Common themes in Israeli music:

Beauty of the landJewish love for and connection to the landIngathering of exilesSocial/Political commentaryLonging for peace

And you will hear: many and varied instruments and rhythms, the influence of many cultures, bits of Biblical text and prayer, “repurposing” classic poems

Nomi Shemer, “Queen of Israeli Song”

http://news.eteacherhebrew.com/newsletters/issue-94-july-2010-naomi-shemer

Photo-- Yael Rozen http://www.haaretz.com/life/arts-leisure/.premium-1.566107

Wrote and performed songs that: extolled beauty of the land, i.e. “The Eucalyptus

Grove”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDNtdPiL584Celebrated the deep Jewish connection to the

land, i.e. “There is a Land”:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSINskcBJsY

She is most famous for:“Jerusalem of Gold” (Yerushalayim shel Zahav)Originally recorded by Shuli Natan:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yR9KDduDVAOne of many later versions:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFhdbLynNhk

Operation Magic Carpet- 1949

http://archives.jdc.org/about-us/from-the-archives/alaska-airline-pilot-airlifts.html

Ofrah HazaFamily came from YemenLived in a poor neighborhood in Tel AvivIsrael’s top pop star from early ‘80’s until her

death in 2000

“Chai”- Israel’s entry in Eurovision Song Contest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sza9ZsP4u9U

http://www.sabranet.com/theisraelhour/ofra.html

“Im Ninalu”(If the Gates are Closed)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRnzTTYk7_Q

http://www.quotessays.com/bio/ofra-haza.html

Operation Moses 1984Operation Solomon 1991

http://jewishcentralvoice.com/2011/06/operation-solomon-a-look-back-in-photos/

http://www.israeltoday.co.il/SupportIsrael/BundleofLove/tabid/237/post/beta-israel-world-awareness-and-redemption-part-2/Default.aspx?support=article_title#stories

http://www.kh-uia.org.il/En/Newsandevents/KHnewsblog/Post.aspx?id=320

Shlomo Gronich and the Sheba Choir

“HaMasa l’Eretz Yisrael”(The Journey to Israel)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJ9wheyZOdo

“Shir Yisraeli”(An Israeli Song)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtVOveFh76c#aid=P9Qx4epC0EwPhoto- Dan Zudkevitz http://www.midnighteast.com/mag/?p=8924

Idan Raichel Project

http://www.idanraichelproject.com/en/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idan_Raichelhttp://www.stat.tamu.edu/~sherman/Jmusic/Photos/twoconcerts.htm

HaDag Nachash

(Snakefish)Social and Political

Commentary

http://www.teev.com/old/hadag/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirat_Hasticker

“Shirat HaSticker”(The Sticker Song)

SO MANY Peace Songs

Hard to choose- here are some favorites

David Broza: “Yiyeh Tov” (It’ll Be Good)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GWDU_o3--o

http://www.citywinery.com/chicago/catalog/product/view/_ignore_category/1/id/436832/

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3393256,00.html

Uzi Hitman: “Noldati l’Shalom” (I Was Born for Peace)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0hPlRvERnUhttp://www.radiojai.com.ar/jaitv/home.asp?id=51764&sub=6

Shir L’Shalom(A Song of Peace)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loEjCbSPNjw

http://www.jewishjournal.com/music/article/right_place_wrong_time_20091208

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwWFA04sqEo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jxns9TEVdYhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ayEbQShOX

Uhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R04NBfi5NOg