This moving song by Marina Maximilian describes the experience of immigrants to Israel from the Soviet Union in the nineties. Entitled “1990,” in reference to the year in which she moved to Israel from the Soviet Union at the age of 3, the song nostalgically looks back at life in the Soviet Union and reflects the challenges of integration in Israeli society. Although it is written in Hebrew, the song includes several words in Russian. To see the full Hebrew lyrics, click here. An English translation of the chorus is provided below.
There is no where to return to
And it’s not worth it to run away
Take the time to think
To find the language and not forget
There is no where to return to
And it’s not worth it to run away
Take the time to think
Force yourself to have fun