Yaakov Shwekey Sings You Raise Me Up Jun 2026

The original songwriters, Brendan Graham and Rolf Løvland, wrote the song as a tribute to spiritual strength. But the Jewish people have a specific relationship with being “down and weary.” From the Egyptian exile to the Holocaust, from the pogroms of Russia to the modern wars of Israel, the phrase “I am weary” is a national anthem of survival.

However, Shwekey has performed the melody of "You Raise Me Up" in various collaborative contexts, particularly within the Jewish wedding and concert circuit: Boi V'Shalom (You Raise Me Up) yaakov shwekey sings you raise me up

But as he approaches the chorus— “You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains” —something shifts. Shwekey’s Jewish soul interpretation adds a layer of gravitas. For the secular listener, “You” might refer to a lover or a parent. For Shwekey, the “You” is unmistakably the Ribbono Shel Olam (Master of the Universe). The original songwriters, Brendan Graham and Rolf Løvland,

“You raise me up… to more than I can be.” Shwekey’s Jewish soul interpretation adds a layer of

There is a fascinating theological nuance when In Judaism, the relationship with God is not one of passive submission but of active partnership. Shwekey’s interpretation suggests that when we ask God to “raise us up,” we are simultaneously demanding that we rise to the occasion to be better people.

: Shwekey is known for live collaborations where he might perform inspirational covers; for example, he has performed with Shlomi Shabat Mordechai Shapiro