Children from Lithuania singing
WATCH: Jews from all over the world sing 'Hatikvah'
As part of celebration for Israel's 70th year, Jews from 50 nations sing Israel's national anthem for a moving video put together by the World Jewish Congress; 'Israel is an integral part of the Jewish identity and will always be our home,' says WJC President Lauder.
As part of Israel's 70th year celebrations, Jews from 50 nations around the world came together to sing Israel's national anthem "Hatikvah" for a moving video.
"Israel is an integral part of the Jewish identity and will always be our home," said Ronald Lauder, the President of the World Jewish Congress. "It doesn't matter where we live. For 2,000 years, the lives of Jews in exile were characterized by the hope and the dream that one day we will return to Israel as a free people. It is the same hope that strengthens Israel today."
Thousands of Jews took part in the World Jewish Congress project, including schoolchildren, members of Jewish centers, and Jews who came together in distant communities across the globe.
Hundreds of videos of the anthem were filmed and submitted to the World Jewish Congress, which then put them together to what it called "a first of its kind historic video" created out of the desire to express solidarity, "appreciation and commitment to the State of Israel."
Hatikvah sang by Jews from around the world
Among the many countries to take part were Albania, Colombia, Kyrgyzstan, the Philippines, Britain, South Africa, Russia, Paraguay, Mexico, the Ivory Coast, New Zealand and Myanmar.
The World Jewish Congress said the "Jewish Tikvah" ("Jewish Hope") is part of a series of projects planned for Israel's 70th Independence Day, including "a unique declaration by Diaspora Jews to the State of Israel signed by 91 Jewish community presidents from around the world; a delegation to Jerusalem of senior Jewish leaders from around the world; a delegation of youth Jewish leaders to Israel; and another delegation of Jewish community leaders that will arrive next month."
The Chief Executive Officer of the World Jewish Congress, Robert Singer, added that "in times like these, the connection to the State of Israel is more important than ever."
