We have received an outpouring of grateful and appreciative responses from all over the world in response to the prayer-song in Nazareth. Following is a sample of comments (names removed).
My heart was thrilled to see what the Spirit worked through you in the presence of the pope and other religious leaders at Nazareth! This is the fruit of so much prayer and work for inter-religious dialogue and peace. Thank you for your life given to this work! The Lord has showed his special favor in this extraordinary happening. May this short video become a scarament of His presence and a Word that ignites many hearts. May you continue to be filled with the fulness of the Spirit as we pray together for peace.
(Abbess, Indonesia)
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Thank you thank you thank you ! With a few words and your simple song, you went straight into the heart of things and lifted hearts, among them, mine ! I felt so tired - and almos fed up - about this journey, people were kind of "glued" to problems and politics and their personnal resentment of even hatred, and not really the spiritual happening that was expected. But you went through the wall, you made it. I really felt the Spirit of God moving you and, I am sure, lifting other people too
(Catholic, France)
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Alon, I like to believe that when the Pope and the Church recall the high point of their tour in Israel they will remember the event you created and the moment you generated.
You were a true and successful conduit. We are so proud of you. Tears were rolling down our eyes more out of pride for you than for the event of the Pope's spontaneous resurrection and equalizing humanity elicited by the noble harmonious/agreeable words and transcendent song.
(Jewish, Israel)
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Got the beautiful picuture along with the wonderful news of your Papal visit and peace song. The Vedanta philosophy believes that all our minds are parts of the Cosmic Mind (the Mind of God) called Hiranyagarbha or Mahat and that any thought 'uploaded' by any person on to the Cosmic Mind (the Cosmic Server in the language of the Internet) remains available for the whole of humankind to be 'downloded' anytime, anywhere, by anyone. This process could indeed bring about remarkable changes in the 'Collective Unconscious' (in the words of Carl Jung) of humanity. I am sure that your peace song uploaded on to the Cosmic Mind in the holy city in the presence of holy persons would reverberate in the minds and hearts of millions of human beings and bring about changes in their consciousness.
(Swami, India)
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Just keep singing!!! It looks like the Pope was really moved.. you can see it in his eyes... but also look pretty tired by that point. Who's ever idea it was for all of people on stage to hold hands and left them was brilliant. The picture is always worth a thousand words. may you be blessed to have ever increased strength help bring true shalom/salaam into the world.... or at least give us a little glimpse of it. If that's all we can have right now.
(Jewish, Jerusalem)
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I saw your initiative at the interreligious meeting in Nazareth with Pope Benedict XVI., and I want to THANK YOU from my whole heart for it!
Thank you for making all the representatives of the religions pray together! I appreciate it so much!!! For me, it is a wonderful and strong gesture of unity and peace, which is really possible - on the level of prayer.
(Catholic, Slovakia)
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who but you could get 4 faiths singing the same nigun? what an accomplishment! that was something.
(Jewish, Boston)
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I would like to send you my deepest thanks and appreciation for the wonderful, simple prayer for peace during the Pope's visit to Nazareth. I have attended both interreligious meetings in Jerusalem and in Nazareth, and I have to admit: It was a real "Chutzpa" to ask the Pope to join into this kind of interreligious prayer, but without people like you who dare to show this kind of Chutzpa, humanity would never advance.
(Lutheran, Israel)
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We need more of these musical and liturgical moments that open hearts and minds.
(Rabbi, USA)
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Thanks for sharing this Alon - a moving moment of hope and a powerful plea for peace. You sang for all who yearn for peace.
(Hindu, USA)
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A few minutes ago I was able to watch and listen to you singing in Nazareth. This must have been and will remain one of your great moments. That (unplanned?) ending was a powerful counterpoint to the unplanned ending of the Notre Dame events this time and in 2000.
(Priest, Rome)
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I am vey moved by the openess of the heart which brought true wholeness
The melody of the soul was blessed and became a blessing
(Rabbi, Holland)
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Thank you so much for this moving action. This is what all people need.
I have seen it with tears.
Thanks to the Lord for these moments of peace.
(Abbot, Holland)
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I just saw the video of the amazing work you did with the Pope and the religious leaders. The power of niggun. Maybe we need to talk more about interfaith niggun before we get to interfaith dialogue. Kol HaKAvod.
(Rabbi, USA)
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You have indeed transformed the papal visit and revealed the bond of commonality which underlies our supposedly unbridgeable divide. What happened is a tribute to you personally, but also to the work of the Elijah Institute.
(Christian, USA)
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It is so good to see you so involved with promoting peace amongst all people. As the RgVeda says Let all people be happy, Let all people be without any discomfort, Let all people see only good things, Let no one suffer from any discomfort. I wish that finally the desire to live in an attitude of Live and let Live will eventually prevail , but not in my life time I think. Om
(Hindu, Montreal)
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Your You-Tube has been adopted by my friends including a Nun (Sister of Sion), an Anglican prelate (female), an Azeri Muslim and two people who I had thought of as anti-religious but who loved the sentiment and performance.
(Jewish, Australia)
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Bravo! and congratulations for bringing together the spiritual leadership of the region at such a distinguished level.
I would like to share your enthusiasm and optimism and hope that this meeting will be a good omen for peace and stability in your part of the world.
(Muslim, Morocco)
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Nos cœurs sont remplis d’action de grâce à la suite de la rencontre interreligieuse à Nazareth dont tu as été l’initiateur et l’instrument.
Merci, Alon, d’avoir chanté la paix.
Merci d’avoir favorisé par la vérité de ta prière d’enfant du Père ce mouvement merveilleux et si significatif de l’Esprit qui rassemblait dans l’unité tous ces responsables religieux dans leur identité la plus profonde d’enfants de Dieu.
Merci, Alon, et gloire à l’Esprit.
(Monastic, Israel)
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Je suis dans une immense action de grâce pour ce Souffle de l’Esprit qui a traversé cette rencontre interreligieuse que tu as organisée. Tout est ouvert… tout est possible… L’Esprit va continuer son chemin dans le coeur de chacun.Merci.Shalom ! Salam ! Peace ! Friede ! Pace ! Paix !
(Monastic, Israel)
