In Lviv, on the street Prince Mstislav Udatny, the mural “Atikva-Hope” was opened, which is dedicated to Naftali Hertz Imber – an outstanding poet of modern Hebrew literature, the author of the text of the Israeli national anthem “Atikva” (the name of the national anthem of Israel, which in translation means “Hope”). The opening of the mural is timed to the 75th anniversary of the declaration of Israel’s independence (May 14, 1948)
“Today we are unveiling a mural to the person who wrote Israel’s national anthem. I think he will help us get to know each other better and become a certain bridge between Ukraine and Israel. We must know our history well. Ukrainians are facing difficult times now, because we are fighting for our independence, we are winning back every meter of our land. We well understand the value of being an independent state. Israel has always been an example for us, because this country built its independence in very difficult conditions.
I would like to personally thank the Ambassador of Israel… I remember the great help you provided for the city. When we needed generators, the embassy stepped up. The community of Lviv will remember all the good things you did for us on behalf of your government and your state,” said Andrii Sadovy, the mayor of Lviv.
Naftali Hertz Imber – a poet who became the author of the text of the national anthem of Israel, and to whom the mural is dedicated, was born in Zolochiv, in the Lviv region, then moved to Brody, from there to Lviv, and later to Eretz Yisrael.
This mural is part of the large project Art Meets History, initiated by the Embassy of the State of Israel in Ukraine, which has been going on for the third year in a row in various cities of Ukraine and aims to involve Ukrainian artists in creating murals depicting prominent Israeli figures: writers, poets, public figures, who were born in Ukraine, precisely in those cities where they spent their childhood and youth.
“Today’s event has great and symbolic significance. The place and time of the opening of the mural were not chosen by chance. Soon – the day of Israel’s 75th birthday and millions of people around the world will say the words written almost 150 years ago by Naftali Hertz Imber, a native of the Lviv Region. Every Israeli knows these words from childhood.
The place where we are opening the mural is directly related to the Jewish life of Lviv. There was a large synagogue here, destroyed by the Nazis during World War II. Therefore, for many Israelis, Lviv is not just a point on the map or a city in Eastern Europe, but a part of their family history. I am glad that the succession of generations is preserved in Lviv and Jewish culture is one of the equal components of the common cultural space of the city,” said Mikhail Brodskyi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Israel to Ukraine.
The mural in Lviv was created at the initiative of the Embassy of the State of Israel in Ukraine together with the NGO “Society of Ukrainian-Israeli Friendship” and was created by Lviv artists Andriy Savchyshyn and Taras Dovhalyuk.
The place to create the mural was also not chosen by chance. It is directly related to the Jewish life of Lviv. Here was the Great Synagogue of Krakow Suburbs (Great Suburban Synagogue), built in 1632 and destroyed by the Nazis during World War II.