Ofra Haza @Shmil The Cat Club – Sukkot 1983

Описание: A special program aired on Sept 26, 1983 for the holiday of Sukkot, filmed in a cabin in the gardens of Tel Aviv.
Host: Shmil The Cat (Natan Datner).
Guest: Ofra Haza with her songs „Chai” („Alive”), „Etz Ha’Rimon” („The Pomegranate Tree”), „Shlomit Bonah Sukkah” („Shlomit Is Building A Sukkah”) (a song by Naomi Shemer).

0:00 Chai – Alive
Lyrics (English translation):

Listen my brothers, I'm still alive
And both my eyes are still drawn to the light
A lot of thorny grass, but there are flowers too
And countless years ahead of me

I ask and pray
I'm glad the hope is not yet lost

The chant passes on
Like an unending fountain
I ask and pray
I'm glad the hope is not yet lost

Alive, alive, alive, yes, I'm still alive
This is the song that my granddad sang to my dad and today it’s my turn
I'm still alive, alive, alive, Israel’s people are alive
This is the song that my granddad sang to my dad and today it’s my turn

My days are rumbling (alive, alive)
As do my nights (alive, alive)
And in my skies, the pillar of fire still stands

I will sing and won't stop (alive, alive)
I spread my hands (alive, alive)
To all my friends across the sea

I ask and pray
I'm glad the hope is not yet lost

Alive, alive, alive, yes, I'm still alive
This is the song that my granddad sang to my dad and today it’s my turn
I'm still alive, alive, alive, Israel’s people are alive
This is the song that my granddad sang to my dad and today it’s my turn

Listen my brothers, I'm still alive
And both my eyes are still drawn to the light
So cheers to all my guests
And to my sons who wish to return

I ask (I ask)
And I pray (pray)
I'm glad the hope is not yet lost

Alive, alive, alive, yes, I'm still alive
This is the song that my granddad sang to my dad and today it’s my turn
I'm still alive, alive, alive, Israel’s people are alive
This is the song that my granddad sang to my dad and today it’s my turn

Alive, alive, alive
I'm still alive, alive, alive!

3:34 Etz Ha’Rimon – The Pomegranate Tree
Lyrics (English translation):

The pomegranate tree gave out its scent
From the Dead Sea to Jericho
Return, my barrier, your regiment from wandering
Sit down, my innocent one, your lover has come

The treasures of Ofir and tzri of Gil'ad*
And Egyptian carriages for you, daughter
From a thousand songs I shall make you a shield
From the Nile to the Jordan

You are the most beautiful of brides
You are the most magnificent of them all
Both your eyes are like two doves
And your voice is soft like a bell

For you the trumpets blast, for you the bouquets
For you all the signs of the heroes
What are thousands of soldiers to me
When my heart is dying of love?

Put down the bow, return the arrow
The pomegranate returned to the top of the tree
To you and for your success is expected
Come bride, for the night has fallen

*Ofir = A land from which gold etc. was brought to Israel by workers of king Solomon; tzri = a resin from which a long time ago people used to make a medicine which calmed the heart and soul.
The speaker is speaking to the land of Israel.

6:15 Shlomit Bonah Sukkah – Shlomit Is Building A Sukkah*
Lyrics (English translation):

Shlomit is building a sukkah
Full of light and greenery
That's why she's so busy today

But it's not simply a sukkah
Full of light and greenery
Shlomit is building a sukkah of peace

She won’t forget to lay out
The lulav and the myrtle leaves,
A branch of green willow

A pomegranate within its leaves
And all the fruits of autumn
With the fragrance of orange groves

And when Shlomit says:
„Look! It's already finished!”
Suddenly something wondrous will happen

All the neighbours will come
It’ll be a swarm
And there’ll be room for everyone

Then, through the roof of branches,
With a bright glow
As though it were a diamond,
The twinkle of a star will shine

Shalom, wondrous sukkah
How fine and pleasing it is
That Shlomit built a sukkah of peace

*A sukkah (lit. „booth”) is a temporary hut constructed for use during the week-long Jewish festival of Sukkot. It’s topped with branches and often well decorated with autumnal, harvest or Judaic themes.
**The lulav is the closed frond of the date palm tree. It’s one of the Four Species used during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot.