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"Lay Down Your Arms" is a peace song originally in Hebrew language as (i.e. "Prayer for Peace") composed by the Israeli Doron B. Levinson in 1973 in the aftermath of Yom Kippur War when Levinson was temporarily blind at the time, having been injured during the war. The Hebrew lyrics are by Hamutal Ben Zeev-Efron. The song is a tribute to a fallen Israeli soldier. The lyrics written by Hamutal Ben Zeev-Efron are inspired by the Isaiah (2:4) that says "And they shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they teach their children war anymore". At a later stage, the English lyrics were added, which are not direct translations, but whole new lyrics. They are written by Lisa-Catherine Cohen for the main text and by Harry Lewis, the latter contributing the bridge. Through Ms. Cohen in California, Hal Leonard/Cherry Lane Music, a large sheet music publishing company, acquired the sheet music rights, helping to distribute the song through its vast network. "Lay Down Your Arms" has been performed by many children's and adult choirs, and audiences throughout Canada, the United States and Israel. It has been sung by congregations in synagogues and churches, as well as schools, camps and many social occasions. The song has been used in a number of films and features and has been broadcast on radio and television in Canada and the United States, and is a regular feature on Israel television's ''Yom Hazikaron'' broadcasts. ==Composition== Doron Levinson was commanding a tank battalion in the Israeli Army (IDF) when one of his men confided in him his belief that this would be his last battle. Doron calmed the nervous soldier down, assuring him they would return from this encounter unscathed. But, Doron was wrong, and his soldier's premonition was accurate. In a fierce tank battle, his gunner was killed and Doron himself was temporarily blinded. During his convalescence at an Israeli hospital, Doron, unable to see, found himself with time on his hands. A piano in the hospital beckoned him. He found his fingers tracing out a melody expressing his anguish over his fallen comrade, and over other close friends he had lost in previous battles. Levinson, a former soldier, graduated with a Ph.D from the University of Toronto becoming an instructor of Hebrew, and Jewish studies at Toronto's Temple Sinai Hebrew School. A multi-talented individual, musician and composer, a storyteller, he was convinced of the critical role music plays in the life of people, particularly children. When he learned about the March of the Living, an international campaign to organize trips for Jewish children from around the world to visit Poland, and the former Nazi concentration camps there, and then to Israel, Doron suggested that the directors consider including in the footage for the campaign a song he had written, "Lay Down Your Arms" as a testament to all those dying in wars, and as a plea for peace and end to military conflict. Toronto's Habonim Youth Choir, conducted by Esther Ghan Firestone, recorded the song in Hebrew. The song became a favorite of the students during the March of the Living trip. Since many of the students did not understand the lyrics an English adaptation was deemed necessary. Two songwriters, Lisa-Catherine Cohen and Harry Lewis did the adaptation, with Cohen writing the body of the lyrics, and Lewis contributing the bridge. The song was retitled as "Lay Down Your Arms" and is known by that title. In 1992, a video of the song was produced.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Lay Down Your Arms )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Lay Down Your Arms (Doron Levinson song)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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