Jewish literature had, in the days of massive Jewish immigration into the United States, many poems and songs about Christopher Columbus. The sentiments generally expressed fell into one of two categories. One ended with a “klog oyf Kolumbusn.” Others rang out with a “Lebn zol Kolombus.” It all depended on how one fared in the goldene medine.

The poem-song that follows was written by Arnold Perlmutter and H. Wohl. The music as well as the original Jewish (Hebrew alphabet) version and an English transliteration appear in “Mir Trogn a Gezang,” a compilation by Eleanor Gordon Mlotek.

The English version is by Gus Tyler.

Lebn Zol Kolombus

A shtetl is Amerike

A mekhaye, kh’lebn;

Es rut oyf ir di shkhinele,

Mir zoln azoy lebn —

Milkhomes, biksn, mentshn-blut

Darfn mir oyf tsores,

A gubernator darf men nit,

A keyser oyf kapores.

Ay, s’iz gut —

Zingt zhe ale mit:

Lebn zol Kolumbus,

Trinkt, briderlekh, lekhayim!

Lebn zol Kolumbus

Far dem land dem nayem

Zayt tsufridn —

Gleybt nit in di trombes

Shrayt zhe, yidn:

Lebn zol Kolombus!

Long Live Columbus

My shtetl is America

A land that brings me joy.

Oh, yes, I love embracing her

There’s so much to enjoy.

No wars, no guns, no human blood

For them we have no use.

For tyrants we do have no need,

They treat us with abuse.

There’s nothing really wrong

So with us sing along:

For, long live Columbus

Drink, brothers, unto life

So, long live Columbus

Hug him, brothers, like a wife.

For, happy we should be

For what this man has brought us

It’s time for every Jew

To shout, long live Columbus.

This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.

We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news. All donations are still being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000 until April 24.

This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.

With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.

The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.

Don't just read the Forward - invest in it. Make a matched gift today.

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$120 $180 $360 OTHER AMOUNT