This Hebrew song, written in the twelfth century, is by Rabbi Moses Ben Maimon, also known as Maimonides, who was a great religious philosopher. His Talmudic Psalm Number Twelve from The Articles of Faith entitled "Ani Ma'amin" (I Believe) was later sung by many Jews during the Holocaust, even as they entered the gas chambers. Maimonides' descendants clung to his words for hope for the future and for humankind.
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Yiddish
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English
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Ani Ma'amin
Be'emunah Sh'lema
Be'viyat Hamashiach.
V'af al pi, she'yitma-me-ah,
Yim Kol ze Ani Ma'amin.
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I believe, with a complete belief,
in the coming of the Messiah.
And even though he may tarry,
I will await him, each and every day.
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Hatikvah
The Hatikvah, Israel's "National Anthem," written by Naftalie Embar, is sung at Jewish ceremonial gatherings and Passover.
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Yiddish
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English
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Kol Od Va'levav penimah,
Nefesh Y'hudi, Homiyah.
Ol' fatesh Mizrah Kadima,
Eyin L'ziyon Tzofiyah.
Od Lo Avdah Tikvateynu.
Hatikvah Sh'not Alpayim.
Liyot Am Hofshi Be'Artzeynu-
Eretz Tzion Y'rushalayim.
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As long as in our hearts
there is the soul of a Jewish heartbeat,
And toward the East
our eyes keep looking to Zion.
Our hope is not lost-
the hope of two thousand years-
to be a free nation in our land-
the land of Israel and Jerusalem.
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Kol Nidre
Composed during the Spanish Inquisition, this piece, now sung on the Jewish Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, is about being released from last year's vows to God. During the Spanish Inquisition, many Jews, under oppression for their beliefs, pretended not to be Jewish in order to stay alive. Similarly, during the Holocaust, many Jewish people concealed their Jewish identities by obtaining false documents and passports in order to survive.
Shalom Alechem
This Hebrew song about the Sabbath describes two angels that supposedly come home from the synagogue on Friday night in honor of the Sabbath meal. The song states, "Come in peace, bless me in peace, and go out in peace."
Shalom Alechem Ma'lachai Ha'm'lachim,
Ma'lachai El'yon.
Mi Melech Ma'lachai Ham'lachim.
Ha Kadosh Baruch Hu.
Bo'achem B'shalom, Ma'lachai Ha'shalom
Ma'lachai El'yon.
Mi Melech Ma'lachai Ham'lachim
Ha Kadosh Baruch Hu.
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Unter Dem Kind's Vigele
Some of the oldest Yiddish folk songs are lullabies.
Unter dem kind's gigele
Shteyt a klor-vays tsigele.
Rozhinkes mit mandlen.
Rozhinkes mit mandlen is zeyer zis.
Mayn kind vet zayn gezunt un frish.
Gezunt iz di beste schoyre,
Mayn kind vet lernen Toyre.
Toyre vet er lernen.
S'forim vet er shraybn.
A guter un a frumer
Vet er im yirtseshem blaybn.
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Rozhinkes mit Mandlen (Raisins and Almonds)
