About The Israeli National Anthem – Hatikva

 

The title of the national anthem, HATIKVA, means “The Hope.” It was written by Naftali Herz Imber (1856-1909), who moved to Palestine in 1882 from Galicia. The melody was arranged by Samuel Cohen, an immigrant from Moldavia, from a musical theme in Smetana's "Moldau" that is based on an Eastern European folk song.

Hatikva expresses the hope of the Jewish people, that they would someday return to the land of their forefathers as prophesied in the Old Testament. The Jewish people were exiled from Israel in 70 C.E. by the Roman army led by Titus who destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem. During the two thousand years of exile, the Jewish people said special daily prayers for return to Israel while facing the East in the direction of Jerusalem. They celebrated the holidays according to Hebrew seasons and calendar. Zion is synonymous with Israel and Jerusalem.

 

Hebrew Lyrics

Kol od balevav p'nimah 

Nefesh Yehudi homiyah

Ulfa'atey mizrach kadimah 

Ayin l'tzion tzofiyah

Od lo avdah tikvatenu

Hatikvah bat shnot alpayim

L'hiyot am chofshi b'artzenu

Eretz Tzion v'Yerushalayim

English Translation

As long as deep in the heart,

The soul of a Jew yearns,

And forward to the East

To Zion, an eye looks

Our hope will not be lost,

The hope of two thousand years,

To be a free nation in our land,

The land of Zion and Jerusalem