Performed by: Avi Toledano
Music by: Avi Toledano
Lyrics by: Yoram Taharlev
Conductor: Silvio Nanssi Brandes
Language: Hebrew
Placing: 2nd (100 points)
Other versions: English, French

"Hora" (Hebrew script: הורה, English translation: "Hora") was the Israeli entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1982, performed in Hebrew by Avi Toledano and winning second place, but missed 61 points ahead of that year's winning country, Germany

The song is a moderately up-tempo number, with Toledano singing about the joy he feels in seeing parts of his country and dancing the traditional "Hora" folk dance.

The song was performed fifteenth on the night, following Yugoslavia's Aska with "Halo, Halo" and preceding the Netherlands' Bill van Dijk with "Jij en ik"). At the close of voting, it had received 100 points, placing 2nd in a field of 18.

It was succeeded as Israeli representative at the 1983 Contest by Ofra Haza with "Hi" that also won Israel the second place.

Avraham (Avi) Toledano was born in Meknes, Morocco. At the age of 16, in 1965, he immigrated to Israel, and settled on Kibbutz Ruhama.

His debut as a singer was on a radio show to which he sent a tape of "This is Yafo." In 1969, he participated in the Song Festival with the songs "You are The Wind" (Rimona Dinur / Rafi Ben-Moshe) and "The way Back" (Ehud Manor / Nurit Hirsch), which won the third place. His second album "My father" included two songs by Manor and Hirsch, "How Time Passes" and "I Saw the Summer". Another song was a Hebrew cover of Mary Hopkin's "This is the Day", translated by Mickey Hartaby (Hebrew original version was recorded first by Shuli Natan). Hartaby also translated Tom Jones's "Delilah", the Hebrew version was called "When Night Falls". Toledano's successes that year led to winning the title "Singer of the Year".

In 1970, his third album "Misty Garden" came out and he won the children's song festival held for the first time, with the song "Why this way," written and composed Dudu Barak and Shaike Pycov. His winning partner was the 10-year-old Irit Anavi.

That same year Toledano published his fourth album called "At Nations Songs", with songs from different countries, translated to Hebrew.

He continued performing and making albums during the seventies, and acted in a number of movies. Towards the end of the seventies, he toured Europe, and in 1978 came out with a solo performance, "La Boheme," singing songs by Charles Aznavour, who attended the premiere.

In 1982, Toledano represented Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest in Harrogate, UK with Hora which was written by Yoram Taharlev. He finished in second place, after the German winner, Nicole.

In 1983 Toledano composed the Israeli song at the Eurovision Song Contest in Munich. Chai (Alive) was performed by Ofra Haza and also won second place.

In the 1981 finals in Israel, Toledano sang Carnival, a song he co-wrote with Shimrit Or which won third place. In 1986, Toledano wrote Lechaim for Haim Moshe, which came in third. In 1989, Toledano performed in the Israeli final himself and won second place with Dayenu.

Lyrics:

Hora
Hora, Hora, Hora

Od mazhiv hasade she'azavnu az
Od ha'arets noset yevula
Ve'od yafim hem haleilot biChna'an
Terem hashemesh ola

Od rakevet chotsa sham pardes yarok
Chasida od roga'at me'al
Ve'od nisa ha'arafel ba'emek
Bein hazricha vehatal

Vegam haHora, hahi im haHei
Kola od ole, kola lo nadam
Vegam haHora, hahi im haHei
Shira memale libi le'olam

Od shatim ananim al batei ha'ir
Vehayam melatef et hachol
Ve'od nishma ech bilvavot po'em lo
Zemer yashan umachol

Vegam haHora, hahi im haHei
Kola od ole, kola lo nadam
Vegam haHora, hahi im haHei
Shira memale libi le'olam

Lai lai lai lai... lala lai lai lai...
Lala lala lalala...
Lai lai lai lai... lala lai lai lai...
Lala lala lalala...

Hora, hahi im haHei
Kola od ole, kola lo nadam
Vegam haHora, hahi im haHei
Shira memale libi le'olam

Od mazhiv hasade she'azavnu az
Od ha'arets noset yevula
Ve'od yafim hem haleylot biChna'an
Terem hashemesh ola

Vegam haHora, hahi im haHei
Kola od ole, kola lo nadam
Vegam haHora, hahi im haHei
Shira memale libi le'olam

Lala lala lalala...
Hora


ENGLISH translation:

Hora
Hora, Hora, Hora

The field we left back then still turns to gold
The land still produces its harvest
And the nights in Canaan are still beautiful
Before the sun rises

A train still crosses a green orchard there
A stork still relaxes above
And the fog still carries in the valley
Between the sunrise and the dew

And also the Hora, the one with the Hey
Its voice still rises, its voice has not been silenced
And also the Hora, the one with the Hey
Its song fills my heart forever

Clouds still float over the city houses
And the sea caresses the sand
And still we hear how in the hearts there beats
An old refrain and a dance

And also the Hora, the one with the Hey
Its voice still rises, its voice has not been silenced
And also the Hora, the one with the Hey
Its song fills my heart forever

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