This video present’s Israel’s winning song in the 1979 Eurovision Song Contest in Jerusalem, “Hallelujah” by Gali Atari & Milk & Honey. The up-beat, optimistic song inspires people to unite together to express their gratitude for everything in life through song. Israel’s victory in Jerusalem marked the fourth time in which the host country won the contest. However, Israel neither hosted or participated in the 1980 contest, which took play on Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s memorial day for fallen soldiers and victims of terror. Considered a Eurovision classic, the song was performed at the close of the 1999 contest by all of the participants as a tribute to the victims of the wars in the Balkans. At the request of the Israeli Ministry of Culture & Sports, an updated version of the song by Gali Atari and Eden Ben Zaken was performed at the official state ceremony in Jerusalem for Yom Ha’atzmaut in 2018, celebrating Israel’s 70th birthday. It has also become a modern Jewish standard, familiar to Jews around the world. The lyrics of the chorus in Hebrew and the complete English lyrics are provided below. To see the complete Hebrew and transliterated lyrics, click here.
Hallelujah
Hallelujah, to the world,
Hallelujah, everyone will sing
With just one one word,
The heart is full of a lot of gratitude,
And beats as well, what a wonderful world
Chorus:
Hallelujah, with the song,
Hallelujah, for a day that shines
Hallelujah, for all that has been
and for all that has not yet happened
Hallelujah
Hallelujah, to the world,
Hallelujah, everyone will sing
And the great bells
will echo with a multitude of sounds
And together with us they will say
Hallelujah
Chorus
Hallelujah, for everything,
Hallelujah, for tomorrow and yesterday,
Hallelujah, lets go hand in hand
and sing with one heart
Hallelujah
Chorus