Fifteen years ago, an Israeli singer named Yuval Sela composed a song called “Eliyahu Hanavi” while attending a bris. He thought the song was pretty good, but apparently few others seemed to agree — it never took off, and after several tries, he gave up singing it.

In totally different circles, chassidic Israeli musician Dudi Feldman heard the song recently at a Motzaei Shabbos kumzitz, where it had migrated 15 years later. “I noticed that when we sang it, we could repeat the words ‘Eliyahu Hanavi zachur latov’ for 40 minutes straight, and every round was more and more enthusiastic. It seemed to pick up energy as we sang.”

Impressed with the niggun, although unable to ascertain its exact origin, Feldman collaborated with London-born singer and arranger Sruly Lipschitz to produce a music video. Just two days before its planned release, he finally got hold of Yuval Sela. “He was very happy with what we had done,” says Feldman. “He had practically given up, but the song had finally found the right time, place, and audience to succeed.”

Years after its creation and a few months after Feldman’s video went viral, the song has found its place on the wedding circuit and other venues appropriate for its fast beat and mesmerizing, repetitive words. The singers and dancers are still picking up energy with each successive round — “Eliyahu Hanavi, zachur latov, Eliyahu Hanavi, zachur latov” — and may he herald the Redemption speedily in our days.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 751)