U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and former U.S. ambassador to Israel David Friedman took to the stage on Saturday in Jerusalem to perform a rendition of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s hit rock song, “Sweet Home Alabama.”
American comedian and actor Elon Gold led the ensemble, singing “Sweet Home Yerushalayim” (“Jerusalem” in Hebrew) over the catchy chorus.
Huckabee expertly pulled off the song’s funky bass line on electric bass, with Friedman accompanying the group on electric guitar.
The performance was shared on X by Eli Beer, president and founder of United Hatzalah of Israel, a volunteer emergency medical services organization, which hosted the annual event.
The performance at United Hatzalah’s annual Sukkot concert in Jerusalem was held in honor of the Jewish state’s lifesavers and the expected return of the hostages from Gaza.
Sweet Home Yerushalayim 🎶 You’ve never heard it like this before! @USAmbIsrael, @DavidM_Friedman & @ElonGold bringing the house down last night at the @UnitedHatzalah Sukkot concert in Jerusalem! pic.twitter.com/w5L64DWWs9
— Eli Beer (@EliBeerUH) October 12, 2025
It was held at the International Convention Center in the country’s capital.
Here are the changed lyrics in full:
Torah scrolls keep on turning,
Just two days and we are through;
Then we start from the beginning,
Hashem’s holy words begin anew.
We all have come to help Hatzalah,
And we wanna help it thrive;
Based right here in God’s holy city,
Throughout this land it’s saving lives.
Sweet home Yerushalayim,
Where God’s words ring so true;
Sweet home Yerushalayim,
Lord I’m coming home to you.
Well France and friends don’t think it’s Jewish,
The United Nations call us crooks;
But Donald Trump claims it’s all Israel,
Just as it says in all the holy books.
Sweet home Yerushalayim,
Where God’s words ring so true;
Sweet home Yerushalayim,
Lord I’m coming home to you.
Many say we have no capital,
Though we’re here for 3,000 years;
But Yerushalayim is eternal,
Where the U.S. Embassy appears.
Sweet home Yerushalayim,
Where God’s words ring so true;
Sweet home Yerushalayim,
Lord I’m coming home to you.
