the national, annual memorial day commemorating Ethiopian Jews who perished during the long walk to the holy land.
In the audience Jewish-Ethiopian members of the Knesset (israel’s parliament) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and distinguished guests.
The song titled “The Journey to the Land of Israel” was written by Israeli singer-songwriter @shlomo.gronich is associated with the Jewish-Ethiopian community in Israel, telling the story of their Aliya, walking through the desert endlessly, without much food and with dangers all around them.
The song has been performed for years with many members of their community and the jewish Ethiopian singing group SHVA.
Most of the Jewish-Ethiopian families living in Israel today have a relative who died during the long walk to Israel.
@Eden_Alene is one of the most famous members of the Jewish-Ethiopian community in Israel, the winner of the 2020 Israeli version of ‘American idol’ and chosen to represent Israel internationally in the largest music contest in the world: @eurovision
Currently @Eden_Alene is serving in the IDF as a singer in the IFD music band, performing for soldiers throughout the country.
@Eden_Alene was born in the Katamon neighborhood in Jerusalem to Ethiopian-Jewish parents who immigrated separately to Israel during the Aliyah from Ethiopia. When she was two years old her parents divorced. Since then, she has not been in contact with her father.
Alene studied in religious schools, after which she attended the Hebrew University High School. In 2018, she was enlisted to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and serves in a military band.
הַיָּרֵחַ מַשְׁגִּיחַ מֵעָל,
עַל גַּבִּי שַׂק הָאֹכֶל הַדַּל,
הַמִּדְבָּר מִתַּחְתַּי, אֵין סוֹפוׁלְפָנִים
וְאִמִּי מַבְטִיחָה לְאַחַי הַקְּטַנִּים:
עוֹד מְעַט, עוֹד קְצָת,
לְהָרִים רַגְלַיִם,
מַאֲמָץ אַחֲרוֹן לִפְנֵי יְרוּשָׁלַיִם.
אוֹר יָרֵחַ, הַחֲזֵק מַעֲמָד,
שַׂק הָאֹכֶל שֶׁלָּנוּ אָבַד,
הַמִּדְבָּר לא נִגְמָר, יְלָלוֹת שֶׁל תַּנִּים
וְאִמִּי מַרְגִּיעָה אֶת אַחַי הַקְּטַנִּים:
עוֹד מְעַט, עוֹד קְצָת,
בְּקָרוֹב נִגָּאֵל,
לא נַפְסִיק לָלֶכֶת לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל.
וּבַלַּיְלָה תָּקְפוּ שׁוֹדְדִים
בְּסַכִּין, גַּם בְּחֶרֶב חַדָּה,
בַּמִּדְבָּר דַּם אִמִּי, הַיָּרֵחַ עֵדִי
וַאֲנִי מַבְטִיחָה לְאַחַי הַקְּטַנִּים:
עוֹד מְעַט, עוֹד קְצָת,
יִתְגַּשֵּׁם הַחֲלוֹם,
עוֹד מְעַט נַגִּיעַ לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל.
בַּיָּרֵחַ דְּמוּתָהּ שֶׁל אִמִּי
מַבִּיטָה בִּי; אִמָּא, אַל תֵּעָלְמִי;
לוּ הָיְתָה לְצִדִּי, הִיא הָיְתָה יְכוֹלָהל
ְשַׁכְנֵעַ אוֹתָם שֶׁאֲנִי יְהוּדִי.
עוֹד מְעַט, עוֹד קְצָת,
בְּקָרוֹב נִגָּאֵל,
לא נַפְסִיק לָלֶכֶת לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל.
עוֹד מְעַט, עוֹד קְצָת,
לְהָרִים עֵינַיִם,
מַאֲמָץ אַחֲרוֹן לִפְנֵי יְרוּשָׁלַיִם.