Rabbi Tamir Granot and Students Release Song in Memory of Fallen Son Amid Israel-Hizbullah Conflict
Rabbi Tamir Granot, head of the Orot Shaul Yeshiva in Tel Aviv, and his students have released a rendition of the song "The Beloved Son" as part of the yeshiva's "New Light" musical project. The song honors Rabbi Granot's son, Captain Amitai Tzvi Granot, who was killed in combat on the northern border during the early days of the "Iron Swords" war. The melody was originally composed by Rabbi Granot after Operation Protective Edge in 2014, inspired by the prophet Jeremiah's words, as a way to channel grief into prayer during the High Holidays. For nearly a decade, the song accompanied the yeshiva's Rosh Hashanah prayers.
Following the October 7, 2023 attacks and the abduction of 250 Israeli citizens into Gaza, the song took on new significance as a heartfelt plea for their return. Shortly after the war began, Rabbi Granot's son Amitai, who commanded an armored unit in the north, expressed his determination not to return home until his captured comrades were freed. Amitai was killed on October 15 while defending northern communities from a Hizbullah infiltration. Since then, the song's lyrics have become a deeply personal expression of loss for the family.
About a month ago, Rabbi Granot decided to share the song with the wider Israeli public to transform it into a collective prayer of remembrance, gratitude for those who returned from captivity, and a call for unity, love, and hope. The melody is based on a musical phrase by Rabbi Shaul Yedidya Taub, the Modzitz Rebbe. The production was arranged and produced by Yigal Stettner, with Rabbi Granot as lead vocalist and his son Yehuda Granot providing harmony, alongside yeshiva students and other musicians.
The song is the fifth single in the "New Light" project, which showcases original and newly arranged melodies performed by the yeshiva community during special occasions. The release also includes excerpts from Amitai’s personal diary, where he described his life as a continuous, evolving melody, promising to strive for authenticity in his own "notes," even if imperfect.
