Yaakov Shwekey
Original key: Am (Capo 5)
Capo 0-2
Em
He raised his hand to wave goodbye
Em
Saw the pain in mother’s eyes
C Em
Who left her little precious boy of four
Em
In a citadel of ashen stone
Em
That preached a faith unlike his own
C G
Perhaps he just may yet survive this war
D Em
In the shadows stood a man in black
D Em
My child, he said, you must not look back
D Am
Yet one image lingered the tears on her face
Em B
And mother’s words from their last embrace
Chorus:
Em C
Shema, Shema Yisrael
G D
Know that there is but One G-d above
Am
When you feel pain, when you rejoice
Em C
Know how He longs to hear your voice
D Bm Em
Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem Echad
Em
Deep within the iron gate
Em
Far from the stench of war and hate
C Em
He knew not of a world gone insane
Em
You must believe us, he was told
Em
Our faith alone can save your soul
C G
Please let us heal your wounds and ease your pain
D Em
He tried not to forget his past, his home
D Em
But he was so very young and all alone
D Am
While visions of his Shtetl, once vivid and clear
Em B
Began to fade, and all but disappear
Chorus
Em
The winds of war had finally passed
Em
One man took on a sacred task
C Em
To bring the scattered Jewish children home
Em
He traveled far from place to place
Em
A quest to reignite the faith
C G
Of those sent into hiding long ago
D Em
He entered the fortress gray and cold
D Em
Your kind is not among us, he was told
D Am
Hashem above, he whispered, please don’t let me fail
Em B
As he began to sing ‘Shema Yisrael’