HATMUNUT SHEBA'ALBOM	THE PHOTOS IN THE ALBUM
Hatmunot sheba'albom yaldut shelo nigmeret Ata haben ani ha'av ve'ima shuv do'eget Etmol kibalnu od michtav etzlecha hakol beseder Lo siparta al hakrav - rak al kol hayeter Chorus: Uchsheh tetzeh le'od Shabbat nechake bafetach Ima lichvodcah bishla nashke otcha kmo perach Gam negahetz lechah madim; ani zocher ma shehivtachta Yishmor alecha Elohim - rak chazor habayta. Tmuna shelcha begil shana im savta mechayechet Ushtey tmunot shel gil mitzva ve'ech gadal haneched Tmuna acheret al madim im haroveh bayad Tamid hivtachti shetigdal lo tilachem be'af echad. Uchshetetze....	The photos in the album - a never ending childhood  You are the son I am the father, Mum still worries. Yesterday we got another letter, all is well with you You didn't tell us about the battle but about other things. When you come on leave for another Shabbat we will wait in the doorway Mum cooked for you, we will water you like a flower, We will iron your uniform; I remember what you promised me God will look after you just come back home.  A photo of you as a one-year-old with grandma smiling Two photos from your Bar Mitzva, you have grown so much Another photo in your uniform with the rifle in your hand I always promised you that when you grow up you would not have to fight again When you come on leave..............

Reader's note:
This is a song about the son of songwriter Ze'ev Nechama,
upon his entry into army service at age 18 which is compulsory in Israel.

When his son was born Ze'ev promised him he would not have to fight
(in the hope that peace would be in place by the time the boy was 18).

The father is disappointed that his son did indeed have to go to the army
and that he did not finish his childhood.
Thanks to Jennifer Mendelsohn of Toronto Canada