We survived Pharaoh, we will survive this, too

MembersWe survived Pharaoh, we will survive this, too

Meir Ariel, who died in 1999, was a protest singer. His songs often addressed the situation in Israel and remain relevant today. Meir wrote the song “We survived Pharaoh, we will survive this, too.”

Anat Schneider

May 26, 2025 at 11:00 am

| Topics: Israel

The lyrics describe the situation in Israel in many ways—economic, social, etc. And the message is one of hope: Everything will be alright!

It’s as if saying, “If we managed to overcome Pharaoh, who was the most difficult of all challenges, then we will also be able to overcome all other difficulties in life.”

Optimism

The song is very popular, and the melody is catchy. The title is an Israeli folk expression about optimism and overcoming difficulties. The idea is that if the Jewish people survived Pharaoh and Egyptian enslavement, the terrible slavery and unbearable decrees (an event that, by all accounts, was one of the most difficult in the history of the Jewish people), then somehow we will also survive the current challenges.

The saying does not originate from the Bible, but is based on the biblical story of the people of Israel. Over the years, and largely thanks to the song of Meir Ariel, the expression has become widespread among Hebrew speakers, especially in connection with national, social, or personal crises.

Hope

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