YAD ACHIM
Yad Achim - English Translation
A brotherly hand is stretched out to you,
O beloved youth:
Gather yourselves around our flag.
The star of the Torah shall shine for you,
Your path shall be one of labour.
With a sturdy heart, with the help of God,
we will go up
Forward, Bnei Akiva,
forward to the heights!
This homeland, the holy Land of our fathers,
our heritage from the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob.
Our minds are steeped in her Torah,
Our hands are immersed in her soil.
With a sturdy heart, with the help of God, we will go up
Forward, Bnei Akiva,
forward to the heights!
Yad Achim - Transliteration
Yad Achim lachem shelucha
hano’ar he’chaviv
Al digleinu kulachem
chanu misaviv
Yazhir lachem kochav Torah
Dar’kechem sugah ba’Avodah
B’leiv amitz b’ezrat Hashem
aloh na’aleh
Kadimah Bnei Akiva
heidad b’ma’aleh!
Moledet zo eretz avot
artzeinu hak’doshah
Midei avir Ya’akov
lanu morasha
Rasheinu bi’imkei Toratah
Kapeinu bir’gvei admatah
B’leiv amitz b’ezrat Hashem
aloh na’aleh
Kadimah Bnei Akiva
heidad b’ma’aleh!
יד אחים
יד אחים לכם שלוחה
הנוער החביב
על דגלנו כולכם
חנו מסביב
יזהיר לכם כוכב תורה
דרככם סוגה בעבודה
בלב אמיץ ובעזרת ה׳
עלה נעלה
קדימה בני עקיבא
הידד במעלה
מולדת זו, ארץ אבות
ארצנו הקדושה
מידי אביר-יעקב
לנו מורשה
ראשינו בעמקי תורתה
כפינו ברגבי אדמתה
בלב אמיץ ובעזרת ה׳
עלה נעלה
קדימה בני עקיבא
הידד במעלה
2021 Recording - WORLD BNEI AKIVA & BNEI AKIVA ISRAEL
Recorded in November 2021 as joint project between World Bnei Akiva and Bnei Akiva Israel, and sung by chanichim of both movements.
1999 Recording - BNEI AKIVA UK
This recording of Yad Achim was recorded by Bnei Akiva UK for their 60th anniversary in 1999. One of the singers was Marc Weinberg z”l, a former Mazkir of Bnei Akiva, who died of leukaemia in 2010. He was a leader and a visionary who lived the ideals of Torah va’Avodah and who inspired thousands.
1964 Recording - BNEI AKIVA NEW YORK
This rare recording of Yad Achim was performed by the Bnei Akiva New York Choir of 1964! This performance was conducted by the late Michael Perlman z”l, a member of Kvutzat Yavne who was then a Shaliach of Bnei Akiva in North America. Michael was also the composer of the Yad Achim music, as we know it today. Music and images, courtesy of Reuven Werber.
BRIEF HISTORY
Yad Achim is the movement’s anthem (himnon), composed by Rav Moshe Tzvi Neriya during Chol Hamoed Sukkot 5692 (1932) at a gathering of madrichim in Kfar Saba. The anthem soon spread to become one of the movement’s symbols, and was recognized as the official movement song at the inaugural World Veida in 1954. The melody for Yad Achim, as used today, was composed by Michael Perlman z”l, a longtime member of Kvutzat Yavneh, and an authority on Ta’amei Ha’mikrah.
Yad Achim is sung alongside Hatikvah, Israel’s national anthem, during Mifkad, the official ceremony held at every Bnei Akiva event.