“God Bless America” was originally written in 1918 for a musical revue by Irving Berlin, a Jewish immigrant born Israel Beilin, while Berlin was in the U.S. Army. Deciding the song didn’t fit the tone of the revue, the song was set aside. Twenty years later in 1938 with the rise of Adolf Hitler and fascism, Berlin revisited and revised the song and released it as a prayer for the country and a patriotic song of peace. “God Bless America” was introduced on an Armistice Day broadcast in 1938, sung by Kate Smith.

The Yiddish version of the song being presented by the cast, entitled “Got Bentsh Amerike,” was originally translated by producer, musicologist, performer and Yiddish Radio Project co-creator, Henry Sapoznik, who worked on Yiddish translations for Mandy Patinkin’s album, Mamaloshen.

The video features Steven Skybell, the award-winning actor who played Tevye in the hit production of Fiddler in Yiddish, along with Jennifer Babiak, Samantha Hahn, Ben Liebert, Stephanie Lynne Mason, Rosie Jo Neddy, Raquel Nobile, Drew Seigla, and Rachel Zatcoff.

The production also includes a special message by the show’s director, Academy and Tony Award-winning actor/director, Joel Grey.

Additional Fiddler cast members appearing in the video (from both the Museum of Jewish Heritage production along with the Off-Broadway, Stage 42 production) include: Joanne Borts, Josh Dunn, Michael Einav, Lisa Fishman, Kirk Geritano, John Giesige, Lydia Gladstone, Abby Goldfarb, Mary Illes, Josh Kohane, Maya Jacobson, Moshe Lobel, Evan Mayer, Jonathan Quigley, Nick Raynor, Bruce Sabath, Kayleen Seidl, Adam B. Shapiro, Jodi Snyder, James Monroe Stevko, Ron Tal, Bobby Underwood, and Mikhl Yashinsky.

The video also features Lauren Thomas, who played the titular role in Fiddler, on violin, along with the show’s clarinetist, Zisl Slepovitch, on piano.

God Bless America – Irving Berlin

While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,
Let us swear allegiance to a land that’s free.
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer.
God bless America,
Land that I love.
Stand beside her and guide her
Through the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans white with foam,
God bless America,
My home, sweet home.
God bless America,
My home, sweet home.

Got Bentsh Amerike –Translation by Henry Sapoznik

GOT BENTSH AMERIKE
גאָט בּענטש אַמעריקע
God bless America

LAND VOS IKH LIB
לאַנד װאָס איך ליבּ
land that I love

SHTEY-ZHE BAY IR
שטיי זשע בײַ איר
stand beside her

MADRIKH ZAY IR
מַדְרִיךְ זײַ איר
and guide her

IBERAL LAYKHT A SHTRAL UNDZ TSULIB
איבּראל לײַכט א שטראל אונדז צוליבּ
through the night with a light from above

FUN DI BERG BIZ
פון די בּערג בּיז
From the mountains

TSU DI PREYRIES
צו די פּרײריעס
to the prairies

BIZ DI YAMEN VAYS MIT SHOYM
ביז די ימען װײַס מיט שױם
to the oceans white with foam

GOT BENTSH AMERIKE
גאָט בּענטש אַמעריקע
God bless America

MAYN ZISE HEYM
מײַן זיסע הײם
my home sweet home

GOT BENTSH AMERIKE
גאָט בּענטש אַמעריקע
God bless America

MAYN ZISE HEYM
מײַן זיסע הײם
my home sweet home