Hevenu shalom aleichem

While perceived to be an Israeli folk song, the melody of "Hevenu shalom aleichem" pre-dates the current state of Israel and is of Hasidic origin.

[2][3][4] While perceived to be an Israeli folk song,[2] British music journalist Norman Lebrecht stated that the melody of "Hevenu shalom aleichem" originated among Hasidic Jews in Romania.

These include the last third of Franz Xaver Haberl's Salem Aleikum: Orientalisches Marsch-Intermezzo,[7] and the opening of the third movement of Mendelssohn's Reformation Symphony.

Hacohen maintained that the song's melody became known in Israel through an advertisement for Salem Aleikum [de] cigarettes in Germany, which was performed by a Turkish ensemble.

[23] The English-language song "Israelism", released by the Swedish group Army of Lovers in 1993, incorporates music and words from "Hevenu shalom aleichem".

In 2008 "Hevenu shalom aleichem" was included in a concert given for Pope Benedict XVI at the Park East Synagogue in New York City during his first visit to the United States.

[26] The song was suggested by the German music association for choir and orchestra to be sung together with refugees from Ukraine after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in public events with the motto Deutschland singt für Hoffnung und Frieden (Germany sings for hope and peace), inspired by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in April 2022.

[28] On the anniversary of the invasion, the association called for activities on 3 October 2023, recommending to sing peace songs such as "Dona nobis pacem", "We shall overcome", "Von guten Mächten" and "Where have all the flowers gone".