20 | JULY 22 • 2021 

T

emple Israel Cantors Michael 
Smolash and Neil Michaels joined 
forces with the Rabotai Jewish A 
Cappella group to create an inspiring paro-
dy of “Mr. Red, White and Blue,
” a patriotic 
song by country singer Coffey Anderson, 
to try and bring some unity to 
Am Yisrael. 
Coming off the heels of a 
difficult period of unrest in 
Israel and the pandemic, the 
cantors said they wanted to 
emphasize that the Jewish 
people are “one family, have 
one home, and we pray to the 
Almighty to continue to watch 
over us, bring us home and 
bring peace to all nations.
”
Rabotai (meaning gentle-
men) is a fresh and exciting 
Jewish a cappella group 
composed of energetic vocal 

talent and professional beatboxing, mixing 
classical Jewish songs with modern pop. 
Coming from different corners of the 
world, its members found each other in 
Israel. 
Rabotai’s rich vocal style drives the 
inspiring lyrics as the two leading 
American Reform cantors and this Israeli 
Orthodox singing powerhouse come 
together to support the Jewish homeland. 
The song starts with the lyrics “From the 
days of our inception, we’ve been seeking 
your protection. It’s the same thing over 
and over again.
” 
The song continues with a Hebrew verse 
translated in English to: “Now we’re in dif-
ferent lands, everyone sings in many lan-
guages. But we all say in one voice: Amen!” 
The song reverts to English with the 
prideful lyrics “Standin’ for blue and white 
…
” At the one-minute mark, the song 
wraps in the chorus “Standing for Kachol 

v’Lavan (blue and white).
” 

COMING TOGETHER
The video was filmed both at Temple Israel 
and on location at historic Ammunition 
Hill, the site of one of the fiercest battles of 
the Six-Day War and now “a museum ded-
icated to creating the state, the history, the 
background and the story of Israel. They 
have the campus there with the museum, 
tanks, trenches and it’s very 
cool scenery,
” said Rabotai 
member Daniel Brill. “We 
were able to get access to that 
and that’s how we ended up on 
a tank.
” 
Added Cantor Smolash, “I 
thought it was a very beautiful 
touch because we were looking for ways 
that our congregation and Reform Jews in 
America could connect to this piece about 
loving Israel.
” 

COURTESY OF TEMPLE ISRAEL

Cantor 
Michael 
Smolash

OUR COMMUNITY

Temple Israel cantors 
team up with Israeli 
a cappella group.

Jewish 
Unity 
Video

BRIAN GOLDSMITH JN INTERN

Video Credits
Arrangement by Noah Bar-Shain. 
Music production by Yonatan Stern. 
Videographers were Donell Hall and 
Daniel Malchi of Israel. Lyrics by Daniel 
Brill, Michael Smolash and Maya Shtramer 
Grinboim. Singers included Cantors 
Michael Smolash and Neil Michaels along 
with the members of Rabotai: Daniel Brill, 
Noah Bar-Shain, Brian Hoffman, Ariav 
Schlesinger and Daniel Fox. 

Daniel Brill

Cantor Neil 
Michaels

Rabotai

