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 stop thinking
about working the land.
Come on Golden *, I prepared
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, reflecting the historical situations in the Sephardic communities. Driven by their Zionist ideals, the Izmirlis endure hardships waiting for Golden, the envoy of the Jewish Agency in Smyrna, to obtain, after seven years (and another seven, as in the texts of the copla) hoping to secure, after seven years — and another seven, as the copla recounts — 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