Songs of Dovid Kerner
 
 
   


 

We're overjoyed that Jonathan Pollard is finally free, b'H!  Here's a little background about the song. 

The impetus to write a song about Jonathan's plight came back in 1997 from a young fellow in a local kosher pizza place, who, seeing Dovid wearing a "Free Jonathan Pollard"  pin, asked "who's Jonathan Pollard?". 

The first recorded version had a repeating chorus after each verse:

Jonathan, Am Yisrael so close to your heart

Jonathan, you can be free if we all do our part!

Some year's later we changed the chorus to "20 years later and the angels are still crying".  That's the version included on the Bond of Love cd.

Of course, the last change came when Jonathan was released from prison on November 20, 2015.


Justice Denied

 

lyrics by Dovid Kerner
music composed by Dovid and Steve Kerner

Steve Kerner: keyboards, percussion, backing vocal

Zalman Schreiber: bass guitar

Dovid Kerner: rhythm guitar, vocal

Jonathan Pollard sits in a cell, and what are we doing about it?
Tefilah for sure, but we've got to do more

we've got to stand on the rooftops and shout it
"Justice, justice you shall pursue"

But there's tears 'neath the Holy Throne
Never even had a trial, now he's deep in exile
Shackled, silenced, alone.

Jonathan
Slammed with an unjust sentence, there's no denying
Jonathan
Thirty years later and the angels are still crying.

Day in and day out, in his office he'd sit

holding the keys to saving millions of lives
"You've got to keep it to yourself, no you can't do a thing"

You know their words, they cut him like knives
Well "friends" that's the word that can best describe our two great countries
But with each day he's in jail, it's clear the system has failed

Bringing joy to all our enemies.

Jonathan
Locked away for far too long, there's no denying
Jonathan
Thirty years later and the angels are still crying

Well, the Gulf War came and soon the bombs would rain

But you know we were prepared
As in days before, spreading blood by the door

Awaiting the wonders that we all would share
We knew what to expect, we had a peak in the deck

Because the deed was done
If it was Esav's hand it was Yakov taking his stand

You know there's nothing new under the sun.

"If you admit your guilt, then we'll go easy with you"
And he believed every word they told him.
But now he's buried away, never see the light of day
It was just a bill of goods they sold him...

Jonathan
Left to hang out in the wind, there's no denying
Jonathan
Thirty years later and the angels are still crying.

Whether he was right or wrong, we could talk on and on

And in the end who really could tell?
But the point right here, and the records quite clear

He's spent much to long in that cell
So sharpen those pencils, crank up your phones

And plug in those fax machines
We can't be only for ourselves, our brother's crying for help

We've got to snap out of our dreams.


Jonathan
Its time for justice to prevail, there's no denying
Jonathan
Thirty years later and the angels arel still crying.

[new last verse]

Jonathan

I couldn't believe it today when I passed the newstand

Jonathan

Thirty years later and at last you're a free man.


                                
www.kernersongs.com
                                
 
 

      Youtube

 

 

 

          Learn more: jonathanpollard.org

 

 

 

A raw, but rocking, live version of Justice Denied. live in Central Park, 1999.

percussion: Joe Fishof
Lead guitar: Raphael Rose
2nd vocal and bass guitar: Zalman Schreiber
lead vocal and rhythm guitar: Dovid Kerner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

       
"));