Religious Singer's Song About Israel Gains Chilling New Meaning

Religious singer-songwriter Abigail Shainfeld has released a new song titled "The Blue and White," featuring lyrics in both Hebrew and English. The song explores themes of Israel, belonging, resilience, and continuity. Shainfeld stated that she chose to release the song on a date that commemorates an event from three years prior, intended to break spirits, aiming to project a message of hope, love for the land and people, and unapologetic Jewish pride.

Shainfeld explained her decision to use both Hebrew and English, stating, "I chose to create the song in Hebrew and English so that it would also have a dimension of public diplomacy." She added, "This is our song about the future, about the endless beauty of our land, about our people, and about the choice to stay here and build. Antisemitism in the world is crazy; we are a country the size of New Jersey, and the whole world is talking about us now. We deeply mourn everyone we lost on that day, and yet we declare: 'No matter what, the blue and white are ours forever.'"

Notably, the song was originally written before October 7th. About four years ago, her cousin Aharon, residing in the United States, sent her a melody and asked her to write lyrics about Israel, its people, and the land, stemming from a sense of longing for home. Following the October 7th events, the lyrics took on a profound new meaning, particularly the lines: "From the start, a promise, Israel is ours forever. The land is crying out, people of Israel, you are not alone, and the main thing is not to fear at all."

Shainfeld has dedicated the song to the memory of Maayan Idan, who was killed from Kibbutz Nahal Oz. Maayan celebrated her 18th birthday on October 3, 2023, and her family had planned a celebration for that weekend, which tragically did not occur. Maayan was an outstanding athlete and the eldest of four siblings, just beginning her adult life. Her father, Tzachi Idan, was also abducted to Gaza and murdered.

Shainfeld, who lives in Tzur Hadassah, is a mother of three daughters and the wife of a reservist whose husband has served approximately 500 days since the war began. During his reserve duty periods, Shainfeld and her husband welcomed their third daughter, whom they named "Maayan Ora," signifying their choice of life amidst loss. The accompanying music video for the song also centers on this message, featuring Shainfeld's husband and daughters, along with other Israelis from diverse backgrounds. Filmed at six locations across Israel, the video incorporates a pendant shaped like the map of Israel worn by Shainfeld, which she passes to her eldest daughter at the end during a candle-lighting scene, symbolizing continuity and the intergenerational transfer of love for the land and people, conveying the message: "We are here, not just now, but forever."