Leha'Amin
Encyclopedia
"Leha'amin" was the Israel
i entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004
, performed in Hebrew
and English by David D'Or
.
In November 2003, the Israel Broadcasting Authority
(the "IBA") chose D'Or to represent the country in the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest. D'Or represented Israel in the contest in Istanbul
, with the song "Leha'amin" (To Believe), which he co-wrote with Ehud Manor
. The song is a ballad
, with D'Or singing about the need to maintain faith in the basic goodness of humanity, despite considerable evidence to the contrary.
The song was chosen on February 5, 2004, in voting during the program "Israel Selects a Song," held during a break in a televised Maccabi Tel Aviv Euroleague
basketball game at which videos of four songs sung by D'Or were shown. The vote was by both a special IBA Eurovision Committee (including prior Israeli entrants Lior Narkis
and Gali Atari
), which accounted for 40% of the vote, and a televote by viewers, who accounted for the remaining 60% of the vote. The basketball game attracted 13.7% of Israeli TV viewers. The song won 60% of the jury's vote, and 66% of the viewers' televotes.
During Eurovision rehearsal week D'Or left Istanbul to be with his father, who was suffering from diabetes and had been rushed to a hospital, where one of his legs had to be amputated. D'Or then returned to Istanbul to perform on May 12, 2004. (His father has since died.)
As Israel had not finished in the top 10 at the 2003 Contest
, the song was performed in the semifinal. Here, it was performed fifth, following Latvia
's Fomins & Kleins
with "Dziesma par laimi
", and preceding Andorra
's Marta Roure
with "Jugarem a estimar-nos
". It received 57 points, placing 11th in a field of 22, while 19% of Israeli viewers watched on television. and missing out on qualification for the final by one position – thus requiring Israel to qualify from the semifinal at their next Contest appearance.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004
Eurovision Song Contest 2004
The Eurovision Song Contest 2004, was the 49th Contest and it was held in the Abdi İpekçi Arena in Istanbul, Turkey. This was the first occasion in which the contest was held in Turkey after they had won the competition in 2003 with Sertab Erener singing "Everyway That I Can"...
, performed in Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
and English by David D'Or
David D'Or
David D'Or is an Israeli singer, composer, and songwriter. A countertenor with a vocal range of more than four octaves, he is a three-time winner of the Israeli "Singer of the Year" and "Best Vocal Performer" awards. He was also chosen to represent Israel in the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest, at...
.
In November 2003, the Israel Broadcasting Authority
Israel Broadcasting Authority
Israel Broadcasting Authority is Israel's state broadcasting network.It grew out of the radio station Kol Yisrael, which made its first broadcast as an independent station on . The name of the organisation operating Kol Yisrael was changed to Israel Broadcasting Service in 1951...
(the "IBA") chose D'Or to represent the country in the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest. D'Or represented Israel in the contest in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, with the song "Leha'amin" (To Believe), which he co-wrote with Ehud Manor
Ehud Manor
Ehud Manor was an Israeli songwriter, translator, and radio and TV personality.-Career:Manor began working for Israel radio in the 1960s, as a musical editor...
. The song is a ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
, with D'Or singing about the need to maintain faith in the basic goodness of humanity, despite considerable evidence to the contrary.
The song was chosen on February 5, 2004, in voting during the program "Israel Selects a Song," held during a break in a televised Maccabi Tel Aviv Euroleague
Euroleague
Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
basketball game at which videos of four songs sung by D'Or were shown. The vote was by both a special IBA Eurovision Committee (including prior Israeli entrants Lior Narkis
Lior Narkis
Lior Narkis is a male Israeli singer. He was born to a mixed Iraqi and Serbian Jewish family.-Music career:...
and Gali Atari
Gali Atari
Avigail "Gali" Atari is an Israeli actress and singer.-Career:She first appeared on the international scene in 1971, when she represented Israel at the World Popular Song Festival in Japan with the songs "All free" and "Give love away"...
), which accounted for 40% of the vote, and a televote by viewers, who accounted for the remaining 60% of the vote. The basketball game attracted 13.7% of Israeli TV viewers. The song won 60% of the jury's vote, and 66% of the viewers' televotes.
During Eurovision rehearsal week D'Or left Istanbul to be with his father, who was suffering from diabetes and had been rushed to a hospital, where one of his legs had to be amputated. D'Or then returned to Istanbul to perform on May 12, 2004. (His father has since died.)
As Israel had not finished in the top 10 at the 2003 Contest
Eurovision Song Contest 2003
The Eurovision Song Contest 2003 was the forty-eighth Eurovision Song Contest, held at the Skonto Hall in Riga, Latvia on 24 May 2003. The hosts were Marie N and Renārs Kaupers. Sertab Erener, the Turkish entrant, won the contest with "Everyway That I Can", scoring 167 points. The winning...
, the song was performed in the semifinal. Here, it was performed fifth, following Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
's Fomins & Kleins
Fomins & Kleins
The Latvian rock band Fomins & Kleins was founded at the end of 2002.Its members Ivo Fomins and Tomass Kleins were already accomplished and recognized rock musicians. Both are from the western Latvian port city of Liepāja, which is famous for its rock music traditions - many famous Latvian rock...
with "Dziesma par laimi
Dziesma Par Laimi
"Dziesma par laimi" was the Latvian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004, performed in Latvian by Fomins & Kleins....
", and preceding Andorra
Andorra
Andorra , officially the Principality of Andorra , also called the Principality of the Valleys of Andorra, , is a small landlocked country in southwestern Europe, located in the eastern Pyrenees mountains and bordered by Spain and France. It is the sixth smallest nation in Europe having an area of...
's Marta Roure
Marta Roure
Marta Roure is an Andorran singer.-Career:Roure was the performer of the Andorra's debut entry in the Eurovision Song Contest, singing "Jugarem a estimar-nos" in the 2004 edition of the Contest....
with "Jugarem a estimar-nos
Jugarem A Estimar-Nos
"Jugarem a estimar-nos" was the debut entry for Andorra in the Eurovision Song Contest being performed in the semi-final of the 2004 contest...
". It received 57 points, placing 11th in a field of 22, while 19% of Israeli viewers watched on television. and missing out on qualification for the final by one position – thus requiring Israel to qualify from the semifinal at their next Contest appearance.