In 1980, Israeli songwriter Naomi Shemer wrote the beautiful lyrics to Al Kol Eleh. It is a poem that serves as an ode to life itself, reminding us that without darkness, there can be no light; without the bitter, we cannot appreciate the sweet.
Click HERE to enjoy this moving performance by the Israel Philharmonic with the IDF Orchestra.
And take in the powerful English lyrics to this beautiful Hebrew song,
Al Kol Eleh:
Every bee that brings the honey
Needs a sting to be complete
And we all must learn to taste the bitter with the sweet.
Keep, oh Lord, the fire burning
Through the night and through the day
For the man who is returning
from so far away.
Chorus:
Don’t uproot what has been planted
So our bounty may increase
Let our dearest wish be granted:
Bring us peace, oh bring us peace.
For the sake of all these things, Lord,
Let your mercy be complete
Bless the sting and bless the honey
Bless the bitter and the sweet.
Save the houses that we live in
The small fences and the wall
From the sudden war-like thunder
May you save them all.
Guard what little I’ve been given
Guard the hill my child might climb
Let the fruit that’s yet to ripen
Not be plucked before its time.
We hope you enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving, celebrating with friends and family.
We are truly grateful for you—our donors, volunteers, board members, partners, and lay leaders—for your generosity, partnership, and support in 2025. May we continue to savor the sweet moments together and support one another through the difficult ones. That is the true beauty of community, and we are so grateful to share it with you.
We look forward to seeing you at our Annual Meeting & Hanukkah Party on December 11 at 6 PM.