Shalom Aleichem (Peace Be Upon You), performed by violinist Nir Sarussi, is part of the ‘All the World is a Stage’ project. Wysinfo initiated this project in order to encourage international cooperation through culture.
To watch other performances that are part of this project, follow this link
Wysinfo – ‘All the World is a Stage Project’ Front Page.
About the poem and music
Shalom Aleichem is a poem written by the kabbalists of Safed (Tsfat, Tzfat) Israel in the late 16th or early 17th century. Throughout the years it has been sung by many Jews on Friday evening to welcome the Shabbat. The poem refers to the angels of peace (messengers of peace) sent by the Holy One. There are various melodies for this poem. The music in the video was composed by Rabbi Israel Goldfarb in 1918.
About the Composer
Israel Goldfarb was a prominent American cantor, composer, and music educator. He was born in 1879 in Poland and immigrated to the United States as a child. Goldfarb is best known for composing the melody to “Shalom Aleichem,” a beloved Jewish Sabbath hymn.
He served as a cantor and helped professionalize Jewish liturgical music in America. Goldfarb studied at Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary. He, along with his brother Samuel E. Goldfarb, published The Jewish Songster, an influential songbook.
His work played a key role in bringing accessible, modern Hebrew music into American synagogues. Goldfarb was also deeply involved in training future cantors and educators. His musical style blended traditional Jewish motifs with western harmonies.
About the performers
Violinist Nir Sarussi was born in Afula, Israel, and began studying the violin at the age of 9. Already in his early years, he was considered a gifted musician with highly developed musical abilities. Nir is a graduate of the Rubin Academy of Music in Jerusalem and holds a music teaching certificate from the Hebrew University. He specializes in various musical styles, including: Balkan, Gypsy, Irish, classical, country, ethnic, Hasidic, Jewish Klezmer and more.
In the videos Nir is accompanied by by two talented musicians: Matan Mizrahi playing accordion and Anatoly Magdalinskiy on the drums.
About the location – junction of Jaffa and Queen Heleni streets
Jaffa street
Jaffa street (road) is one of the oldest and the longest streets in Jerusalem. It crosses the city from east to west. Starting besides Jaffa Gate of the Old City, the road continues to the west of the city where it connects the main highway to Tel Aviv on the shore of the Mediterranean. The road witnessed many historical events throughout the centuries. Along the road are a variety of old and new buildings, shops, cafes and hotels and it is also rich with commercial and cultural activities. The main street market in Jerusalem starts at the junction of Jaffa road and Mahane’-Yehuda street.
Queen Heleni
Queen Heleni was born in the 1st century CE. She was the sister and wife of King Monabazus Bazaeus of Adiabene, a vassal kingdom of the Parthian Empire.
This kingdom was located in the north part of the ‘Fertile Crescent’ and existed only for a short period, between 15 to 100 CE. The area contained a relatively large Jewish population as a result of the expulsion of the Jews from the holy land after the fall of the 1st temple.
Queen Heleni was deeply influenced by her encounter with the Jewish culture and religion. She decided to convert to Judaism, together with her sons, and journeyed to Jerusalem where she fell in love with the city. The period was the first half of the 1st century. Jerusalem was under the occupation of the Roman Empire and the Second Temple was still in place. At that time the city, as well as the other parts of the land, was run by a group of officials who cooperated with the Romans while underground forces were already in action to revolt in order to reestablish a free Jewish rule. Heleni, Queen of Adiabene, was considered to be both devout (allegedly taking the oath of the Nazarenes multiple times) and a person of position and power. She enjoyed the sympathy of the people since she generously helped needy populations, built impressive buildings and gave presents for the temple activities. She also built her own palace in the city of David that was located south of the temple. This palace served her in the years to come when she made the decision to move to the city for life. Queen Heleni also built a monumental burial site for herself there. It was described as one of the finest structures ever built. The Romans, after the failure of the great revolt in the year 70 CE, destroyed the structure and only a section of it was left, as can be seen in the photo below.
Many hundreds of years later, the Jews still remember the generosity and sensitivity of the fine queen, and named a street after her name.
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