British chief rabbi's song gets million hits on YouTube

A special video recording of "Oseh Shalom" recorded by cantors was made to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Israel's establishment.

By JONNY PAUL
Oseh Shalom 311 (photo credit: Courtesy)
Oseh Shalom 311
(photo credit: Courtesy)
LONDON – A video recording of “Oseh Shalom” by Britain’s Chief Rabbi, recorded to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the State of Israel, has just passed 1 million hits on YouTube.
The recording features Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks with soloist chazzans Jonny Turgel, Shimon Craimer and Rabbi Lionel Rosenfeld along with the Shabbaton Choir and children from the Moriah Jewish Day School in London.
The recording was made in the same London studio as the famous 1984 Band Aid video, which raised money for famine relief in Ethiopia, and was produced by leading producer Trevor Horn. The song was part of the Home of Hope music CD released by Sacks to mark the state’s 60th anniversary two years ago.
Posted on YouTube in May 2008, the video has been seen as far away as Asia and Africa.
A third of hits have come from the US.
“The 1 million hits is testament to the love of Jews across the world for the State of Israel,” Sacks said. “The words of ‘Oseh Shalom’ reverberate with us all and lift our hearts to a miracle of a land rebuilt.”
Shabbaton choir director Stephen Levey, who composed the new version of the song, paid homage to the chief rabbi.
“I’m absolutely amazed at the response it has had. To reach 1 million hits is beyond all expectation. I cannot thank enough all those who made it possible and to the chief rabbi whose belief in the project inspired us all,” Levey said.