A Wedding and Celebration Song

This is called "Hevenu shalom aleichem". It's sung at weddings, Bar Mitzvahs and other celebrations.

The verse is repeated over and over again.

Notes

Transliteration of the Hebrew:

Hevenu shalom alechem*
Hevenu shalom alechem
Hevenu shalom, shalom,
Shalom alechem.

*Re. The pronunciation of "alechem" - "ch" is like the Scottish "loch" or the German "Bach".

"Alechem" is sometimes spelled, "aleichem".

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Note on the meaning of "Hevenu shalom aleichem"…

Hevenu means "we brought".
Shalom means "peace". (FYI It's also used as a greeting like hi and bye).
Alechem means "to you".

According to Lynch at Unilang:

"Evenu shalom alechem = We bring peace upon you.
The meaning is more close to: We wish you have success and peace in your lives…

So this song… is quite optimistic. It wishes good life and peace upon everyone."

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Another reader wrote: "I looked at your definition of 'hevenu shalom aleichem'. Years ago when my son was very young, I'd have him watch the Australian group, 'The Wiggles' & they sang that song from time to time. i drove to the local temple of the Jewish faith & asked the rabbi what it meant. He told me 'let us bring them peace' and not what you have on your website."

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Boaz wrote:

"It means literally 'we brought peace on y'all'. 'הֵבֵאנוּ', 'we
brought', 'שָׁלוֹם', 'peace', 'עֲלֵיכֶם', 'on you' (and it's plural, on
you more than one person).

I think it's supposed to mean something like 'we greet you in peace' or
'we wish that you will have peace'."

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Carl wrote:

"Evenu shalom alechem= shalom elohim= Hello god."

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If anyone else would like to write us about the meaning of this song, please email me. Thanks in advance! -Mama Lisa

Download MIDI Tune

Thanks and Acknowledgements

Thanks to Boaz for writing about the meaning of this song!