“AMEN SONGS”: When You Believe (The Prince of Egypt)
February 5, 2025
Cantor Eyal Bitton highlights a song that connects with this year’s Congregation Neveh Shalom theme, “Amen – Be a Blessing.”
This Shabbat, we read Parashat Beshalach, where the Israelites are trapped at the edge of the Red Sea with Pharaoh’s army closing in. At this critical moment, God splits the sea, enabling their miraculous escape. “When You Believe” by Stephen Schwartz, from The Prince of Egypt, is a stirring anthem of faith, hope, and resilience which recounts this miraculous moment.
It speaks to the transformative power of belief—not only in God but also in the possibility of a brighter future. This is not just a personal journey; it carries a message. The song reminds us that when we persevere through challenges with emunah, with faith, we become blessings to those around us, inspiring others to believe in their own capacity to overcome adversity. In this way, “When You Believe” beautifully reflects the theme of “Amen – Be a Blessing”: by living with faith and hope, we can be a light to others; we can be channels of blessings to others.
In response, the Israelites sing the Shirat HaYam (The Song of the Sea), an outpouring of gratitude, faith, and praise. Their song is more than a celebration of deliverance; it is a declaration of their trust in God and their renewed sense of purpose as a people.
“When You Believe” parallels the Shirat HaYam by emphasizing that blessings often require faith to come to fruition. Just as the Israelites had to walk forward into the sea before it parted, the song reminds us that faith is not passive—it demands courage, action, and the belief that redemption is possible. Through this lens, we see that faith itself is a blessing, one that allows us to inspire and uplift others.
On this Shabbat Shira, “When You Believe” reminds us that our faith and perseverance can bless not only ourselves but also our communities. When we face challenges with belief and gratitude, we embody the values of *”Amen – Be a Blessing,”* becoming instruments of hope and transformation in the world around us. Just as the Israelites’ song echoed through history, so too can our faith and actions leave a lasting impact, inspiring others to believe in the possibility of miracles.
When You Believe
[MIRIAM]
Many nights we’ve prayed
With no proof anyone could hear
In our hearts a hopeful song we barely understood
Now we are not afraid
Although we know there’s much to fear
We were moving mountains long before we knew we could
There can be miracles when you believe
Though hope is frail it’s hard to kill
Who knows what miracles you can achieve
When you believe, somehow you will
You will when you believe
[TZIPPORAH]
In this time of fear, when prayer so often proved in vain
Hope seemed like the summer birds
Too swiftly flown away
Yet now I’m standing here
[MIRIAM]
Now I’m standing here
[TZIPPORAH]
With heart so full I can’t explain
[MIRIAM]
With heart so full
[TZIPPORAH]
Seeking faith and speaking words I never thought I’d say
[MIRIAM & TZIPPORAH]
There can be miracles when you believe
(When you believe)
Though hope is frail it’s hard to kill
Who knows what miracles you can achieve
(You can achieve)
When you believe, somehow you will
You will when you believe
[YOUNG MIRIAM]
Ashira l’adonai; ki gaoj ga-ah
Ashira l’adonai; ki gaoj ga-ah
Mi chamocha baelim adonai
Mi kamocha nedar ba kodesh
[ENSEMBLE]
Nachita v’chasdecha am zu ga-alta
Nachita v’chasdecha am zu ga-alta
Ashira, ashira, ashira
Ashira l’Adonai; ki ga’o ga-ah
Ashira l’Adonai; ki ga’o ga-ah
Mi chamocha ba’elim Adonai
Mi kamocha nedar ba-kodesh
Nachita v’chasdecha am zu ga-alta
Nachita v’chasdecha am zu ga-alta
Ashira, ashira, ashira!
[ENSEMBLE, (MIRIAM & TZIPPORAH)]
There can be miracles when you believe
(When you believe)
Though hope is frail it’s hard to kill
(It’s hard to kill)
Who knows what miracles you can achieve
(You can achieve)
When you believe, somehow you will
Now you will
You will when you believe
(When you believe)
