Celebrating Israeli Culture and Expression (Pride):
We believe that one of the most beautiful expressions of להיות עם חופשי בארצנו (To be a Free People in Our Land) is the flourishing of Jewish culture and art that has come as a natural progression from the Jewish people building a thriving society in their ancestral homeland.
Click here for the downloadable pdf.
Goals:
Reaching intimacy with Israeli popular culture.
Our identity is enriched and informed by many aspects of popular culture, yet Israeli popular culture often remains distant from us due to language. Thankfully, technology and our own creativity can now act as a bridging tool.
In this activity, we will look at the way videos of several popular Israeli rock songs communicate – through visuals and through translations. We will then make our own interpretive music videos, and share our finished products with one another.
In this way, through creative interpretation, we will ‘own’ Israeli songs that tell fascinating and different stories about Israel today.
Part one – what does a video do?
In class, explore three songs and their video representations.
In this way the class will gain a language and an appreciation of the potential of this form.
1. “Hebrewman”, by Ehud Banai
An interpretative music video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naHbB15Eav8
Speak up, the language of the Hebrewman
Loud and clear! the language of the Hebrewman!.
It is the language of the prophets
of the sign up on the wall
it is old and sacred
It will open up your soul.
Speak up, the language of the Hebrewman
Loud and clear! the language of the Hebrewman.
From the deepest mess of downtown Babylon
it will take you to the next train to Mount Zion
It will get you up, it will make you fly
the language of the Hebrewman will take you high
You know Abraham spoke the language of the hebrewman
And also Jesus from Nazareth and Maria Magdalene
Einstein, Jeremiah the Dylan and the Cohen
They know something about the language of the Hebrew man…
And when the Lord said let there be Light
it was in the language of the Hebrewman
and when Moses said: let my people go
it was in the language of the Hebrewman
speak the language of the Hebrewman.
והיה ביום ההוא אור חדש גדול יאיר [And on that day a great new light will shine]
לאט נפתח הסדק לאט נופל הקיר [The crack will open slowly, slowly will fall the wall]
וכשתגיע השעה יבוא אחד בשם אחד [And when the time comes on will come in the name of the One]
יכירו וידעו כל העולם שפה אחת [All the whole world will know one language]
speak the language of the Hebrewman.
והיה ביום ההוא יבוא אחד בשם אחד [And when the time comes on will come in the name of the One]
יכירו וידעו כל העולם שפה אחת [All the whole world will know one language]
לאט נבנה הבית קו לקו ואות לאות [Slowly we’ll build the Temple, line by line & letter by letter]
אל נא תאמר לי ביי ביי, אמור רק להתראות. [Don’t say bye-bye to me, just say “Lehitra’ot”]
speak the language of the Hebrewman.
and let us all say halleluya
Let us all say : amen
a day will come and everybody
will speak the language of the Hebrewman.
Guiding questions:
- Which aspects of the video enhanced the song, which aspects got in the way?
- Which images helped you understand something, and which images pulled you further from understanding?
- Were there any moments when you felt the video was flowing with the song?
- Were there any moments when you felt the video was trying to say something different from the song?
- What do you think about the way the song praises Hebrew, but is mostly in English?
2. Yetziat Mitzrayim (Exodus from Egypt), by Etti Ankri
Watch here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_j5QpvR-pY
English Translation:
To leave in the exodus from Egypt To arrive in the desert Perhaps we’ll find some water there On the way to the mountainMay it open in two The salt water And we shall pass in between All those who are weeping
And they are gaining on us An army of cavalry It is difficult for Moshe The people have no faith in their hearts
The beach’s touch is calming The sea gapes open its mouth What if we return to Egypt? Fear has no memory
We were builders of pyramids Interpreters of dreams We had nothing we could call our own Only salt and tears
This is Jacob’s pain Over little Joseph Sown within us Is senseless brotherly hatred
And sometimes it seems to me When I am ready to give up Pharaoh is my disorder And I am sad for Egypt
And sometimes it seems to me What we are still there Walking towards the mountain Begging for water
May it open up in two The salt water And we shall pass in between – All those that are walking
Guiding questions:
- Which images in the video enhanced the song, which images got in the way?
- Which images helped you understand something, and which images pulled you further from understanding?
- Were there any moments when you felt the video was flowing with the song?
- Were there any moments when you felt the video was trying to say something different from the song?
- Can you imagine a Bible song ever getting major mainstream airplay in the States? What do you think it tells you about Israel, that this song did?
3. Nothing at all – Knisiyat HaSechel
Play the video clip of the song by Knisiyat HaSechel without translation.
What is the video saying to you?
[Here you should allow for a free-ranging conversation. If opinions are not forthcoming, throw out some observations: the fact that all the actors are children, that at first the kids are at an army exhibition, that there are kids from all ethnic and religious backgrounds. Why/what is the child climbing? What of the over-sized army uniform, stripping off the uniform? And what of the fetus-shaped gathering of bodies?]
There are no wrong answers for this conversation, personal interpretations and individual responses are welcome.
Now play the clip with the subtitles included.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Quv3vgzyjyI
The words to this song come from a poem written by a young soldier, Erez Shtark. He died in a notorious military helicopter crash in February 1997. The poem was read out at his funeral, and eventually turned into a rock song by Knisiyat HaSechel.
How does seeing the translation affect your understanding of the video?
Part Two – make your own!
After this introductory lesson, send the students home with a clear assignment:
Create your own interpretive video to an Israeli song. The video must include a simultaneous translation, and some form of additional imagery – stills, animation, or video – that for you expresses/enhances the meaning of the song.
Students may choose the song from the three offered in Part One, or from the three songs presented below. They can work with any computer program they wish – you might want to gather wisdom from the class, suggesting programs to work with.
The next meeting, they must present their music videos to the class.
Part three – the screening
If more than one student has made a video of the same song, we recommend screening all videos of the same song in one batch, so that the students can experience how the same song can be interpreted in multiple ways. [This multi-vocality, you may point out, is a crucial tool for meeting Israel in its full complexity.]
After each video, or set of videos, lead a short discussion on the songs and on their interpretations.
Some other recommended songs:
Da (Alma Zohar)דע – עלמה זוהר –
Listen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTs8cfWiTh8
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Look at you
Lying, hiding
Not trusting anyone
Prefer to be alone
No outgoing, no incoming
Not giving, and not seeking love
With you everything is mask upon mask With a lie in your soul Hurt people Don’t know how to ask for forgiveness How do you live? Cold and alienated Closed and introverted Look in a mirror and see a stranger Know who you are Know where you came from And where you are going And before Whom you will give your accounting Look at you using and throwing away Chewing up and spitting out You have everything And it’s not enough You are empty How can you distance all who are close? How do you suppress all that’s not good? Don’t let anyone love you Know who you are Know where you came from And where you are going And before Whom you will give your accounting Know that all is quid pro quo All that you do in this world Will always return to you Until you change direction Until you seek repair You will have no rest It haunts you
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תראה אותך
משקר, מסתתר
לא בוטח באף אחד
מעדיף להיות לבד
אין יוצא ואין בא
לא נותן ולא מבקש אהבה
הכל אצלך מסכה ועוד מסכה עושה שקר בנפשך פוגע לא יודע לבקש סליחה איך אתה חי קר ומנוכר סגור ומסוגר מסתכל במראה רואה שם מישהו זר דע מי אתה דע מאין באת ולאן אתה הולך ובפני מי אתה עתיד לתת דין דין וחשבון
תראה אותך משתמש וזורק לועס ויורק יש לך הכל וזה לא מספק אתה ריק איך אתה מרחיק כל מי שקרוב איך אתה מדחיק כל מה שלא טוב לא נותן לאהוב אותך דע מי אתה דע מאין באת ולאן אתה הולך ובפני מי אתה עתיד לתת דין דין וחשבון דע הכל מידה כנגד מידה כל דבר שאתה עושה בעולם הזה לעולם חוזר חזרה עד שלא תשנה כיוון עד שלא תבקש תיקון לא תהיה לך מנוחה זה רודף אותך |
Guiding questions:
- The words of this song are taken from Pirkei Avot- Ethics of the Fathers.
- Who do you think the “you” in the song is/ who is she talking to?
- What’s the song about? (knowing yourself, not hiding, being accountable, taking initiative)
Shma – Sarit Hadad שמע ישראל – שרית חדד
Listen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDCOo4_LEXk
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When the heart cries
only God hears
The pain rises out of the soul
A man falls down before he sinks
With a short prayer he breaks the silence
Shma (Hear) Israel my God, you’ are the omnipotent You gave me my life, you gave me everything In my eyes are tears, the heart cries silently And when the heart is quiet, the soul screams Shma (Hear) Israel my God, now I am alone Make me strong my God; make it that I won’t be afraid The pain is big, and there’s no where to run away Make it end Because I have no strength left When the heart cries, Time stands still All of a sudden, the man sees his entire life He doesn’t want to go to the unknown He cries to his God right before a big fall Shma (Hear) Israel my God…. |
כשהלב בוכה
רק אלוהים שומע הכאב עולה מתוך הנשמה אדם נופל לפני שהוא שוקע בתפילה קטנה חותך את הדממה. שמע ישראל אלוהי אתה הכל יכול נתת לי את חיי נתת לי הכל בעיני דמעה הלב בוכה בשקט וכשהלב שותק הנשמה זועקת שמע ישראל אלוהי עכשיו אני לבד חזק אותי אלוהי עשה שלא אפחד הכאב גדול ואין לאן לברוח עשה שיגמר כי לא נותר בי כח. כשהלב בוכה הזמן עומד מלכתהאדם רואה את כל חייו פתאום אל הלא נודע הוא לא רוצה ללכת לאלוהיו קורא על סף תהום. שמע ישראל אלוהי… |
Guiding questions:
- This song is most commonly played on national days of mourning in Israel
- Is the pain described in this song only relevant to tragedy in Israel, or any pain in the world?
- The singer turns to God for strength, who do you turn to for help in tough times?
