This video presents an Israeli folk song that captures the early pioneering spirit of the pre-State days, written by Yisrael Dushman and composed by Chanina Karchevsky. The lyrics, which can be seen below in Hebrew, English and transliterated, show how the early Zionist ideology of freedom, creativity and commitment to the land, had its roots in the Bible, faith and tradition. Both the words and melody were transformed from existing expressions of exile to optimistic works full of hope and growth. The melody was adapted by Russian-born Karchevsky from Polish composer Zvi Herman Ehrlich’s “Exile March” and Dushman’s lyrics were based on a Yiddish poem written by Morris Rosenfeld after the Kishinev pogroms.
פה בארץ חמדת אבות
פה בארץ חמדת אבות
תתגשמנה כל התקוות
פה נחיה ופה ניצור,
חיי זוהר חיי דרור.
פה תהא השכינה שורה
פה תפרח גם שפת התורה.
נירו ניר ניר ניר
שירו שיר שיר שיר
גילו גיל גיל גיל
כבר הנצו ניצנים.
נירו ניר ניר ניר
שירו שיר שיר שיר
גילו גיל גיל גיל
עוד יבואו זרעונים.
Here in the Land of Our Loving Forefathers
Here in the land of our loving forefathers
All the hopes will come true
Here we will live and here will create
Lives of glamour, lives of freedom
Here the spirit (of the Eternal God) will dwell
Here will blossom the language of the Torah
Graze the meadow
Sing a song
Rejoice in the joy
The spouts will spout
Graze the meadow
Sing a song
Rejoice in the joy
The seeds will grow
Po Be’eretz Chemdat Avot
Po be’eretz chemdat Avot
Titgashemna kol Hatikvot
Po nichyeh u’fo nitzor
Chayei Zohar chayei dror
Po teheh Hashechina Shorah
Po tifrach gam sfat Hatorah
Niru nir nir nir
Shiru Shir shir shir
Gilu gil gil gil
Kvar Henetzu Nitzanim
Niru nir nir nir
Shiru Shir shir shir
Gilu gil gil gil
Od yavo’u zeronim