[HANASHIR:8865] Re: info request - Eli, Eli

[Judy Ginsburgh <judy...>]

The words to Eli, Eli were written by Hannah Senesh.  It was set to music by
David Zahavi.  Not sure who wrote the English words.  It was published in a
red paperback book by Transcontinental Music several years ago for the
Reform Movement (prior to Gates of Song).  I use to have a copy that might
have provided more info, but I cannot get my hands on it right away.  Below
is info on Hannah:


Hannah Szenes (1921-1944)
Haganah Fighter and Poet

Through her brief but noteworthy life, Hannah Szenes became a symbol of
idealism and self-sacrifice. Her poems, made famous in part because of her
unfortunate death, reveal a woman imbued with hope, even in the face of
adverse circumstances.

Szenes, the daughter of an author and journalist, was born in Budapest. She
demonstrated her own literary talent from an early age, and she kept a diary
from age 13 until shortly before her death. Although her family was
assimilated, anti-Semitic sentiment in Budapest led her to involvement in
Zionist activities, and she left Hungary for Eretz Yisrael in 1939. She
studied first at an agricultural school, and then settled at Kibbutz Sdot
Yam. While there she wrote poetry, as well as a play about kibbutz life.

In 1943 Szenes joined the British Army and volunteered to be parachuted into
Europe. The purpose of this operation was to help the Allied efforts in
Europe and establish contact with partisan resistance fighters in an attempt
to aid beleaguered Jewish communities. Szenes trained in Egypt and was one
of the thirty-three chosen to parachute behind enemy lines. With the goal of
reaching her native Budapest, Szenes was parachuted in March, 1944 into
Yugoslavia, and spent three months with Tito's partisans. Her idealism and
commitment to her cause are memorialized in her poem "Blessed is the Match,"
which she wrote at this time.

On June 7, 1944, at the height of the deportation of Hungarian Jews, Szenes
crossed the border into Hungary. She was caught almost immediately by the
Hungarian police, and although tortured cruelly and repeatedly over the next
several months, refused to divulge any information. Even the knowledge that
her mother was at risk and that she too might be harmed did not move Szenes
to cooperate with the police. At her trial in October of that year, Szenes
staunchly defended her activities and she refused to request clemency.
Throughout her ordeal she remained steadfast in her courage, and when she
was executed by a firing squad on November 7, she refused the blindfold,
staring squarely at her executors and her fate.

In 1950, Szenes' remains were brought to Israel and re-interred in the
military cemetery on Mount Herzl. Her diary and literary works were later
published, and many of her more popular poems, including "Towards Caesarea"
and "Blessed is the Match," have been set to music. She has also been the
subject of several artistic works, including a play by Aharon Megged.


Judy :)

Judy Caplan Ginsburgh - Professional Singer/Recording Artist/Educator
www.jewishentertainment.net/judy
judy (at) jewishentertainment(dot)net
Director:  Jewish Entertainment Resources - We Help You Find Jewish Talent!
www.jewishentertainment.net
Conference Chair - CAJE 23 - www.caje.org

----- Original Message -----
From: "Sue Marx" <suemarx (at) juno(dot)com>
To: <hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org>
Sent: Tuesday, April 24, 2001 4:16 AM
Subject: [HANASHIR:8864] Re: info request - Eli, Eli


> Chavarim--
>
> I would also like information on Hannah Senesh and the background of "Eli
> Eli."  Maybe others on the list would like it too.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Sue Marx
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