Yo Aisenstark of Montreal, composer of kumzitz classic “Tov Lehodos,” has become used to hearing feedback from fans in far-flung places. He recently heard a great story from his friend Rabbi Yedidya Neiman, head of Kollel Torah Mitzion in Montreal, which brings couples from Eretz Yisrael to spend a year learning in different Diaspora communities in order to forge a connection between these communities and the people and Torah of Eretz Yisrael.

When Rabbi Neiman was in 11th grade in Israel back in 1998, his class was on a tiyul. They sat down for a kumzitz, and one guy taught them “Tov Lehodos.” The class sang it for hours, and for the rest of the year, that was their song. Fast-forward to 2014, and Yedidya Neiman, now a rabbi, was called up to the IDF reserves and found himself in a training camp. There he met a former classmate, a commander who led a unit of 120 soldiers, and the classmate asked him to share something inspiring with his unit.

Rabbi Neiman spoke about having emunah through both good and difficult times, and when he finished, he looked over at his friend. Spontaneously, they both began to sing “Tov Lehodos” and then taught it to this nonreligious unit.

“A year later when they met up again,” says Yo, “the IDF commander told my friend that the song had given his soldiers strength through a rough year in the army.” The soldiers renamed it “Ve’emunascha Baleilos” (Your faith in the night).

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 758)