"I Take Upon": Ravid Plotnik and Eviatar Banai

A Song for Elul, and Always, in Translation

This song was produced four years ago for Makor Rishon as part of the 'It’sTimetoForgiveProject'. Its message was crucial then, and it’s crucial now.

Ravid Plotnik is a rap singer/songwriter in Israel. He performs this song with Eviatar Banai, a singer/songwriter. Both are hugely popular here, but of the two, only Eviatar is the one people call “religious.” As part of a famous musical family, he gained fame as a young man, and through the years he became more religious, with his music reflecting his spiritual journey. Much of Ravid’s music is far from what one might call religious or spiritual, and to my mind that makes it even more remarkable that he is the one who wrote this deeply religious song, “playing” off the very foundational mizvah we have to love the other as we love ourselves.

This song is fitting for Elul, and it is fitting for this time when we are experiencing large rifts (and also great love) amongst ourselves. But really it’s a song to listen to anytime and always.

Here is the link to my translation of “I Take Upon”.*

*I share here only the link to my Youtube channel with the lyric video I created of this song in order to assure that any proceeds from the song remain with the artist where they belong. I hope it is easy for you to access. Please let me know if this is not so.