In 1878, at the gates of Petach Tikva, as a new moshav took root in the soil of Eretz Yisrael, Naftali Hertz Imber was called upon to share his poetry. The young wanderer from a chassidic shtetl in Galicia gave voice to a yearning that would echo across generations:
Kol od b’leivav penima, nefesh Yehudi homiya,
Ul’fatei mizrach kadima, ayin l’Tziyon tzofia.
Od lo avda tikvateinu.
Years later, Samuel Cohen’s stirring melody carried these words to the hearts of a reborn nation, becoming the anthem of the modern State of Israel.
But Imber’s refrain, “Od lo avda tikvateinu,” reaches back to the vision of Yechezkel. In the haftara of Shabbat Chol HaMoed Pesach, the Navi sees a valley of dry bones – a haunting symbol of Jewish despair. He hears the cry, “Avda tikvateinu,” our hope is lost. Yet from the lifeless remains, a miraculous renewal unfolds. Bone joins to bone, spirit returns to sinew, and a people long thought forsaken rise once more.
So too, Imber’s words testify to the enduring spirit of Am Yisrael. Even in the shadow of loss, our hope remains. Our deep connection to the land, to our people, and to the promise of renewal endures.
Even in our hardest moments, it is not despair that defines us – it is hope. The same hope that sustained the exiles of Mitzrayim, Bavel, and Rome animated the pioneers of Petach Tikva and continues to strengthen us today. It is a hope that endures, unwavering, even when shadows fall.
Anchored by the faith that has carried us b’chol dor v’dor, we affirm once more: Lo avda tikvateinu.
