“Madua?” Shlomo Yehuda Rechnitz & Friends

Famed philanthropist Shlomo Yehuda Rechnitz always has the Jewish world on his mind, and is constantly thinking about what he can do to help. Nothing goes beneath his radar, he pays attention to anything and everything. Rechnitz wears many different hats, partly a politician, partly a philanthropist who gives of himself to many Jewish organizations and institutions throughout the world, but without a doubt, he is also well-known as “composer”.

Last summer the entire State of Israel shook with fright over the kidnapping and murder of the wonderful boys Eyal, Gilad, and Naftali. Most of us remember where we were when we found out about that horrible event, but Rechnitz will definitely never forget. He was sitting next to his piano at that moment and immediately began composing the song Shomer Yisrael that Uziah Tzadok sang on his album, which quickly became the song that was identified with that tragedy. Rechnitz has since released a double album of some of the best of his compositions, together with some of the greatest Chassidic singers in the world, firmly implanting him as one of the great top composer of Jewish music.

Now Rechnitz is releasing another single called “Madua?”. The words for the song are from the passuk in Sefer Yirmiyahu where the Navi is speaking to Hashem and asks Him “Why do Resha’im have success?” and simultaneously, about all of the terrible things that happen to Am Yisrael, while those that hate us seem to have the upper hand. For this project Rechnitz got together a number of the top singers such as Ohad Moskowitz, Itzik Dadya, the Shira Choir, and Uziah Tzadok. Just like with Shomer Yisrael, the song Madua? was composed on the heels of the tremendous tragedy that rocked the entire Jewish world; the horrible house fire that claimed the lives of the majority of the Sassoon family in Brooklyn.

Rechnitz said, “We don’t understand Hashem’s Cheshbonos. However, we all must continue believing and trusting in Hashem that everything that He does is for the good. Chazal already taught us that in Nissan we were redeemed and will be redeemed in Nissan as well, and it instructs us to continue davening that every tragedy will turn to Bracha. When I hear about such horrible tragedies, I can’t even find any words to express myself. All I can do is turn to the music, there I can release the emotions in my heart.”

Yitzy Beri and Eli Klein did the musical arrangements, and even took part in some of the singing. The production itself was overseen by David Fadida and Yossi Rubin, and the final result is a beautiful and heartfelt song.