Recently, a longtime Wise member shared with me an incredible article about the beloved Jewish folk song, “Hava Nagila.” The essence of the article was that this tune we so often sing and play in moments of Jewish communal celebration is also popularly remixed and enjoyed in nightclubs, baseball stadiums, restaurants, and any number of secular venues. “Hava Nagila,” a Jewish anthem dating back over one hundred years, is internationally renowned and beloved!
“Hava Nagila,” which literally translates to “let us rejoice,” was written in 1918 by Jewish music scholar and composer, Abraham Zvi Idelsohn. Idelsohn wrote “Hava Nagila” as a Zionist anthem to celebrate the Balfour Declaration, and it quickly became popular in the Holy Land and throughout the Diaspora. What makes the melody work so well to the Jewish ear is twofold in my opinion: One, it is a simple niggun, easy to remember, fun to sing; and two, it is written in the Ahavah Rabbah mode, a familiar Jewish liturgical composition structure found in both European and Mizrahi Jewish melodies.
Idelsohn’s book Jewish Music in its Historical Development is as much of a masterpiece as this melody (I have multiple copies in my office if you’re ever interested in reading it). Idelsohn would never fully know how great an impact “Hava Nagila” and so many Jewish melodies had on the non-Jewish musical world. He couldn’t have known that, even in countries like ours with rising rates of anti-Semitism, his melody would still be a hit. Non-Jews may not join in our nostalgia or pride, but clearly, any willing ear can recognize this melody as an upbeat, catchy, irresistible hit. Perhaps by sharing this fantastic tune with the world, we are one step closer to a world of peace and understanding.
I’ve curated a playlist of some wonderful “Hava Nagila” recordings below. Looking forward to the next opportunity we have to sing it together!
Enjoy “Hava Nagila”:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/77pvkitnihR3BZlCwlCaXM?si=158f38f1b5d74052
—Cantor Emma Lutz