Article in The Times of Israel by Andy Blumenthal: But as I walk in the water, feeling both the softness and purity of the beautiful water as well as the buoyancy and resistance of it, I think to myself that no Jews should not be familiar and know The Israel national anthem. After 2,000 painful years in exile culminating in the concentration camps like Theresienstadt and The Six Million murdered Jews, we all must know that now G-d has kept his promise to our forefathers and returned us to The Holy Land.

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THE BLOGS
Andy Blumenthal
Humming The Hatikvah

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Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal
For every Jew, including me, it is time to find our way home to the Promised
Land. Strangely, I was reminded of this recently, when I found myself at the
swimming pool, and I had completed my laps and was in a cool down period
doing some power walking in the water.
As I frequently do (like my dear father ‫ל‬‫״‬‫צ‬‫ז‬ used to), I sing or hum quietly to
myself. This time, I was humming The Hatikvah (the Israel national anthem). It
is so beautiful and meaningful, carrying “The Hope” and yearning of the Jewish

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people to once again “be a free people in our land, the land of Zion and
Jerusalem.”
As I am walking and humming this in the pool, I am surprised by a lady on the
opposite side of the swimming pool who stops and says, “I think we need to
stand up” in deference to the Israeli anthem. Honestly, I didn’t realize she
could hear me, but she is a Jewish lady, and I respond and smile, “I already am
standing up!”
She then goes on to tell me about a trip she took to visit the concentration
camp, Theresienstadt in Moravia, Czechoslovakia. She told me about how they
started to play The Hatikvah when they got there, and she says, “And there were
two other Jews on the trip with me and they didn’t even know what it was.” That
was pretty shocking 72 years after the founding of the modern State of Israel. I
think on the positive side for a moment, and respond, “At least you and I know
what it is!” And she gives me a big warm smile. We both go back to our pool
activities; she resumes her swim and I my cool down.
But as I walk in the water, feeling both the softness and purity of the beautiful
water as well as the buoyancy and resistance of it, I think to myself that no Jews
should not be familiar and know The Israel national anthem. After 2,000 painful
years in exile culminating in the concentration camps like Theresienstadt and
The Six Million murdered Jews, we all must know that now G-d has kept his
promise to our forefathers and returned us to The Holy Land.
Assuredly, we are living in the time of miracles, the redemption, and soon to be
the coming of the Mashiach. Now is the time not just to hum The Hatikvah, but
to bring every Jew back, including me and my family. It’s almost time to go
home, where we will sing and dance, with hearts brimming over with Joy, before
our L-rd, and once again go to worship at our holy Temple in Jerusalem. May it
be His will! Amen.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andy Blumenthal is a business and technology leader who writes frequently about Jewish life,
culture, and security. All opinions are his own.