Yerushalayim Goes Viral
Imagine a world where Hebrew songs about Messiah, the redemption, and God’s eternal devotion to his people go viral on social media.
It sounds bizarre, but this is precisely what happened last fall when TikTok was flooded with videos of young people from all over the world singing words like “Ben David avdecha, yavo ve’yigaleinu, ruach apeinu, Moshiach HaShem.” These words, taken from an old Sabbath table hymn, mean “May the Son of David, your servant, come and redeem us, the breath of our nostrils, Messiah of the LORD.” Watching these videos is like stepping into an alternate universe.
What is TikTok, and how did this happen? TikTok is an app that allows users to easily share short videos and reactions. It has skyrocketed in popularity since late 2018. Last summer, a young man named Chananya Begun decided to start an account for the Miami Boys Choir, an Orthodox Jewish performing group for boys ages ten to fourteen. His father, Yerachmiel Begun, founded the group some forty years prior, and they continue to perform to this day. This group and others like it are a staple in the Orthodox Jewish world but are mostly unknown outside this niche community. However, when Chananya posted a clip from a 2007 live performance of the song “Yerushalayim,” it spread like wildfire.
First Fruits of Zion
