Jewish orgs launch song contest for Israel's 75th Independence Day

The World Jewish Congress and Jewish National Fund-USA announced the launch of a song competition with trilingual singer Nicole Raviv to honor Israel’s 75th Independence Day.

Raviv recorded a modern version of the popular traditional Jewish song “Kol Ha’Olam Kulo Gesher Tzar Meod” (“The Whole Entire World is a Very Narrow Bridge”), sung in Hebrew, Arabic and English and invites the public to submit their version of the song for a chance to win a trip to perform live in Israel.

What is the "Narrow Bridge" project?

According to a statement, the Narrow Bridge project is intended to promote unity and diversity across the globe.

“Members of the public are invited to submit their own version of the song sung in their native language for the opportunity to win a free trip to Israel where they’ll perform alongside Raviv and others at the Tel Aviv Museum.”

Raviv said “this project is about celebrating the diversity of the Jewish people and promoting unity among Jewish communities worldwide. I am using my voice to celebrate the mosaic of Israel, showing that music can bridge divides and bring people closer together.”

WJC president and JNF-USA’s chair emeritus Ronald S. Lauder said “the project is an innovative initiative that celebrates the diversity of the Jewish people. Through the power of performance art, we hope to bring people together and inspire a sense of shared heritage and identity.

“We believe that this initiative is an important step towards promoting greater recognition and mutual appreciation among Jewish communities for one another. By celebrating our distinct heritage and embracing our shared values, we can build a stronger and more vibrant global Jewish community.”

The project will announce a series of key dates for its upcoming song contest. The contest itself will commence on April 26, in conjunction with Independence Day. Entrants have until May 10 to submit their creative interpretations, with public voting on finalists occurring from May 11 through May 20. The results will be revealed on May 22, bringing this exceptional musical event to a close.