Update 113 One Country - Many Cultures

Howie Gordon
Mar 17, 2024
3 min read

Song of Hope

Over the past few months I have been working on a project in collaboration with Tec4Schools and Reshet Nir to create a song that combines three different languages. The words were written by the pupils of the schools that take part in the program. The melody was composed by my talented son Amit and the song is sung by myself (English), Amit Gordon (Hebrew) and Lara Hussein Verasna (Arabic).

The song was well received in all the schools that heard it and they are in the process of recording the song with children’s voices.

What does this have to do with this broadcast? For many broadcasts I have been talking about connecting the different languages of our country. This song can be sung in any of the three languages - yet it can also be sung combining the three as we have done here.

Feel free to use the song as it is very suitable for the complex times we are facing and gives us a little hope from the mouths of children all over the country from different ethnic groups.

Here is a link to the words

https://bit.ly/shirtikva

Feel free to use the song at the end of the year for final concerts and events. The fact that this song was written by children for children is truly inspirational.

If you are interested in Tec4Schools and Intercultural Collaboration with your students - look them up.

One of my best acapella groups of all time Pentatonix

Prayers for this world by Pentatonix.

Here is the version with lyrics

Writer’s Block - So for my loyal followers and the newbies - forgive me for not blogging sooner. I had a bout of writer’s block and I was at a loss for words. I want to remind you that all the past 112 broadcasts can be found here. Because they are in the past - does not mean that they are outdated. Trust me I know.

https://learnntune.wixsite.com/my-site

And what’s more is that it is in colour and interactive with the videos embedded in. Go and take a look.

Purim 2024

Well it is that time of the year when we adults dress up and get to be silly with our pupils. Here are some Purim links for you to use in your classes

https://jr.co.il/hotsites/purim.htm

A nice idea for Purim is to dress up in many colours. And who better to learn from than DJ Raphi

69K views in just three days. Get in on the mad rush

Debbie Sedley of Ramat Modiin sent me this video based on a song from years ago "Happiness" from "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown!"

Look at the happiness on the childrens’ faces ready to celebrate Purim

Inspirational Quotes

“Most of my important lessons about life have come from recognizing how others from a different culture view things” — Edgar H. Schein

“Diversity: the art of thinking independently together” — Malcom Forbes

My happy corner - Smile of the week

I like to find instances that involve music / movement that make me smile.

James Blunt and Ed Sheeran join up to sing an Elton John classic called “Sacrifice”.

A lady gone viral over a sound she made as she hit a bed frame doing Tik Tok video

Digital Tool of the Week

Reflect

https://reflect.microsoft.com/

Reflect is pre-installed and available for free in every class and staff team, providing a simple way to conduct check-ins with your students and colleagues. I strongly suggest that you go in, take a look and it is a fantastic way to check in with your pupils.

Suggestion:

Create a table of your pupils’ reflection and keep a note as to how their status changes over time. One can even show a graphic demonstration of how pupils are feeling without showing their names.

Musical Joke of the Week

If Celine Dion sang just the vowels in her name, it would be the lyrics to Old Mcdonald Had a Farm