Am Ne'emanay, a Moroccan Chanukah song

I'm celebrating the eighth night of Chanukah by posting this Moroccan Chanukah song.

 

"Am Ne'emanay," a Hanukah song from Divahn's new album, Shalhevet. This performance is from our March 7, 2020 album release at Joe's Pub. [Last hurrah before the COVID-19 shut-down--who knew?]

Galeet Dardashti: lead vocals

Megan Gould: violin, backup vocals

Eleanor Norton: cello, backup vocals

Elizabeth Pupo-Walker, cajon, back up vocals

Sejal Kukadia, Indian tabla, back up vocals

string arrangement: Megan Gould

The song is one of the most popular Chanukah songs among North African Jews. The text was written by the most renowned Morrocan paytan (composer of sacred songs) of his generation, David Buzaglo, and the melody comes from Ya um alabaya (“The girl who wore an abaya”), made famous by Iraqi singer Badria Anwer. Special thanks to Yossi Ohana and Kehillot Sharot for sharing this piyyut with me years ago and to Zafer Tawil for helping me track down the song in Arabic. You can hear/see lyrics/purchase the full song here: https://divahn.bandcamp.com/track/am-....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBJ_z27nv-g

From Bandcamp:

lyrics

My faithful nation, seed of the believers

Praise God, for His benevolence triumphed.

In the days of Matityah, ally of God,

The Almighty remembered his flock.

His children, who sprang from his loins

Went in his ways, donned his priestly garb.

עַם נֶאֱמָנַי זֶרַע אֱמוּנַי

הוֹדוּ לַה' כִּי גָבַר חַסְדּוֹ

בִּימֵי מַתִּתְיָה זָקֵן יְדִיד יָהּ

רַב עֲלִילִיָּה פָּקַד צֹאן יָדוֹ

בָּנָיו חֲנִיכָיו יוֹצְאֵי יְרֵכָיו

הָלְכוּ בִדְרָכָיו לָבְשׁוּ אֶת מַדּוֹ

credits

from Shalhevet, released March 7, 2020