'garesh otanu
Yesh ba'olam makom echad shehu shelanu
[translation]
So pass the mic, it's my turn
To drop hip-hop in the Hebrew language
Nice to meet you, they call me Sami G
And also Antithesis, I'm the best rapper that
has been and that will ever be
All the others are afraid to open their mouths
Cos they know only too well what will happen here
If someone doesn't do what I want
I'll tell you my dream -
To finish my studies and travel to my country
Cos if I really want to be a Zionist
I can't stay here and live as a Jew
Here there's no future, here there's no hope
Sure there is security and a [good] economy
But when they decide to expel us
There is only one place in the world which is ours
Hook
Just Peace
In the year 1948, Israel declared a state
For the Jewish people it was a case of better late
Than never, after years of tireless endeavour
The Zionist movement, had finally found its buried treasure
And after the horror of the Nazi persecution
It was so good for the Jews to have found a solution
In the future, there'd always be the Right of Return
Now at last there was a country that would never spurn
Exiles, asylum seekers, all refugees
Human beings forced from their homes without a bite to eat
We just wanted to live peacefully, in the Promised Land
It was our dream for so many years, can't you understand?
But no, we weren't allowed to have it that way
Because at sunrise on the very next day
We were attacked from all sides by the Arab nations
The tiny new state would have to fight for its liberation
An exiled people, looking for a home
For so many years, nothing we could do but hope
We been waiting, dreaming, searching, believing
Finally in '48 we got our redeeming
But since then, we've had to be on our toes
Bordered on all sides by powerful foes
For over 50 years looking for a release
Believe that it's true, we just want peace
Now over the years came war after war
A miracle saved Israel in '73 on Yom Kippur
And don't forget '67, a war for six days
Again victorious, again we were saved
Other battles too, too numerous to name
But at the end of the day see the story was the same
The Arab nations couldn't take, having the new Jewish state
That was buried in their midst, it consumed them with hate
So they united against the tiny Jewish home
Looking for ways for Israel to be blown
Into oblivion - no hope, no way back
These desires inspired new waves of attack
And each time Israel rested defensive
Except in '67 but you know that was pre-emptive
And thanks to God's help the country survived
But for every war too many brave young Israelis died
Hook
Yet as time has gone by the situation has improved
We no longer have to fear our neighbours' every move
Peace came first with Egypt, and then with Jordan
We began to dream once more, that our borders
Would be serene - no drama, no action
Delight and celebrations - they were our reaction
And then in the year 1994, Rabin and Arafat made historic moves forward
They wanted autonomy, and we wanted peace
We began to negotiate, to try and agree
Things started moving slowly, one step at a time
PLO bombings stopped, they got land, things were fine
Rabin was killed, but the process continued
Yet there still remained some very contentious issues
The right of return and the Temple Mount
Oslo stuttered to a halt, and violence broke out
Hook
So what have we got now? Another intifada
We still want peace but now it's so much harder
We've got suicide bombers killing innocent children
Won't differentiate a soldier from a civilian
Yet I turn on the news, and what is it I hear?
It's like an Arab monopoly on living life in fear
The Israelis are portrayed as hard-line oppressors
When all they want is to live a life free of terror
I'm fed up, of hearing this anti-Israel propaganda
It's time, for somebody to step up and take some action
We need to make it clear to the world population
That Israel really isn't such a bullying nation
A country built on principles of anti-discrimination
Yet now victimised just because of its creation
I know it's not perfect, things sometimes go wrong
But believe me when I say all we want is shalom
Hook
Looking for Home
I suddenly feel as if I'm still airborne
An incredible feeling rushing through my body
After several months showed no signs of stopping
Yeah those famous butterflies really do exist
I stepped on the land and was hit with a fit
Of passion, indescribable attraction
I close my eyes and imagine
My thoughts begin to fashion
How can a mere country evoke such emotion?
Create such notions, cause such devotion?
For this land, many people have died
And to here my history is intrinsically tied
But that can't be it, there must be more to this place
Maybe it's the fact that I can almost taste
The holiness, but there's no way of showing it
Perhaps for me, it's all about knowing it
My dream, my hope my Zion
The only country in the world for all Jews to rely on
A land which people have cried and died on
But despite all its troubles it continues to strive on
A place with which I have instantly gelled
A place for which my feelings cannot be quelled
A place in which I may one day dwell
This is what I feel for Eretz Yisrael
Imagine Israel at the height of its glory
Who knows who once stood where my eyes are now cast?
My head becomes awash with dreams of the past
Where else could you find a land with such contrast?
Coastline, mountains and deserts so vast
I begin to ponder as I look at the landscape
What life was like here under the British mandate
Thanks to UN partition and the Balfour declaration
The Jews were on the verge of creating a location
A home for all members of the Jewish nation
Escape from persecution, a way for salvation
What excitement and delight there must have been on the occasion
Of fulfilling the Zionist Dream, what jubilation
Sounds like a cliche but I'm that way inclined
The land of Israel is truly one of a kind
Do I follow my heart or listen to my mind?
Yeah it's true that there it feels like home
But can I really leave England? It's all I've ever known
Should I be brave now, and take the plunge
Commit to university followed by aliyah
Or can I live a fulfilling Diaspora Jewish life?
Where there's a good chance my son won't have a Jewish wife
Where anti-Semitism is currently on the rise
Where wearing a kippa is not always very wise
But still I'm not sure that I can cut all ties
It's a hard decision that must be made over time
How awful to live in England and continue to pine
Desperate for a land that I know is truly mine
I have no idea what will be my decision
Just hope I'm not naive with an idealised vision
Proud to Be a Zionist
Fed up with all the man proclaimin all this hate
No room for debate, well hold up wait
Cos Antithesis comin to step up and state
Yo the movement of my people been getting this stick
Equated with racism and other bullish
And if you can’t see it - that’s just foolish
So shut up and listen, to my hip hop schooling
We talking freedom, emancipation
A home, a land for a persecuted nation
Liberation, democratisation
A dream fulfilled, a Jewish safe haven
2000 years this desire had lied
Dormant but restive - it never died
In the 1800s, it was brought to life with this
Movement of my people, proud to be Zionists
I’m a Zionist - and yes I’m proud
I’m a Zionist - so shout it loud
I’m a Zionist - that’s my vocation
I’m a Zionist - self-determination for the Jewish nation
I’m a Zionist - and I’ll never cease
I’m a Zionist - who just wants peace
I’m a Zionist - and I say it with poise
I’m a Zionist - if you are too, then make some noise!
To the man who got this all going and rocked the set
To be honest though, there’s no way this verse’ll
Come close to doing justice to Theodore Herzl
Ben-Yehuda, course rocked the language tip
And I already showed him love on Ivrit Daber Ivrit
Ahad Ha’am represented for the people
A cultural centre was his ideal
A man of steel was my boy Jabotinsky
I wish I had time to stand and list the
Endless achievements of AD Gordon
Love the land was his plan, and it was awesome
The Lord was put forward by the man Rav Kook
His intellect and stature never done shook
That’s the look, so take pride in it
Pay respect with me, cos I’m proud to be a Zionist
There’s too many man, trying to turn that
Into something negative, something bad
I’m a Zionist who ain’t ashamed, I’m glad
That I support universal suffrage, free press
Only place in the Middle East to pass that test
Nothing less, cos we strivin for perfection
It’s a work in progress, like all other Western
Nations, but to be Zionist don’t equal extreme
Don’t make you obscene, unkind or unclean
What it means, is that you believe that the Jewish state
Has a right to exist, secure and safe
People livin without fear, living in peace
That’s the essence of a Zionist belief
No more beef, I’m done defining it
Join with me and shout that we proud to be Zionists
Song of Songs
Yo a song for my beloved, the girl whom I covet
You're my Jewish princess who can also act rugged
When you say you'll do something I know you've got it covered
Don't matter what you do my view of you ain't never coloured
You got brains but you don't need no Cambridge First
Although it's true I could do an awful lot worse
You always there to support, when it's time to drop a verse
Whether gigging to the masses or just to rehearse
You are the perfect host, but you ain't one to boast
You drop banter with my boys and jokes with my folks
No need to coax you out, you the centre of the crowd
Vivacious, outrageous, but never too proud
You're the only one, who can truly show me
That you can penetrate my mind, and really know me
I need you in my life on my own it's too lonely
That's why I write this song, for you and you only
To my beloved, wherever you be
I write this for you, now hear my decree
Believe me girl, I know where you belong
I write this for you, it is my Song of Songs
To my beloved, now that you know
I've been inspired by that poet from all that time ago
Come to me girl, I've been waiting so long
I write this for you, it is my Song of Songs
You're like a lily among thorns, I can't help but stare
Honey drips from your scarlet lips girl I swear
You are without blemish, beauty's true heir
I drink your love, and it's better than wine
You're more fragrant than all spices found over time
Teeth white like sheep, when you smile they shine
Let me into your garden where we can intertwine
Navel round like a goblet, joints like jewels
You stand tall like the palm, your eyes are fish pools
Give me your grape clusters, the sweetness of your tongue
My beloved is to me, she is but one
The personification of the girl for whom I'm waiting
You've got witty repartee and can hold a conversation
The kind of girl for whom life is a celebration
You've got huge dedication, to the Jewish nation
An Eishet Chayil, a woman worth praising
Got no hesitation when asked for a donation
Testament to the glory of God's creation
You always calm girl, we tight, that's why we never fight
You're wise, I know you only ever do what's right
It must be said, you're well-read, and as your thoughts take flight
We debate, deliberate until late in the night
I profess, my chest, longs for your caress
I attest you're the best, won't settle for any less
I'm possessed, girl, and feel I must confess
Through my Song of Songs, about my distress
Take a Minute
Whole life ahead nothing could get in her way
Got up for school like it was just a normal day
Walked out of the door, promised her mother not to stray
So little Dina, see she caught the bus to school
Knew that with the matsav it might be dangerous and all
But her family, they couldn't afford a car
And she couldn't walk to school see it was too far
At the bus stop were waiting the usual crowd
The bus arrived, Dina boarded and sat down
Saw her school friends and they quickly all gathered round
Soon chatter and laughter drowned the engine's sound
What no one knew was there was a passenger with malice
Hell bent on causing maximum horrendous damage
A man whose mind was well and truly savage
This passenger was a Palestinian fanatic
Nine months old, the apple of his mother's eye
Sure there were times when he would wail and cry
But you should have seen his smile when his eyes were dry
Nissim's parents had decided to go out for dinner
Couldn't find a babysitter so Nissim had come with them
It had been nice to get out and take a bit of a break
Of course there was the matsav but it had been quiet of late
They'd been sitting after eating, just taking it easy
Reflecting on what had been a really lovely evening
Nissim had been great no hint even of screaming
He'd been restless earlier - had just started teething
They had an eye on the clock, it was getting a bit late
Nissim needed to sleep so they got the bill and paid
They had no idea what was lying outside in wait
A man filled with hate determined to seal their fate
Poor thing was a German Holocaust survivor
But over time she'd tried to put all that behind her
She found living for the present made the past's burdens lighter
Every year at Pesach she had the family to seder
But for a change this year, in order to save her
The trouble of cooking her son-in-law had made a booking
At a hotel instead - persuading Greta took some doing!
She gave in eventually and it was all going fine
Half-way through the seder and just about to dine
A little bit merry from her first two cups of wine
She would smile and you could see her eyes still had their shine
But even on this most holy of nights
While all present forgot their fright at Israel's (current) plight
It seemed that there could never be any respite
As into their midst stepped a man who unleashed his might
Take a minute to remember
Take a minute to remember
Take a minute to remember
United Kingdom of Racism
Yo when I was growin up I was proud to be a British kid
Had love for my country and nothing could diminish it
God Save the Queen I'd be standing tall and singing it
Flag in my hand, held high and swinging it
But as I grew up, things weren't always cool
My pride left me when I got given stick at my school
People acted the fool, to make me feel small
Found out I was a Jew and it made them be cruel
Yeah before I grew up I was kind of naive
Thought more important than creed was what was underneath
But now I'm grown up man done shattered that belief
United Kingdom of Racism, fills me with grief
It pains me that I feel the need to state this
But all over this country I been faced by racists
Man whose brains got baseless hate in em
I live in the United Kingdom of Racism
Witnessed it, from London to Cambridge
Man became insane and displayed their hatred
A great shame they convey the world through their same prism
We live in the United Kingdom of Racism
It's endless stories of racists let loose
Attacks on blacks whites, Muslims, Hindus
We can't allow them to excuse this kind of abuse
Can't blame it on the booze
Although people try
Can't blame it on jobs
Although people try
Nah this is pure evil, hatred and spite
It pains me inside that most of us close our eyes
It's only 60 years, since Never Again
But in the UK people still judge their fellow men
On colour, race, belief, origin
Say they're not one of us, so it's fine to offend
It's only 60 years, since Never Again
In the UK they say it, but it's like make pretend
The man who ain't afraid to call out coon, wog and kike
The man who always hyped, spoilin for a fight
Go smashin up graveyards in the middle of the night
I'm also talking bout the man, who sit in they house
Filled with fury, and soundin off their mouth
About the immigrants invading, takin up the space in
Their green and pleasant land, stealin all their wages
When there's hate on Big Brother there be public indignation
But in day to day life discrimination ain't changing
The crazy thing is that most man know it's wrong
But the hatred has just been ingrained for so long
Man want to belong, so define against the other
Don't care we're all equal, all humans, all brothers
All born of a mother, irrespective of colour
Instead in the UK we continue to suffer
Wiley is a Racist
Yes to Peace, No to Terror
Yo 2006, Antithesis be back
And trust me blood I ain't too pleased about that
Because again I see Israel is under attack
And not just from the terrorists who surround her land
I'm talking about the crap, that I read every day
And hear and see every day, someone please take it away
Yo you'd think if a country had rockets landin
Got terrorists planning, to kidnap their man dem
That everyone would act with a bit more understandin
When Israel fights back, instead of just standin still
Doin nothing, letting them come
Bombin the Northern towns, kidnap soldiers and run
Would someone please explain why Israel's so wrong?
When all it wants is just to get along
That's why Barak done left all the Lebanon
He did it for peace but Hezbollah grew strong
To stop this war, that's our endeavour
Yes to peace, no to terror
Forget proportion, there's only one measure
Yes to peace, no to terror
We won't give into this: now or ever
Yes to peace, no to terror
The one true message for international pressure
Yes to peace, no to terror
Self-righteous pig dem in Israel's opposition
And don't listen to what no journalist will tell ya
They don't have to spend their night in no bomb shelter
Yo they talk about proportion, say proceed with caution
While Israel be facing all this terrorist extortion
Yo Ming Campbell, Red Ken, how would you like it
If the life of you and your family was blighted
With Katusha rockets, fallin at your gate
Would you then want the UK to show some restraint?
There's so much hate, it just don't make sense
All Israel wants to do is act in self-defence
But nah, the Jews gotta act better than we
They shouldn't even be there in the first place you see
It was a big mistake to give them a state
60 years since the Shoah but man restart the hate
They don't understand the terrorists, to whom they pander
When man blow up the Tube, they say it's bad on the news
But no one gives a toss when man are killin the Jews
You got to make up your mind, now is the time
If you support democracy then support Israel's line
But if you support terror and indiscriminate killin
Then portray Hezbollah as the innocent victim
Why does Israel get so much hate, so much more focus
Than any other state, like it's broken?
Israel's always wrong, and it's never right
They ignore the attempts to protect civilian life
They ignore the strife, of bereaved mothers' plight
They ignore the fact, that we don't wanna fight
World listen: here diplomacy has no function
Hezbollah's entire aim is Israel's destruction