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Matisyahu to Release New Song ‘Basi L’gani,’ Discusses Return to Writing Music and Israel Feeling ‘Like Home’

Jewish reggae artist Matisyahu. Photo: Provided
Jewish reggae artist Matisyahu opened up exclusively to The Algemeiner about releasing a new song on Thursday inspired by a Hasidic discourse, getting back to songwriting, how he tackles antisemitism, and his continued love and support for Israel.
Matisyahu’s new song and its release date both hold a special connection to the Orthodox Chabad movement. Thursday’s date on the Hebrew calendar, 10 Shevat, is the day that Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn died (January 28, 1950). Before his passing, he wrote a famous Hasidic discourse titled “Basi L’Gani” (also spelled “Bati Legani” or “Basi Legani”), which translates in English to “Enter my Garden.” The Hebrew date 10 Shevat is also the day that The Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, assumed leadership of Chabad — as well as when Matisyahu’s youngest son will turn three years old.
Matisyahu’s new song pays homage to that Hasidic discourse and is aptly titled “Basi L’gani.” The singer-songwriter, 45, wrote the track almost two years ago, prior to the Israel-Hamas war, but was waiting for the appropriate time to release it following the deadly Hamas terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023, he told The Algemeiner. “Basi L’gani” is the first of a group of songs that Matisyahu recorded before the war and is hoping to now release.
Many of the lyrics in Matisyahu’s new song are taken from the original Hasidic discourse. The track opens with him singing: “Come enter my garden/ my sister/ my bride. It’s been a long coming/ and you been out all night. Rise in the morning/shine your light.”
“Like knowledge from the tree/ won’t you build for me/ a sanctuary/ a place for us to be,” he later sings. “And if I go/ and if I stay/when you look back/and you move into the day/ listen to these words/let me guide you on your way. I just want to be the oars in your boat along the way.”

The cover art for Matisyahu’s new song “Basi L’gani.” Photo: Sosha Bentolila.
Born Matthew Paul Miller, Matisyahu grew up in White Plains in Westchester County, outside of New York City, and went to yeshiva in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. He used to go from his yeshiva to perform at clubs and then return back to the school. He currently lives in New York with his family.
Since the start of his career, the father of six has been singing about wanting Moshiach now (“King Without a Crown”), for there to be no more wars (“One Day”) and his connection to Israel (“Jerusalem”). His more recent songs address antisemitism (“Ascent”) and he repeats the phrase “Am Israel Chai” (“The nation of Israel lives”) in his most recent song “The Fathers Live” with Remedy.
Matisyahu admitted that he has not done much songwriting since the start of the Gaza war but is hoping to get back to it again soon.
“I’m interested to start writing again,” he told The Algemeiner. “Obviously there is a lot to say, a lot of intensity, a lot of inspiration, and a lot going on. The next batch of songs is gonna probably be a bit more on the intense side, kind of like ‘Ascent’ and ‘Father’s Live’ … I wanna be releasing music constantly now. The idea of writing 20 songs and holding them for a year, and then releasing a whole album, is a little bit of an old school way of doing things. So from this point on, starting with ‘Basligani,’ I’m going to be releasing a song every three weeks or so. I’ll do that for about 15 songs and then I’ll start my writing process again.”
When asked what will inspire his new music, he said life experiences and “in particular what’s happened with the Jewish people and Israel, the hostages being released, and all those images we see of those girls being paraded through Gaza. All that stuff builds up like a well inside of me, and when I’m writing my rhymes, a lot of that stuff is going to come out now.”
At The Algemeiner‘s 11th annual “J100” gala last month, where Matisyahu was honored with the “Warrior For Truth” award, he spoke about reconnecting with his Jewish identity and faith after the deadly Hamas terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023.
Matisyahu has a son who lives in Israel and said his second son might be moving there as well. The singer has visited the Jewish state twice since the Hamas atrocities. During one visit, he filmed the music video for “Ascent” at communities in southern Israel infiltrated by Hamas-led Palestinian terrorists during the Oct. 7 attack and at the site of the Nova music festival massacre, where 364 people were killed. The music video also features footage from the attack, including clips of the abductions of Shiri Bibas with her children, and some scenes show Matisyahu with relatives of hostages held in the Gaza Strip.
Since the start of the war, Matisyahu has performed shows in Israel for soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces and at a benefit concert to support the families of the hostages. He met personally with families of hostages and survivors of the attack at the Nova music festival, and visited communities ravaged by Hamas-led terrorists on Oct. 7. He told The Algemeiner that visiting Israel during the war was “an extremely powerful experience” that impacted what his focus has been over the last year.
“I’m feeling a sort of responsibility to speak out about, sing about it, and remind people what’s going on. After speaking with those people and hearing their stories firsthand and experiencing the emotion with those people, that changes you and it really affected me,” he said.
“Israel has always been a special place to me, but obviously now more than ever,” the musician added. “I feel this very deep connection to Israel and Israelis. In times past, maybe there has been more of a separation or a cultural disconnect … but I’ve always loved going. I’ve always loved the people. It’s always felt like home. It’s that special feeling that a Jew has when they go to Israel of just feeling surrounded by family and we don’t feel that anywhere else in the world. Especially now, how much more powerful is that — to have a place, to have a family, a country, and really this strong interconnectedness and support for each other. For a long time for me it’s felt like real Judaism is happening in Israel.”

Photo: Provided
The “Fireproof” singer has been vocal in the past about how his solidarity with Israel and the Jewish people has negatively impacted his career in the last 16 months. He has talked about being dropped by his manager and having a number of his scheduled concerts canceled because of his support for the Jewish state. Mere days after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, he criticized celebrities for being “too afraid” to voice support for Israel because of how it might affect their social image or career. Even before the war, he has faced backlash from supporters of the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS)movement against Israel.
Still, he said he never thought to stay silent about his solidarity with Israel, even if it would be safer for his career.
“In my career, which has been like over 20, I’ve very rarely taken the safe route,” he said. “For example, shaving my beard, a lot of people thought, ‘Well that’s how everyone knows you and it’s your image.’ But it was irrelevant to me because I’ve always believed in myself, my art, and my music, and I have to do what’s important and authentic to me. And being Jewish and my love of Israel has really been at the core of who I am for quite some time. It’s a big part of who Matisyahu is.”
“When I decided to not be as religious and to shave my beard, to me that wasn’t becoming less Jewish,” he explained. “Just like I stepped into the religion — I wasn’t raised that way — I’ve always just tried to be fluid with what I feel and what feels real to me. The second Oct. 7 happened, I knew immediately that I was going to be outspoken and lean into my Jewish-ness; lean into that zealot Matisyahu, punk rock, Hasidic spirit, because it’s a big part of who I am.”
Matisyahu was raised in a household that followed Reconstructionist Judaism. He later decided to start living a Hasidic lifestyle, and at the start of his musical career, he had a long beard, sidelocks, and wore a yarmulke on stage. In 2011, however, he posted a photo on social media showing himself clean shaven and without a yarmulke, along with the caption: “No more Hassidic reggae superstar.”
In 2014, Matisyahu spoke to The Algemeiner about his religious transformation and decision to step away from the Hasidic movement, saying it was simply a “natural progression” taking place in his life. He also said it was hurtful to see how some people stopped being a fan of his music simply because he no longer looked like a Hasidic Orthodox Jew. He said at the time: “It was really hard for me because it turns out these people were not really fans of my music.”
When asked if his current advocacy of Israel has impacted his fanbase, Matisyahu said, “I think I still have those core fans who may or may not be Jewish … But I definitely feel a much stronger support from the Jewish community and from Jews feeling how important it is to be outspoken, defending Jews. A lot of people really deeply respect that, and a lot of those people have either come back to a show or maybe have listened to some of the newer music when they may not have listened to me for years and years. And I welcome it.”
The singer continued, “It’s nice to feel that connection again with Jews, and unfortunately, it’s weird how it takes sometimes something really bad to happen to bring us together. But I feel the support and it feels nice.”
Matisyahu said that leaning into Judaism “in a big way” has helped him cope with antisemitism, and that it’s been “soothing for the soul.” In the last year, he stopped playing concerts on Friday night in honor of Shabbat and started putting on tefillin “from time to time.” He also tries to respect Shabbat by lighting candles on Friday night or spending time with family and turning off his cellphone. Another thing that has been helpful in combating antisemitism is “being around other Jews,” he noted.
“And the art — having the outlet of the music, the writing, and performing,” Matisyahu added. “Having an outlet to express myself — my feelings, my pain, hope, and joy. All of it. Not everyone is a singer, but everyone has something that they can be creative and pour their emotions into.”
“We have to acknowledge that we’re broken, we’re hurt, that this has been a painful experience and it’s not over,” he explained. “At the same time, [there’s] the joy of the hostages coming back and the way that the nation of Israel and the Jewish people have come together.”
The post Matisyahu to Release New Song ‘Basi L’gani,’ Discusses Return to Writing Music and Israel Feeling ‘Like Home’ first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Germany’s Scholz Rebukes Vance, Defends Europe’s Stance on Hate Speech and Far Right

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks to the media after he met former prisoners following the largest prisoner exchange between Russia and the West in decades, at the military area of Cologne Bonn Airport in Cologne, Germany, August 1, 2024. Photo: Christoph Reichwein/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz delivered a strong rebuke on Saturday to US Vice President JD Vance’s attack on Europe’s stance toward hate speech and the far right, saying it was not right for others to tell Germany and Europe what to do.
Vance lambasted European leaders on Friday, the first day of the Munich Security Conference, accusing them of censoring free speech and criticizing German mainstream parties’ “firewall” against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).
“That is not appropriate, especially not among friends and allies. We firmly reject that,” Scholz told the conference on Saturday, adding there were “good reasons” not to work with the AfD.
The anti-immigration party, currently polling at around 20% ahead of Germany’s February 23 national election, has pariah status among other major German parties in a country with a taboo about ultranationalist politics because of its Nazi past.
“Never again fascism, never again racism, never again aggressive war. That is why an overwhelming majority in our country opposes anyone who glorifies or justifies criminal National Socialism,” Scholz said, referring to the ideology of Adolf Hitler’s 1933-45 Nazi regime.
Vance met on Friday with the leader of AfD, after endorsing the party as a political partner — a stance Berlin dismissed as unwelcome election interference.
Referring more broadly to Vance’s criticism of Europe’s curtailing of hate speech, which he has likened to censorship, Scholz said: “Today’s democracies in Germany and Europe are founded on the historic awareness and realization that democracies can be destroyed by radical anti-democrats.
“And this is why we’ve created institutions that ensure that our democracies can defend themselves against their enemies, and rules that do not restrict or limit our freedom but protect it.”
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot added his voice to the defense of Europe’s stance on hate speech.
“No one is required to adopt our model but no one can impose theirs on us,” Barrot said on X from Munich. “Freedom of speech is guaranteed in Europe.”
UKRAINE
The prospect of talks to end the Ukraine-Russia war had been expected to dominate the annual Munich conference after a phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin this week, but Vance barely mentioned Russia or Ukraine in his speech to the gathering on Friday.
Instead, he said the threat to Europe that worried him most was not Russia or China but what he called a retreat from fundamental values of protecting free speech – as well as immigration, which he said was “out of control” in Europe.
Many conference delegates watched Vance’s speech in stunned silence. There was little applause as he delivered his remarks.
Asked by the panel moderator if he thought there was anything in Vance’s speech worth reflecting on, Scholz drew laughter and applause in the crowd when he responded, in a deadpan manner: “You mean all these very relevant discussions about Ukraine and security in Europe?”
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Trump Team to Start Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks in Saudi Arabia in Coming Days, Politico Reports

US Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL) speaks on Day 1 of the Republican National Convention (RNC) at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US, July 15, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Mike Segar
Senior officials from US President Donald Trump’s administration will start peace talks with Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in Saudi Arabia in the coming days, Politico reported on Saturday, citing sources familiar with the plan.
US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Saudi Arabia, the report said. Special envoy for Ukraine-Russia talks, Keith Kellogg, will not be in attendance, according to the report.
The post Trump Team to Start Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks in Saudi Arabia in Coming Days, Politico Reports first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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UN Peacekeeping Mission Deputy Commander Injured After Convoy Attacked in Beirut

FILE PHOTO: A UN peacekeepers (UNIFIL) vehicle is seen next to piled up debris at Beirut’s port, Lebanon October 23, 2020. Photo: REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir/File Photo
The outgoing deputy force commander of the United Nations Interim Force (UNIFIL) in Lebanon was injured on Friday after a convoy taking peacekeepers to Beirut airport was “violently attacked,” UNIFIL said.
The mission demanded a full and immediate investigation by Lebanese authorities and for all perpetrators to be brought to justice, it said in a statement.
Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun condemned the attack on Saturday, saying that security forces would not tolerate anyone who tries to destabilize the country, according to a statement from his office.
The French government also condemned the attack.
“France calls on the Lebanese security forces to guarantee the security of blue-helmet peacekeeping forces, and calls on Lebanon’s judicial authorities to shed all light on this unacceptable attack and to go after those responsible,” the French foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday.
Lebanon’s Interior Minister Ahmad al-Hajjar called for an emergency meeting before noon on Saturday to discuss the security situation, Lebanese state news agency NNA reported.
“He affirmed the Lebanese government’s rejection of this assault that is considered a crime against UNIFIL forces,” NNA reported, citing the minister.
He also gave instructions to work on identifying the perpetrators and referring them to the relevant judicial authorities.
The minister told reporters on Saturday that more than 25 people had been detained for investigation over the attack.
The United States earlier condemned the attack. A State Department statement said the attack was carried out “reportedly by a group of Hezbollah supporters”, referring to the Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon.
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