By Yehuda Ceitlin, editor of COLlive.com
A few months ago, Aaron Michael Holder, a student of music in Miami Dade College, stumbled across a mass email about the troubling case of Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin.
“I don’t usually read this stuff,” admits the 21 year-old. “But I started reading and it got me furious that such a thing can happen.”
Rubashkin, 51 and a father of 10, was sentenced for 27 years in a federal prison after being found guilty of financial fraud.
But Holder, like so many other Jews in the U.S., says his sentence was more than just justice for a first-time encounter with law.
“Big CEO’s in American have done worse and gotten less,” Holder told COLlive.com. “Sholom did not even get close to what they did – pocketing billions of dollar and risking lives.”
“They are destroying this man,” he said about Rubashkin, who built the Jewish community in Postville, Iowa, and ran Agriprocessors – once the country’s largest kosher meat processing plant.
Holder said that reading about the case “made me ask why people are letting this injustice and prejudice happen.”
So he set out to compose a song that will bring across the sentiments he felt. “You know, not everyone opens email and reads articles,” he says.
The 5 minute song was recorded pro bono at W4M Records in Miami.
The music video was directed Berel (Farrell) Goldsmith of Crown Heights and filmed in South Beach, Miami, Times Square in New York City, 770 and on Kingston Ave.
Crown Heights’ Chassidic Hip Hop and R&B artist DeScribe is seen in the clip. Holder was also assisted by Kevin Cummings, Shevach Tamir, Eitan Akman and Yeoville Productions,
“The deeper message here is that we’ve got to spread the word and can’t stay quiet,” Holder adds. “I hope people get inspired and donate.”
VIDEO: “A SONG FOR SHOLOM”
By Aaron Michael Holder
One People, with one solution
Going through the stains of time
One problem, we have unanswered.
Does he deserve to pay for these crimes.
Who has the right, and who deserves to fight for their life
Been a long time, been a long year
Must stand up and fight for Sholom
Been a long time been a long year
We can’t stay quiet any longer
May 08, the US troops stormed the place
over eccentric, with their guns an planes
Giving life sentence to Sholom’s name
All because he stayed behind to take the blame
Before I continue with this Terrible story
Let me bring you back in time
Been A long time been A long year
Must stand up and fight for Sholom
Been A long time been A long year
We can’t stay quiet any longer
He could afford to buy almost anything
But he chose to live life so modestly
used his own money to support the needy
And open schools around the world
Been a long time been a long year
Must stand up and fight for Sholom
Been A long time been A long year
We can’t stay quiet any longer
Look at the C.E.O. largest car company in the world
blatant disregard of mechanical failures
Put’s dozens of people, in the ground
What does he get for this crime? just a little fine
but i dont want to talk about this CEO
I want to remind you what were fighting for
Been a long time been a long year
Must stand up and fight for Sholom
Been A long time been A long year
We can’t stay quiet any longer
DONATE: Pidyon Shevuyim Fund
I do not have a CD out yet. I will soon
You can listen and download my music at
http://www.reverbnation.com/aaronholder
I couldn’t find on the Judaica store here in L.A
Everybody should say a lot of tehillim for Sholom Morcechai haLevi ben Rivka. The latest news, if it gets to the right judge, could easily have him out on bail and in good shape for a new trial very soon.
SAY TEHILLIM.
Go cowboy!you”re the best! sharon
why are you saying this isnt good. what is wrong with you!!!
SHALOM!
I was so beyond moved. I had NO IDEA that this had happened. Why hasn’t THIS been televised? The part about the crooked car manufacturer sent chills up my spine. We share the same last name and that’s cool but even deeper I LOVE “YOUR APPARENT LOVE’ FOR Judaism, YOUR PEOPLE, and HaShem! People like you remind me why I am converting and give me the encouragement to see it through and continue to stand proudly for ISRAEL!!!! MAZEL TOV!!!
ELIYAHU HANAVI, ELIYAHU HATISHBI, ELIYAHU HAGILADI, B’MEHEIRAH YAVO ELEINU “IM MASCHIACH BEN DAVID!!! WE NED HIM MORE THAN EVER.
Thank you all for your support!
I love you all!
I hope you can spread the word so we can have fair justice for sholom. Not only for this specific situation but all others that we face in this day and age. Moshiach NOW!
Loved the video, but that guy, think Shevach Tamir is awesome! He really makes the video but one problem, how come only twice. De Scribe Rocks, but I want to see Shevach a bit more as well. Besides for that, loved the ideas and the special effects. It is good that atleast somone is standing up for justice and equality. Cant wait to see more…
amazing
the video quality is quite impressive!
great idea for helping rubashkin!
Aaron – you’re amazing!! (and we miss you…)
Aaron: We are proud of you
Shevach we loooooove you
thank you… amazing job!
GO SHEVACH!!!! GOOD JOB!
You ruin the good intentions of the song by putting in the holocaust. If you want the world to view his plight with sympathy it is best to remove it. Survivors and others will be very offended by it and they may even feel that Rubashkin is supporting it which will make him look bad!
Your the best. Great Lyrics, Awesome Tune, Your Voice Is Perfect, Most Of All It Touches People’s Soul. LOVE IT ALL.
he is basically saying that antisemitism like this. If not stopped or spoken about can lead to things such as. I think there’s a much deeper meaning behind it.
ur 100% right!!
gave me the chills!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
but…. i think the Holocaust imagry is out of place. don’t compare, because there is no comparison
great song and very well put together
Thank you, thank you! Your words are terrific and the lyrics are very moving! May we only hear besuros tovos for Sholom and his family IY”H!!!!!!
wow braught tears to my eyes it makes me wonder for how much longer will we be safe in this country ! may mashiach hear our cries and our desires !
very well done
love the lyrics
Great song, very powerful! GO DESCRIBE!!!!!!!!!!!!
ggod job farel!!
NICE JOB!
this song is awesome!
that song brought me to tears….
tachlis though – what can we do to help out?
each one of us can do one thing to help. this singer did what he could do, now its are turn.
very moving song! lets just hope this song ends up in the “movie” and its behind us very soon!
Wow! Beautiful!!
The news media has to get involved. There must be a march of tens of 1000’s of yiddin in Washington up Pennsylvania Avenue to touch the tip of the iceberg…. Ok, “loz zein azoy” Mr. Singer.
this is amazing! well done!
You can now legally rate Judge Linda Reade’s performance here, this site is on top of google:
http://www.therobingroom.com/Judge.aspx?ID=1305
very nice thank u!!
This video is amazing brought me to tears.. HASHEM WE NEED MOSHIACH!!
Thanks for your time and effort.It does make a difference
fantastic!!!
You are awesome!!!!!