We have reached the next phase of our Partisan Song project: Don’t Give Up Hope.
In April 2018 we will commemorate 75 years of the Partisan Poem, Zog Nit Keynmol, written by Hirsh Glik, aged 20, in the Vilna Ghetto in 1943.
This anthem is sung around the world at Yom Hashoah ceremonies on Holocaust Remembrance and Heroes Day.
Glik’s poem of hope, heroes and resistance is the legacy of the Partisans and the Survivors. We must continue to honour it!
It is still mostly sung in the original Yiddish with the result that many, especially the younger generation, do not understand the meaning, inspiration and context of the poem.
We have found the solution for this!
While there is no need to change the language we traditionally sing it in, we have created a site where we can read and study the words in our own language and understand Glik’s inspiration, and its context.
The poem is now available in 23 languages:
HEBREW, ENGLISH, LITHUANIAN, POLISH, BELARUSIAN, RUSSIAN, GERMAN, SPANISH, CZECH, DUTCH, ITALIAN, RUMANIAN, FRENCH, SWEDISH, PORTUGUESE, NORWEGIAN, JAPANESE, FINNISH, SWISS GERMAN, AFRIKAANS, GREEK, SLOVAKIAN AND THE ORIGINAL YIDDISH
Here is a message for educators and those who wish to embrace the legacy of the partisans and survivors :
Share the following with students and your contacts:
- Study the poem with learners, recite it and ask them to do the same.
- Help them to record and make a creative video of their rendition. Students are excellent at this.
- Post it on social media – YouTube, Facebook, WordPress, Dropbox, WhatsApp, Google Drive etc. Set a deadline before 27 January 2018, the International Holocaust Remembrance day (Auschwitz Liberation Day).
- Email the address of the posting to eli@elirab.com so that we can share the videos on that date.
- Examples can be found here: http://elirab.me/poem/
- Organise students and friends into groups to make a second video, singing the song in a language or languages of your choice, in time for posting before Yom Hashoah on 11 April 2018.
- Examples here: http://elirab.me/videos/
The outcomes for both educators and learners participating in this free project include:
- Understanding the meaning, inspiration and context of the Partisan poem;
- Having a greater appreciation of poetry;
- Learning some Yiddish;
- Singing the anthem;
- Being creative;
- Connecting with other groups of teachers and learners;
- Honouring the legacy of the partisans and survivors; and
- Being inspired!
This is an updated video on the project so far:
For more details of our work since January, please visit the website: http://elirab.me/zog-nit-keynmol/
Here is a message from Phillip Maisel, 95, survivor and friend of Hirsh Glik:
