The East Bank of the Jordan
Encyclopedia
The East of the Jordan is a poem written by Ze'ev Jabotinsky, the Revisionist
Zionist
leader, a song that became one of the most known leading national anthems of the Revisionist Zionist youth movement
, Betar
. The song includes four Stanza
s. Each stanza ends with the following line which is the main political message and theme of the poem:
Jabotinsky wrote the song in 1929 while visiting Paris
. The first version of the song was handed to the Zionist Students' union "Yardeniya" in Kaunas
, on 18 November 1929. In a later version, which is the one known today, the song was published in one of the Yishuv
's daily newspapers, "Doar Hayom", on 11 April 1930.
The song was written seven years after the decision by the British Government to divide the territory of the British Mandate that was designated for the Jewish State, into two territories, and to establish on one of its sides, on the east of the Jordan river
, the Jordanian Kingdom
. Prior to that decision, Chaim Weizmann
had raised historical and practical arguments in favor of keeping Greater Israel
, on both sides of the river. However, the World Zionist Organization
accepted the borders that were outlined by the British government, and the removal of the territory east of the Jordan River from the British Mandate's boundaries, and preferred to focus on developing the Land of Israel
west of the Jordan. The Revisionist Zionist movement and its founder, Ze'ev Jabotinsky, and also some in the liberal "Ahdut Ha'voda", continued to perceive the land east of the Jordan River as suitable for Jewish building, and a territory that should be included within the future Jewish state. The Irgun
's emblem included an image of most parts of the Land of Israel in the original borders of the British Mandate.
The song The East of the Jordan reflects the idea of the Jewish state existing on both sides of the Jordan River. In the first stanza of the song, Jabotinsky compares the Jordan River to a spinal cord
. The second stanza also emphasizes that the Jordan River is located in the midst of the Land of Israel. The third stanza includes an additional ideological message, in which everyone in Greater Israel will live in peace and dignity:
The fourth and last stanza ends up with a religious oath that is a paraphrase of the biblical verse of Psalms
: 137:5 – "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning":
This part of the land of Israel is referred to in the song as "The East of the river". Just as one may view this part of Israel while sailing along the river's stream, one can travel along the Left Bank
of the Seine
river in France
, where Jabotinsky was writing the song.
The Musical composition
was written by Mordechai Zeira, in 1932.
The main theme of the song also influenced other Zionists' poems, and its main theme appears also in Raise Up the Barricades, by Michael Eshbal, also one of the Betar youth movement's well known poems, which says of the Jewish state: "To establish the state on both sides of the Jordan".
Revisionist Zionism
Revisionist Zionism is a nationalist faction within the Zionist movement. It is the founding ideology of the non-religious right in Israel, and was the chief ideological competitor to the dominant socialist Labor Zionism...
Zionist
Zionism
Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...
leader, a song that became one of the most known leading national anthems of the Revisionist Zionist youth movement
Zionist youth movement
A Zionist youth movement is an organization formed for Jewish children and adolescents for educational, social, and ideological development, including a belief in Jewish nationalism as represented in the State of Israel...
, Betar
Betar
The Betar Movement is a Revisionist Zionist youth movement founded in 1923 in Riga, Latvia, by Vladimir Jabotinsky. It has been traditionally linked to the original Herut and then Likud political parties of Israel, and was closely affiliated with the pre-Israel Revisionist Zionist splinter group...
. The song includes four Stanza
Stanza
In poetry, a stanza is a unit within a larger poem. In modern poetry, the term is often equivalent with strophe; in popular vocal music, a stanza is typically referred to as a "verse"...
s. Each stanza ends with the following line which is the main political message and theme of the poem:
Jabotinsky wrote the song in 1929 while visiting Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. The first version of the song was handed to the Zionist Students' union "Yardeniya" in Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
, on 18 November 1929. In a later version, which is the one known today, the song was published in one of the Yishuv
Yishuv
The Yishuv or Ha-Yishuv is the term referring to the body of Jewish residents in Palestine before the establishment of the State of Israel...
's daily newspapers, "Doar Hayom", on 11 April 1930.
The song was written seven years after the decision by the British Government to divide the territory of the British Mandate that was designated for the Jewish State, into two territories, and to establish on one of its sides, on the east of the Jordan river
Transjordan
The Emirate of Transjordan was a former Ottoman territory in the Southern Levant that was part of the British Mandate of Palestine...
, the Jordanian Kingdom
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
. Prior to that decision, Chaim Weizmann
Chaim Weizmann
Chaim Azriel Weizmann, , was a Zionist leader, President of the Zionist Organization, and the first President of the State of Israel. He was elected on 1 February 1949, and served until his death in 1952....
had raised historical and practical arguments in favor of keeping Greater Israel
Greater Israel
Greater Israel is a controversial expression with several different Biblical and political meanings over time.Currently, the most common definition of the land encompassed by the term is the territory of the State of Israel together with the Palestinian territories...
, on both sides of the river. However, the World Zionist Organization
World Zionist Organization
The World Zionist Organization , or WZO, was founded as the Zionist Organization , or ZO, in 1897 at the First Zionist Congress, held from August 29 to August 31 in Basel, Switzerland...
accepted the borders that were outlined by the British government, and the removal of the territory east of the Jordan River from the British Mandate's boundaries, and preferred to focus on developing the Land of Israel
Land of Israel
The Land of Israel is the Biblical name for the territory roughly corresponding to the area encompassed by the Southern Levant, also known as Canaan and Palestine, Promised Land and Holy Land. The belief that the area is a God-given homeland of the Jewish people is based on the narrative of the...
west of the Jordan. The Revisionist Zionist movement and its founder, Ze'ev Jabotinsky, and also some in the liberal "Ahdut Ha'voda", continued to perceive the land east of the Jordan River as suitable for Jewish building, and a territory that should be included within the future Jewish state. The Irgun
Irgun
The Irgun , or Irgun Zevai Leumi to give it its full title , was a Zionist paramilitary group that operated in Mandate Palestine between 1931 and 1948. It was an offshoot of the earlier and larger Jewish paramilitary organization haHaganah...
's emblem included an image of most parts of the Land of Israel in the original borders of the British Mandate.
The song The East of the Jordan reflects the idea of the Jewish state existing on both sides of the Jordan River. In the first stanza of the song, Jabotinsky compares the Jordan River to a spinal cord
Spinal cord
The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular bundle of nervous tissue and support cells that extends from the brain . The brain and spinal cord together make up the central nervous system...
. The second stanza also emphasizes that the Jordan River is located in the midst of the Land of Israel. The third stanza includes an additional ideological message, in which everyone in Greater Israel will live in peace and dignity:
The fourth and last stanza ends up with a religious oath that is a paraphrase of the biblical verse of Psalms
Psalms
The Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
: 137:5 – "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning":
This part of the land of Israel is referred to in the song as "The East of the river". Just as one may view this part of Israel while sailing along the river's stream, one can travel along the Left Bank
Rive Gauche
La Rive Gauche is the southern bank of the river Seine in Paris. Here the river flows roughly westward, cutting the city in two: looking downstream, the southern bank is to the left, and the northern bank is to the right....
of the Seine
Seine
The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...
river in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, where Jabotinsky was writing the song.
The Musical composition
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
was written by Mordechai Zeira, in 1932.
The main theme of the song also influenced other Zionists' poems, and its main theme appears also in Raise Up the Barricades, by Michael Eshbal, also one of the Betar youth movement's well known poems, which says of the Jewish state: "To establish the state on both sides of the Jordan".
External links
- שמאל הירדן Lyrics in Hebrew, BetarBetarThe Betar Movement is a Revisionist Zionist youth movement founded in 1923 in Riga, Latvia, by Vladimir Jabotinsky. It has been traditionally linked to the original Herut and then Likud political parties of Israel, and was closely affiliated with the pre-Israel Revisionist Zionist splinter group...
's Israeli website