Of course, Hatikvah dates back to the early days of modern Zionism in which the idea of renewed Jewish State in the Land of Israel was just taking form.
In 1878, Naftali Herz Imber, one of the pioneers of modern Hebrew poetry, wrote the poem Tikvatenu (meaning our hope)—a long, multi-stanza poem rich in references to Jewish texts from the Bible to 19th-century Jewish Enlightenment literature.
A few years later, a melody was added (partly based on a Romanian folk tune), and the poem gained popularity through oral transmission, especially among the immigrants of the First Aliyah. In the early 20th century, a shortened version of Tikvatenu, now called Hatikvah (meaning, the hope), began to be sung following the Zionist Congresses. After Israel’s Declaration of Independence, Hatikvah was sung unanimously by those present and members of the People’s Council, making it the anthem of the new state. It was used at official and military ceremonies but remained unofficial until it was given legal status in 2004. In 2018, Hatikvah received constitutional recognition with the enactment of the Nation-State Law, and the values it represents continue to accompany the nation to this day.
