Año 'ntero pan y aceitunas para ir a Palestina. Yo nunca no me vo 'nfaciar de lavorar la tierra Ande Golden me aderesí para ir a Palestina. Chicos y grandes mos vamos a ir para lavorar la tierra. El vapor se va alejando, los mis ojos van llorando. Sete años asperí para ir a Palestina. Siete años asperí para que me den la visa, otros siete vo a sperar para ir a Palestina.
For a whole year, bread and olives
just to go to Palestine.
I will never give up
working the land.
I went to Golden
in order to go to Palestine.
Young and old, we're going
to work the land.
The ship is moving away,
my eyes are crying.
I waited seven years
to go to Palestine.
I waited seven years
for them to give me a visa,
I'll wait another seven
to go to Palestine.
From Morenika Izmirlia - Judeo-Spanish songs from Smyrna, 2020
The copla on the Emigration to Palestine (La emigración a Palestina) is one of the coplas composed in the 20th century, portraying the history of the Sephardic communities. Driven by their Zionist ideals, the Izmirlis endure hardships waiting for Josef Golden, the representative of the Jewish Agency in Smyrna, to give them, after seven years (and another seven, as in the texts of the copla) the much-coveted visa to emigrate to Palestine and work its land.
This website was created by Orit Perlman with the collaboration and blessings of Dr. Susana Weich-Shahak in 2025