Reflection

Inspired by our House Singing last week, I came across an organisation called Koolulam that brings Israelis from different ages, races and religions together for mass singing events. Their motto is ‘singing is believing’. When we sing together, we discover the common heartbeat that connects us all.

Two years ago, Koolulam brought together a group of 3,000 Jewish, Muslim and Christian Israelis, some religious, some not, to learn the song One Day , released by the Jewish reggae singer Matisyahu in 2008. In an hour they learned to sing and harmonize the lyrics in three different languages. The result is a breathtaking display.

It is a song of unity, peace, and hope for a better future. In an interview, Matisyahu said: “One Day is the song I’ve been wanting to make since I started my career. It is an anthem of hope with a big beat, the kind of song that makes you bob your head and open your heart at the same time.’

While the obstacles to peace in the Middle East are enormous, such gatherings provide a glimmer of hope. At the end of the day, most people want to live and let live, and just want a safer, more tolerant world for their children.

The song challenges us to strive to make Scotch a place where every single boy can feel safe, feel that he belongs, that he is respected and that he is celebrated for who he is.

And may God make all of us more sensitive to people who find themselves on the edges and help us to find creative ways of including them.