For The Educator, a note from the songwriter:

Jerusalem has been a part of the Jewish psyche for millennia. As the location of the first and second holy Temples, Jerusalem was the nexus of Jewish civil and spiritual life. We pray facing Jerusalem and we pray for its restoration. But even though Jews are sovereign in their land once again, we cannot stop praying. Jerusalem will not be whole until it is truly Yerushalayim Ha’Bnuyah, the rebuilt Jerusalem. Not in a physical sense, but a spiritual one. There will be no rest for this city until there is peace. I sing a love song for the Jerusalem of our dreams, the Jerusalem that deserves so much more, the people who deserve more. The song is melancholy on purpose- it is a not a victory cheer, but a hug filled with sadness, a hope and a wish that Jerusalem may know peace again.

Lyrics:
My heart leapt up in joy when I first gazed upon your face.
I thanked Hashem that he had brought us safely to this place.
I kissed the ground, I kissed the sky, I sang with all my might,
And prayed to God that I would be found worthy in your sight.

Chorus:
Jerusalem, my city,
Jerusalem, my home.
Within these walls I’ve found a place
That I can call my own.

My love for you is deeper than the whole of the Dead Sea.
My love for you is higher than the hills of Galilee,
As solid as Masada and as bright as Tel Aviv.
With all this love I have for you how can I bear to leave?

Chorus
The beauty of your city overtakes me and I cry.
Your holiness and spirit overtakes me and I sigh.
Your majesty and glory firmly rooted in my soul,
Only when I’m with you can I say I’m truly whole.

Chorus