Translation: "Hurry, Brothers, hurry".
To fully understand this article, we recommend reading our article about the Bilu Movement.
"Hushu, Achim, Hushu" is the name given to the Bilu Anthem, which you can listen to in this YouTube video (starting at 01:02).
This song was written in 1882/1883 by Yehiel Michel Pines and is considered by many as the first Zionist song, representing the Zionist pioneering idea of settling the Land of Israel.
Pines composed the song in honor of the Bilu members, whom he supported and encouraged ideologically and financially.
The song became very popular in the Yishuv, sung during many celebrations and ceremonies, before and after the establishment of the state.
The chorus is made up of the following sentences:
Huchu, Achim, Huchu! חוּשׁוּ, אַחִים, חוּשׁוּ!
Nerima Pe'amenu! נָרִימָה פְּעָמֵינוּ!
Tushu, Achum, Tuchu! טוּשׂוּ, אַחִים, טוּשׂוּ, (With the word טוּשׂוּ pronounced "Tushu", replacing "Tusu", meaning "Fly")
LeEretz Avoteinu לְאֶרֶץ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ!
Translation:
Hurry, brothers, hurry!
Let's go!
Fly, brothers, fly,
To the Land of our forefathers!
The song tells the story of the adventure of settling in the Land of Israel, from the strict Ottoman rules to the difficult social situation (mockery from close family and friends, loneliness). It's a sort of dialogue between those who stayed in the Russian Empire, and the ones who decided to take the risk to take on a new adventure (full of difficulties) in the "Judaean Mountains" (words from the last stanza).
The video describes the song's story as follows:
During Pessah, the Biluim walked to Jerusalem to celebrate at Pines' house. Together with Pines, they sang Russian songs, including a student's revolutionary song in Russia. Pines stood up from his chair and translated this song into Hebrew. That same day they walked through Jerusalem streets singing one of the first Zionist songs in Hebrew.
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