Adam Rave

A new Toronto-based band has created a moving song and music video as an anthem to bring solidarity and awareness for Gilad Shalit.

Shalit is an Israeli soldier who was captured on June 25, 2006 by the terrorist group Hamas in a cross-border raid. He has since been held prisoner in the Gaza Strip by Hamas, who refuse requests from the International Committee of the Red Cross to visit Shalit, claiming that a visit could betray the location where he is being held.

The capture of Shalit has elicited political and emotional responses by Israelis and Jews around the world. Adam Rave, of the Adam Rave Band, was inspired to write something for the Shalits by an anthem written for the family of another Israeli soldier who has never returned home. Ron Arad, an Israeli Air Force fighter pilot, has been listed as missing in action since October 1986, and iconic Israeli singer-songwriter Boaz Sharabi wrote a beautiful song for the family, said Rave.

“I was inspired first of all by the whole situation, that on its own, what has happened is enough of a reason to do something for Gilad and his family,” said Rave. “But also because I was in the military, born in Canada and raised in Israel, and my mother's brother died in the War of Attrition in Lebanon. Coming from the background of having a soldier relative die and to see the effects on the family, what is going on with Gilad Shalit brought it all back.”

Rave began by just writing the song as s small project, but when he got in touch with friend Orin Isaacs (musical director for CBC's Battle of the Blades and also the musical director and bassist for Canadian Idol, among other projects), the project grew.

The music video was directed, filmed and produced in Israel, with Rave just returning to Canada after completing the project.

The song is called Until You Come Home, and the video shows Israelis around the country wearing masks with the face of Shalit.

“This is a song to unite the people of Israel and bring the country together, and come together for the freedom of Gilad Shalit,” said Rave, and the earnestness of those participating in the video shows that this is true.

Rave said that everyone used in the video were just people from the public who they approached once they chose what locations to film at.

“Everyone in the video were random people off the street who we asked, ‘hey do you mind wearing this mask?’ And as soon as we said it was for Gilad Shalit, they would participate and do the shot more than once to make sure they got it right before going on their way,” said Rave. “Everyone that was stopped participated and we never got a negative answer.”

The song was written in English and translated to Hebrew, with the English version to be put up on the Adam Rave Band website next week. Rave said that so far the response to the video has been exactly what he was hoping for.

“The most important reason this [project] happened was to create awareness by exposing a lot of people to this video. Already from Europe, the United States and other places people have told me ‘we checked it out, we know nothing about what you're singing because we don't know the language, but we Googled the name,’ and now they are learning about Gilad Shalit,” said Rave. “People who didn't know much will learn about it and become aware that these things still happen; he is in prison for six years and needs to come home.”

The Shalit family met with the Adam Rave Band and have heard the song. Rave said Shalit's mother, Aviva, loved the song and gave her blessings.

The Adam Rave Band is a new band and will begin playing live in January in the Greater Toronto Area, as well as around Ontario. - Shalom Life