Yaakov Rotblit
| Yaakov "Yankele" Rotblit | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Background information | |
| Native name | יעקב (יענקל'ה) רוטבליט |
| Born | 1945 (age 71–72) Haifa, Israel |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Songwriter, singer, composer, journalist |
| Instruments | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1968-present |
| Labels | Hed Arzi Music, NMC Music, HatavHashmini |
| Website | http://www.rotblit.co.il/ |
Yaakov "Yankele" Rotblit (יעקב רוֹטְבְּלִיט) (born in 1945) is an Israeli songwriter, singer, composer, and journalist best known for writing the lyrics for the Shir LaShalom.
Rotblit was born in Haifa in 1945. He was a member of Agudat Yordei Yam Zebulon and Hashomer Hatzair. After finishing his secondary education in Hugim high school, he enlisted to Nahal with a Hashomer Hatzair group formed for the completion of Kibbutz Metzer. After his discharge from the IDF he attended the Hebrew University of Jerusalem where he studied history and international relations.
While he was in university, the Six Day War started and he left his studies to fight as a platoon leader in the 63rd battalion of the Jerusalem Brigade. During the battle over Abu Tor, Rotblit was severely wounded in his hand, and lost a leg.
Rotblit's first song, "Zemer Shekazeh" (זמר שכזה, "Such A Song") was recorded in 1968.
His second song, "Shir LaShalom" (שיר לשלום, "A Song To Peace") was written in 1969 and became an anthem of the Israeli peace movement. The song was set to music by Yair Rosenblum and was first performed in 1969 by the Infantry Ensemble (להקת הנחל) of the Israel Defense Forces as part of its Sinai Infantry Outpost program, during the War of Attrition between Israel and Egypt. It featured the soloist Miri Aloni, who later became a celebrated folk singer and actor.
At the close of a peace rally on November 4, 1995, the vocalist Miri Aloni, the groups Gevatron and Irusim, Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin led the crowd in singing Shir LaShalom. Just after the rally ended, Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated. In his shirt pocket was found a page with the song's lyrics, stained with his blood.
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