Weinstein’s Baal Teshuva Song

By Yehuda Ceitlin, COLlive Editor

Followers of A Jewish Star singing competition got to know Menachem Weinstein as a person who sings and composes with his heart.

Lyrics of his new, and second, single “Am Yisroel Chai” reveal that he also draws on life experiences for inspiration:

“Imagine knocking down the wall your grandfather built
He spent his last moments praying that it shouldn’t tilt
It was his life this wall
It was all he lived for
And you knock it down.”

Weinstein told COLlive.com he recorded and filmed this song before heading to New York for the Jewish Star Finals Show.

“I wrote the song at the time in my life when I just started the transition back to Yiddishkeit,” he said in an interview from London where he lives.

It was during his journey back to his roots that he helped found JewKlub, a British group that reaches out to Jewish youngsters ages 14 to 19 – many of which hail from frum families.

“I saw young people like me who were looking for guidance and who were having questions about their Judaism,” he says. “Now I’m using my experiences to try and connect with them and show them that being a yid can be fun and cool.”

Weinstein has remained with the hip hop and rap style that put him in the public eye with his first single “Hear Me Cry.”

His new song shares some of the same talk of pain, struggle and triumph as individuals and as part of the Jewish nation.

“There were many deaths in the world, and many tragedies, and it just came out of my soul,” he says. “But most importantly, this song is aimed at the youth and it has a clear message not to throw away your heritage.”

His buddies from the Jewklub join him in the music video, filmed and edited by Moishy Lew, where Weinstein is seen trying to take them out of a shady London alley and later Farbrenging with them in a pizza shop.

“It’s all about coming back to yiddishkeit and returning to the ways of your ancestors.”

Or, as his song goes:

Pray to G-d I implore you
You’ll get an answer I assure you
He’s waiting for his child who’s all alone
So don’t postpone my man
return home!

VIDEO: Am Yisroel Chai by Menachem Weinstein

LYRICS:

Wherever we are
Whenever we fly
However we ride
However hard they try
Am Yisroel Chai

The Messiah is closer than ever
Let’s follow to the letter
Of the One above
He’s close He’s coming, let’s do this

We’re the generation of the Messiah the Rebbe said
We’re just laying foundations for the life ahead

But when you break the promise
You break the rule
When you break the rule
You break the promise
Naaseh venishmah
Torah
Mitzvah
Tzedaka
Were gonna do this, Lord we won’t ask why

Chorus:
Wherever we are
Whenever we fly
However we ride
However hard they try
Am Yisroel Chai

Our faith will never die
We will always try yeah
Am Yisroel Chai

Imagine knocking down the wall your grandfather built
He spent his last moments praying that it shouldn’t tilt
It was his life this wall
It was all he lived for
And you knock it down
To the ground
Not caring any more

You just walk through the rubble
The dust evaporates
Leaving his legacy without a trace
Walking at your own pace
Thinking that you’re winning the race
But the starting point is staring right at you in the face

It’s too late to turn back
You’ve gone too far
Destroyed your parents’ dreams
You don’t know who you are
But let me tell you son from my own crazy story

Go back and build that wall to its original glory
The wall is religion
It’s what we live by
Follow it and we can say Am Yisroel Chai
Now just live your life
And light the lamps
And let’s rebuild the walls that were destroyed in the camps

Chorus:
Wherever we are
Whenever we fly
However we ride
However hard they try
Am Yisroel Chai

Throughout so many ages
Yeah so many sages
Turn so many pages
It seems so contagious
That us as a nation
Face so much devastation
Oh Moshiach please awaken
Am Yisroel Chai

But as history shows our parents prevailed with pride
Stood strong against the wind
Screamed Ad Mossai
For Hashem we will die
Protect His name
Forever try
6 million did so
But Am Yisroel Chai

You’re in a state of attack
The yetzer hora’s grabbed you
Your mind’s gone blank you feel no one around you
That G-d’s deserted mankind
Stopped leading the way
But that’s all about to change today you see
Pray to G-d I implore you
You’ll get an answer I assure you
He’s waiting for his child who’s all alone
So don’t postpone my man
return home!

Chorus:
Wherever we are
Whenever we fly
However we ride
However hard they try
Am Yisroel Chai