Beech Tree News Network

It should come as no surprise to anyone who knows me that my favorite immigrant is a writer, a songwriter, to be exact.  Israel Beilin immigrated to the United States by way of Ellis Island when he was just five years old.  The year was 1893.  His family, which included his parents and five siblings at the time, fled from Russia and those who were targeting Jews throughout eastern Europe.  His family had watched their home burn to the ground before they began their long journey to New York City (NPS.gov).

Israel’s father had been a synagogue cantor (Jewish soloist in religious meetings), and Israel showed musical promise at a young age.  Tragically, his father died when Israel was just 13, which meant he had to drop out of school and find what jobs he could on the streets of New York to help support his mom and brothers and sisters.  The year was 1901, so the jobs that were available for a young boy were not well-paying.  He worked as a busker (street performer) for any pennies the passing crowd would throw his way.  He worked his way up to a singing waiter in a Chinatown café (songhall.org).

In 1907, Israel Beilin published his first original song.  For a whopping 33 cents, he received the publishing rights.  By 1911, at twenty-three years of age, he had his first big hit.  In 1917, the US entered the First World War.  Israel, who had become a US citizen in 1916, was part of the Tin Pan Alley songwriters who wrote patriotic songs.  His contributions were “For Your Country and My Country” and “Let’s All Be Americans Now.”

In 1918, Israel was drafted into the US Army, where he served in the 152nd Depot Brigade at Camp Upton in New York.  While there, Corporal Beilin produced a musical revue, performed by his fellow soldiers.  He never saw combat and was honorably discharged as a sergeant in 1919.  Israel Beilin made good use of the next 60 years of his life. He went on to write more than a thousand songs. His work included scores for 17 Broadway shows and 16 Hollywood films (NPS.gov).

This prolific songwriter never learned to read music.  His piano skills were very limited, being able to play only in F#, because that key involves mostly black keys.  He hired others to transcribe the tunes to sheet music, the tunes that he seemed to pluck from the air when he needed them for a Broadway show or a movie.  

Before his life was over, the songwriter, born Israel Beilin, had won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award and a Tony Award.  In 1977, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Gerald R. Ford (PBS.org).

Composer George Gershwin called him “the greatest songwriter that has ever lived.”  During his lifetime, he was honored by both Jews and Christians alike for “advancing the aims…to eliminate religious and racial conflict.”  Israel’s daughter said of her dad, “He was consumed by patriotism.  He often said, “I owe all my success to my adopted country” (Wikipedia.org).

I’m sure you’ve heard Israel’s songs.  

I will list a few: COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

OH HOW I HATE TO GET UP IN THE MORNING

EASTER PARADE

ANYTHING YOU CAN DO I CAN DO BETTER

BLUE SKIES

He also wrote one of our most famous Christmas songs, second only to Silent Night.  The song is WHITE CHRISTMAS.  You might know Israel Beilin as Irving Berlin, the name he adopted after he started his songwriting career.  Irving Berlin, the Jewish immigrant who wrote my favorite patriotic song, GOD BLESS AMERICA.