Hava Nagila – (“Let us rejoice”)
Hava Nagila (Hebrew: הבה נגילה, Havah Nagilah, “Let us rejoice”) is a Jewish folk song traditionally sung at Jewish celebrations . The melody is based on a Hassidic Nigun.[1] It was composed in 1918, to celebrate the Balfour Declaration and the British victory over the Ottomans in 1917. It was first performed in a mixed choir concert in Jerusalem.[2]
There are competing claims regarding Hava Nagila’s composer, with both Idelsohn and Nathanson being suggested.[3][4]
The niggun has been attributed to the Sadigurer Chasidim, who lived in what is now Ukraine.[3] This version has been recreated by Daniel Gil.[5] The text was probably refined by Idelsohn.[6] Members of the community began to immigrate to Jerusalem in 1915, and Idelsohn wrote in 1932 that he had been inspired by that melody.[2]
The lyrics are based on Psalm 118 (verse 24) of the Hebrew Bible.
The first commercial recording of the song was produced in Berlin in 1922.[2][https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hava_Nagila]
English translation
Transliteration
Hava nagila
Hava nagila
Hava nagila ve-nismeḥa
Hava neranenah
Hava neranenah
Hava neranenah ve-nismeḥa
Uru, uru aḥim!
Uru aḥim be-lev sameaḥ
Uru aḥim, uru aḥim!
Be-lev sameaḥ
English Translation
Let’s rejoice
Let’s rejoice
Let’s rejoice and be happy
Let’s sing
Let’s sing
Let’s sing and be happy
Awake, awake, my brothers!
Awake my brothers with a happy heart
Awake, my brothers, awake, my brothers!
With a happy heart
