Jerusalem Post column proposes changing Israel’s national anthem, “Hatikvah”
A Jerusalem Post column proposed reconsidering Israel’s national anthem, “Hatikvah.” The author believes that the anthem’s lyrics focus on the Jewish people’s aspiration to return to Zion and do not take into account minorities who are also part of the country’s population.
In the column author’s view, a new or revised anthem should contain more neutral wording acceptable to all groups in Israel’s population. He notes that non-Jews respectfully stand during the performance of “Hatikvah,” but cannot sing lines about the Jewish soul and Zion.
A possible alternative
As one option, the column mentions the song “Jerusalem of Gold,” which the author calls Israel’s unofficial second anthem. At the same time, in his opinion, its lyrics would also need changes because of the mention of the Temple Mount, which has political and religious significance.
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The author believes that replacing “Hatikvah” or creating a new anthem could make this state symbol more inclusive for different sectors of the population. He also suggests that such a change could contribute to a better perception of Israel in the Arab world.
Debate over the anthem
“Hatikvah” originated from a poem written by Naftali Herz Imber in 1878. Its melody was adapted by Romanian immigrant Samuel Cohen based on a Moldavian folk song. The column states that discussions about an alternative anthem have continued since before the establishment of the State of Israel.
Among historical options, the author mentions “Ha-Emunah” (“The Faith”), written by Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, who was the Ashkenazi chief rabbi during the British Mandate. As examples of changes to national anthems, he cites Australia, which replaced “God Save the Queen” with “Advance Australia Fair” in 1984, as well as South Africa, which abandoned its two previous anthems and adopted a new one in 1997.
