Israeli Music and Its Study
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Popular Music and National Culture in Israel, by Motti Regev and Edwin Seroussi
Review Popular Music and National Culture in Israel, by Motti Regev and Edwin Seroussi. Berkeley–Los Angeles–London: University of California Press, 2004. Paperback, 308 pp., ISBN 0 520 23654 8 The study of popular music in Israel is a relatively new field. Although it has a history of more than a century, since the beginning of the Zionist establishment in Israel in the late nineteenth century, the bulk of this genre was created after the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. The few studies of the popular music of Israel’s Jewish population that were carried out before the 1980s dealt mainly with the genre known as “Songs of the Land of Israel.”1 From the early ’80s until the beginning of the twenty-first century, the range of subjects covered by this research was expanded. “Songs of the Land of Israel” still played a central role,2 but other categories of Israeli popular music, such as “Oriental” or “Mediterranean” music,3 and Israeli rock,4 were also studied, as was the influence of foreign music on Israeli popular music.5 Another field of research developed in the early twenty-first century was the detailed analysis of the musical and linguistic characteristics of composers and poets whose work was set to music. This music, too, belongs to the category of “Songs of the Land of Israel.”6 The book reviewed here differs from previous studies in that it provides a broad, overall view of popular music in Israeli society. It is the first attempt to survey Israel’s popular music as a complete field of research. -
When Mizrahi Artists Said ‘No’ to Israel’S Pioneer Culture
Riches To Rags To Virtual Riches: When Mizrahi Artists Said ‘No’ To Israel’s Pioneer Culture Shoshana Gabay. Ills. Joseph Sassoon Semah Upon their arrival in Israel, Mizrahi Jews found themselves under a regime that demanded obedience, even in cultural matters. All were required to conform to an idealized pioneer figure who sang classical, militaristic ‘Hebrew’ songs. That is, before the ‘Kasetot’ era propelled Mizrahi artists into the spotlight, paving the way for today’s musical stars. Part two of a musical journey beginning in Israel’s Mizrahi neighborhoods of the 1950s and leading up to Palestinian singer Mohammed Assaf. Read part one here. Our early encounter with Zionist music takes place in kindergarten, then later in schools and the youth movements, usually with an accordionist in tow playing songs worn and weathered by the dry desert winds. Music teachers at school never bothered with classical music, neither Western nor Arabian, and traditional Ashkenazi liturgies – let alone Sephardic – were not even taken into account. The early pioneer music was hard to stomach, and not only because it didn’t belong to our generation and wasn’t part of our heritage. More specifically, we were gagging on something shoved obsessively down our throat by political authority. Our “founding fathers” and their children never spared us any candid detail regarding the bodily reaction they experience when hearing the music brought here by our fathers, and the music we created here. But not much was said regarding the thoughts and feelings of Mizrahi immigrants (nor about their children who were born into it) who came here and heard what passed as Israeli music, nor about their children who were born into it. -
Lyre of the Levites: Klezmer Music for Biblical Lyre
LYRE OF THE LEVITES: KLEZMER MUSIC FOR BIBLICAL LYRE "Lyre of the Levites: Klezmer Music for Biblical Lyre" is the sequel album to "King David's Lyre; Echoes of Ancient Israel". Both of these albums are dedicated to recreating again, for the first time in almost 2000 years, the mystical, ancient sounds of the "Kinnor"; the Hebrew Temple Lyre, once played by my very own, very ancient Levite ancestors in the Courtyard of the Temple of Jerusalem, to accompany the singing of the Levitical Choir (II Chronicles 5:12)... THE CHOICE OF REPERTOIRE FOR THE ALBUM "Lyre of the Levites" uniquely features arrangements of primarily traditional melodies from the Jewish Klezmer repertoire arranged for solo Levitical Lyre - the concept of the musical performances on this album, are meant to be evocations, not reconstructions, of the sounds & playing techniques that were possible on the ten-stringed Kinnor of the Bible; there are sadly too few unambiguously notated melodies from antiquity to make an album of "note for note" reconstructions of ancient instrumental solo lyre music a feasible reality. However, the traditional Jewish scales/modes in which these pieces are actually written may well have roots which stretch deeply back to these distant, mystically remote Biblical times, according to the fascinating research of the late Suzanne Haik Vantoura, in attempting to reconstruct the original 3000 year old music of the Hebrew Bible. THE TWELVE TRACKS There are 12 tracks to the album - corresponding to the 12 Gems which once adorned the Breastplate of the Levitical Priests of the Temple of Jerusalem. These 12 Gems represented the 12 Tribes of Israel. -
2009 Hamerkaz
50883_Book_r3:50883_Book_r3 9/16/09 2:21 PM Page 1 F ALL 2 0 0 9 E DITION HAPPY NEW YEAR 5770 HAMERKAZ A PUBLICATION OF THE SEPHARDIC EDUCATIONAL CENTER SECuring Our Jewish Future 50883_Book_r3:50883_Book_r3 9/16/09 2:21 PM Page 2 BOARD MEMBERS Dr. Jose A. Nessim, Founder & President MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD W o r l d E x e c u t i v e C o m m i t t e e Ronald J. Nessim, Chair Sarita Hasson Fields Raymond Mallel Freda Nessim By Ronald J. Nessim Steven Nessim Prof. Eli Nissim There has been significant and exciting changes at the SEC over the past two Dr. Salvador Sarfatti years. Let me update you on some of them. Neil J. Sheff Marcia Israel Weingarten Larry Azose, World Executive Director In the fall of 2007, we hired Larry Azose as our full-time executive director. Larry has a rich Sephardic background, brings organizational skills to the SEC and is S E C J e r u s a l e m C a m p u s 200% committed to our cause. We are fortunate to have him. Rabbi Yosef Benarroch, Educational Director [email protected] Our executive committee which I am proud to chair has been meeting monthly in Israel Shalem, Administrative Director Los Angeles. The executive committee has made great progress in revitalizing the [email protected] SEC and each member has assumed primary responsibility in one or more areas such as finance, Israel programs and our Jewish day school initiative. S E C C h a p t e r s Los Angeles• Argentina• New York• Montreal It is our intent over the coming months to create Advisory Committees consisting World Executive Offices of community leaders in our local chapters. -
Table of Contents
Table of Contents From the Editors 3 From the President 3 From the Executive Director 5 The Sound Issue “Overtures” Music, the “Jew” of Jewish Studies: Updated Readers’ Digest 6 Edwin Seroussi To Hear the World through Jewish Ears 9 Judah M. Cohen “The Sound of Music” The Birth and Demise of Vocal Communities 12 Ruth HaCohen Brass Bands, Jewish Youth, and the Sonorities of a Global Perspective 14 Maureen Jackson How to Get out of Here: Sounding Silence in the Jewish Cabaretesque 20 Philip V. Bohlman Listening Contrapuntally; or What Happened When I Went Bach to the Archives 22 Amy Lynn Wlodarski The Trouble with Jewish Musical Genres: The Orquesta Kef in the Americas 26 Lillian M. Wohl Singing a New Song 28 Joshua Jacobson “Sounds of a Nation” When Josef (Tal) Laughed; Notes on Musical (Mis)representations 34 Assaf Shelleg From “Ha-tikvah” to KISS; or, The Sounds of a Jewish Nation 36 Miryam Segal An Issue in Hebrew Poetic Rhythm: A Cognitive-Structuralist Approach 38 Reuven Tsur Words, Melodies, Hands, and Feet: Musical Sounds of a Kerala Jewish Women’s Dance 42 Barbara C. Johnson Sound and Imagined Border Transgressions in Israel-Palestine 44 Michael Figueroa The Siren’s Song: Sound, Conflict, and the Politics of Public Space in Tel Aviv 46 Abigail Wood “Surround Sound” Sensory History, Deep Listening, and Field Recording 50 Kim Haines-Eitzen Remembering Sound 52 Alanna E. Cooper Some Things I Heard at the Yeshiva 54 Jonathan Boyarin The Questionnaire What are ways that you find most useful to incorporate sound, images, or other nontextual media into your Jewish Studies classrooms? 56 Read AJS Perspectives Online at perspectives.ajsnet.org AJS Perspectives: The Magazine of President Please direct correspondence to: the Association for Jewish Studies Pamela Nadell Association for Jewish Studies From the Editors perspectives.ajsnet.org American University Center for Jewish History 15 West 16th Street Dear Colleagues, Vice President / Program New York, NY 10011 Editors Sounds surround us. -
Yehuda Poliker Is One of Israel’S Premier and Most Important Artist of All Times
Yehuda Poliker is one of Israel’s premier and most important artist of all times. With a career that spans over 40 years, Poliker’s songs became a cornerstone of Israeli music and redefined Israeli contemporary pop/rock with his unique combination of electric guitars and bouzouki with Greek-Mediterranean rhythms and a rock flavor. All of Poliker’s albums achieved gold and platinum status and in 2012 Yehuda Poliker received the Life Time Achievement Award for his contribution to Israeli Culture. In his new show Yehuda Poliker, accompanied by 9 of Israel’s most talented musicians, is performing all the greatest hits from the early days of “Benzin” to the Greek classics from “Enayim Sheli” and to the latest 2014 album “Dreams Museum”. This show is a must see for anyone that loves Israeli music, Rock music and Mediterranean music and especially for those who admire the musical magic of the melting pot of Israel. “For three hours he turned the Caesarea Amphitheatre into a tremendous celebrations, with his world class production. The most Israeli artist is presenting the best most valuable performance in Israel.” Amit Salonim— Mako “From a Greek “Hafla” to a Rock Party, Poliker is one of the few that is blessed with an audience that will run to see him in any version. In this new tour he is sharp, warm and more exciting than ever before”. Amir Schwartz - Yediot Acharont DISCOGRAPHY Biography Yehuda Poliker was born in Kiryat Haim to Holocaust survivors from Salonika, Greece. As a teenager, Poliker played in several bands, such as FBI, HaNamerim (the Leopards), and Bareket. -
Law(S) and Identities
August 2011, Hebrew University, Jerusalem Law(s) and Identities Photo Assignment Professor Shauna Van Praagh Faculty of Law, McGill University 1 Daniella Zlotnik & Chiara Fish (Photo taken in the Negev, August 2011.) When we see people we often try to identify them as individuals or categorize them as members of a group. The individuals in this photo may or may not “belong” in this desert landscape. On the surface it is impossible to tell. They may or may not be connected by some group affiliation. Which one? An individual’s identity is far too complex and multi-layered for anyone but the individual to understand, assuming they can recognize themselves. לרוב, כשאנו רואים אנשים, אנו מנסים לזהות אותם כיחידים או כחברים בקבוצה. באשר ליחיד בתמונה זו, לא ברור אם הוא אכן ''שייך'' לנוף המדברי. במבט ראשון, נדמה כי זה בלתי אפשרי לדעת. יתכן והוא שייך או מקושר לקבוצה כלשהי, אך איזו? נראה כי זהותו של היחיד היא בעלת רבדים רבים ומורכבת מכדי שמישהו יבין אותה על כל פניה. ויותר מכך, נראה כי גם עבור היחיד עצמו, ההבנה וההכרה בזהותו אינן ברורות מאליה: על היחיד לזהות את עצמו קודם. 2 This photo presents the ''Tentifada'' in the immigrant neighbourhoods of south Tel- Aviv. In setting up the tent, the excluded and somewhat invisible inhabitants of south Tel-Aviv joined the country-wide struggle for social justice. Their tent does more than symbolize their 'Israeli' identity – it creates a platform to express their unique cultural and economic needs, within the greater struggle. Hearing the refugee speak of this protest was especially inspiring. -
The Polyphony Foundation Brings Arab and Jewish Israeli Musicians Together with Classical Music
Monday 08 August, 2016 Published On: Sun, May 31st, 2015 Israel & Middle East / Life & Style / Religion | By Reggie Reiner The Polyphony Foundation Brings Arab and Jewish Israeli Musicians Together With Classical Music "It’s really to give young people from both communities a chance to interact and to become more familiar with the other." - – There are so many different people and organizations today dedicated to building bridges between Jews and Arabs around the world. The Polyphony Foundation uses classical music to do so in Israel. The organization declares its goal to be to find common ground through a common sound. It states that it has created a place of harmony where young people, both Arab and Jew, come together around classical music. This harmony is achieved in Israel through various programs operated by Polyphony Education Israel as part of a multi- tiered programming structure designed to move the students from beginner to professional performer. As the students advance from program to program, they encounter increasingly mixed groups of Arabs and Jews, so as they learn to appreciate music, they also learn to appreciate each other. Through the common language of music, they learn to look beyond their differences to see the culture, connection and humanity they share. Currently, these programs reach more than 6,000 Arab and Jewish youth and provide training and employment for over 100 teachers, according to the organization. – – It was created in 2011 by New York residents Deborah and Craig Cogut and artistic director Nabeel Abboud-Ashkar. Abboud-Ashkar told Reuters, “It’s really to give young people from both communities a chance to interact and to become more familiar with the other. -
00 Primeras Paginas Rha5
RHA, Vol. 5, Núm. 5 (2007), 137-148 ISSN 1697-3305 NON-ASHKENAZIC JEWRY AS THE GROUND OF CONTEMPORARY ISRAELI MULTICULTURALISM Zvi Zohar* Recibido: 4 Septiembre 2007 / Revisado: 2 Octubre 2007 / Aceptado: 20 Octubre 2007 1. HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL Sephardic rabbinic authorities branded this deve - BACKGROUND lopment as illegitimate. Later, they realized that In the wake of the Expulsion from Spain not only was such opposition futile, but that many (1492), Sephardic1 Jews gradually settled as Sepharadim were in fact purchasing meat from refugees in many lands, primarily – in areas under Ashkenazic shehita. Thereafter, the Sephardic rab- Ottoman rule. One of these was the Holy Land, bis concentrated on de-legitimizing consumption Eretz Israel, whose Jewish inhabitants until that of such meat by Sepharadim; by and large, this time were mostly indigenous Musta’arabim2. For a campaign also failed, since the “Ashkenazic” pro- variety of reasons, the Musta’arabim gradually duce was less expensive. Ashkenazic influence upon became assimilated to the culture of the Sephardic Sepharadim manifested itself also in other aspects newcomers. From the 16th to the 19th centuries, the of traditional Jewish life – such as recitation of ri - dominant (‘hegemonic’) culture of Jews in Eretz tual benedictions by women, and the adoption by Israel (henceforth: EI) was Sephardic. However, certain Sephardic rabbis of ultra-Orthodox rejec- beginning in the late 18th century, and especially tionism towards, e.g., secular studies. during and after the brief Egyptian rule (1831 In the instances discussed above, various ethni - –1840), increased Jewish immigration from cally Jewish sub-groups interacted and influenced Eastern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East each-other with regard to varieties of Jewish cultu - led to the establishment of non-Sephardic commu- ral norms. -
“A Person Cannot Walk Away from Jerusalem Unchanged….”
“A person cannot walk away from Jerusalem unchanged….” 2000 years ago there was a Jewish Kingdom whose capital Destroyed and .ירושלים ,was Jerusalem, Yerushalayim desecrated for centuries, the Jewish People were finally reunited with the holiest of cities central to our faith, our history and our identity. Join us as we celebrate our origin, our return and our connection to Zion, the City of Gold! Yom Yerushalayim: The Reunification of A People And A Past By Elana Yael Heideman There has been a continuous Jewish presence in Jerusalem, and our connection to and passion for the city has been preserved as a memory by Jewish people around the world. Though the modern state of Israel was born in 1948, for years Jews were cut off from the Old City of Jerusalem and the Kotel, the Western Wall - the heart of the Jewish people, the axis of our collective national and historical identity, the center of our faith, and the focus of the history of the Jewish people for generations. Throughout Israel and around the world, on the 28th of the Hebrew month of Iyar, we celebrate being reunited with the city of Zion, Yerushalayim Shel Zahav, our only Jerusalem. History shows that it was the Jews who have made Jerusalem important to the world. In 1004 BCE, King David established Jerusalem as the capital of the Kingdom of Israel (2 Samuel 5:6). Following the first exile, he proclaimed: "If I forget you Jerusalem, let my right hand lose its strength. Let my tongue cling to my palate if I fail to recall you, if I fail to elevate Jerusalem above my highest joy." Three times a day, or even just twice a year, for thousands of years, Jews turn their faces towards Jerusalem and the Temple Mount and pray for a return to Jerusalem and to Tzion. -
Cartooning America: the Fleischer Brothers Story
NEH Application Cover Sheet (TR-261087) Media Projects Production PROJECT DIRECTOR Ms. Kathryn Pierce Dietz E-mail: [email protected] Executive Producer and Project Director Phone: 781-956-2212 338 Rosemary Street Fax: Needham, MA 02494-3257 USA Field of expertise: Philosophy, General INSTITUTION Filmmakers Collaborative, Inc. Melrose, MA 02176-3933 APPLICATION INFORMATION Title: Cartooning America: The Fleischer Brothers Story Grant period: From 2018-09-03 to 2019-04-19 Project field(s): U.S. History; Film History and Criticism; Media Studies Description of project: Cartooning America: The Fleischer Brothers Story is a 60-minute film about a family of artists and inventors who revolutionized animation and created some of the funniest and most irreverent cartoon characters of all time. They began working in the early 1900s, at the same time as Walt Disney, but while Disney went on to become a household name, the Fleischers are barely remembered. Our film will change this, introducing a wide national audience to a family of brothers – Max, Dave, Lou, Joe, and Charlie – who created Fleischer Studios and a roster of animated characters who reflected the rough and tumble sensibilities of their own Jewish immigrant neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. “The Fleischer story involves the glory of American Jazz culture, union brawls on Broadway, gangsters, sex, and southern segregation,” says advisor Tom Sito. Advisor Jerry Beck adds, “It is a story of rags to riches – and then back to rags – leaving a legacy of iconic cinema and evergreen entertainment.” BUDGET Outright Request 600,000.00 Cost Sharing 90,000.00 Matching Request 0.00 Total Budget 690,000.00 Total NEH 600,000.00 GRANT ADMINISTRATOR Ms. -
The Story of Israel at 66 Through the Songs of Arik Einstein
1 The Soundtrack of Israel: The Story of Israel at 66 through the songs of Arik Einstein Israel turns sixty six this year and a so much has happened in this seemingly short lifetime. Every war, every peace treaty, every struggle, and every accomplishment has left its impact on the ever changing character of the Jewish State. But throughout all of these ups and downs, all of the conflicts and all of the progress, there has been one voice that has consistently spoken for the Jewish nation, one voice that has represented Israelis for all 66 years and will continue to represent a people far into the future. That is the voice of Arik Einstein. Einstein’s music, referred to by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the “soundtrack of Israel,” transcended generations. Einstein often took the words of high-brow Israeli poets such as Chaim Nachman Bialik, Rahel, Nathan Alterman and Avraham Halfi and turned them into rock anthems sung by vibrant Israeli youth. Einstein captured the heart and soul of Israelis old and young. For every Zionist, peacenik, settler, hopeless romantic, nostalgia aficionado and child (or child at heart) in Israel, there is at least one Arik Einstein song that speaks to them. For every historic Israeli moment, there is an Arik Einstein song that represents the emotion of a united nation, or a shuttered people. Although fairly unknown outside of Israel, Arik Einstein was loved by all, and mourned by all after his sudden death in November of 2013, when tens of thousands of Israelis joined together to pay their respects to the iconic Sabra at a memorial service in Rabin Square in Tel Aviv.