We were still on cloud nine when the phone rang. There was no caller ID. Israel Hayom had just sponsored a tribute to Arik Einstein: "You and I in the Park," an allusion to one of his famous songs, "You and I Will Change the World."
Twenty-five thousand people descended on Hayarkon Park, having decided to take part in an evening that was about all things Israeli. Israel Hayom banners could be seen everywhere you looked. The public sang Arik Einstein's hits and donated to the "Touching the Horizon" Foundation (in memory of late Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon). It enjoyed this very quintessential Israeli moment under the auspices of this paper.
And you, Arik, you gave us your full support. You let us sing your songs. You encouraged some of Israel's finest performers to attend this glamorous event. We worked on this project days on end, and all the while, your presence was clearly felt. But we wanted you to be there with us on stage. We would have been content with a minute or two, a wave of hello, a kiss blown in the wind.
But being the unassuming man that you are, you would only pull the strings from afar. You gave us your blessing and support through your lovely partner, Sima, and did everything you could for us and for this project, a project that contained so much educational value and so much Israeliness. You did your utmost so that this event would go down as a success. But being true to your modest self, when the big night arrived you chose to stay at home, in your private domain.
We were ecstatic, not quite sure how to express our gratitude for the songs you contributed to our society. What people sang that night came from the bottom of their hearts, the depths of their souls. No one could stop playing the melodies in their heads for hours upon hours. We just wanted to say, "Thank you."
How can one express what the heart feels? So we sent you a big plant. What could be more Israeli than that? And then, the phone rang. No caller ID. "Hello," said a baritone voice that sounded like Arik Einstein. "Is this Zippi Koren-" he asked. My mind went blank. Was I dreaming? Was this some practical joke with an impersonator? But no one could fake that voice. "Arik??-" I asked with bemusement. "Do I really deserve this honor-"
"And I would like to ask how come I deserve this huge plant? It won't fit through the door," you asked with your typical modesty. "I wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart," he said.
Was there a way to make this man realize how great he was or appreciate the effect he had on those ecstatic crowds that had packed the park for two hours? But he was just preoccupied with the size of the plant. Arik, the lyrics, the songs, the humor and the laughter are all going to stay with us; they will forever be part of our life. As the prayer goes, may your soul be bound up in the bonds of eternal life.
Zippi Koren is the CEO of Israel Hayom.
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