Behind the Scenes
Talia Eckstein
Christina Johns
Hear the truth about the latest events from on the ground in Israel — even when news stations aren’t reporting it. Make sure you stay informed. Information is live as it happens so be sure to check back frequently.
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Alicia Keys is the latest celebrity targeted by anti-Israel activists from the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which include Alice Walker and Roger Waters. Despite calls from the movement to cancel her upcoming performance in Tel Aviv on July 4th, Keys has confirmed she plans to go ahead with her scheduled concert. Good work for standing up to those anti-Israel bullies!
I look forward to my first visit to Israel. Music is a universal language that is meant to unify audiences in peace and love, and that is the spirit of ourshow,” Keys said in a statement Friday to the New York Times.
Pulitzer Prize-winning author and activist, Alice Walker, and Pink Floyd member, RogerWaters, had beseeched Keys BDSto boycott the Jewish state.
Waker had wrote an open letter to Keys stating, “It would grieve me to know you are putting yourself in…
This is incredible! Check out this man playing Hatikvah, the Israeli anthem, on his shofar (ram’s horn).
We’ve heard Leonard Cohen’s moving song “Hallelujah” sung time and time again by various musicians, but we guarantee you have never heard it sung like this before. Eleven-year-old Shalev Menashe sings “Hallelujah” in Hebrew on an Israeli talent show. Be prepared to get goose bumps!
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The five men of the ultra-orthodox hip hop band “Shtar” are rising quickly on the Israeli music scene, with a sound and a message that are changing minds and bringing people together all over the world. The band members dress in the typical garb of the ultra-orthodox – black velvet skullcaps, white collared shirts and black pants – but their music is anything but typical.
Shtar shatters any preconception that being a religious Jew and making hip hop music are mutually exclusive endeavors. Their album is a unique blend of hip-hop and rock, while the lyrics are grounded in spiritually elevating themes. “It’s not a contradiction in our eyes. The music’s an expression of who we are,” lyricist Ori Murray said in an interview on Israeli TV. “I think we can build bridges,” says guitarist, songwriter, and producer Brad Rubinstein. “Being a frum religious observant yid (Jew) doesn’t make you weird or restrict you in any way shape or form. You can definitely build bridges…
We love turning on the radio this time of year and singing along with all of our favorite Christmas songs. But this year we asked ourselves, why should Christmas get all the songs? With Hanukkah just days away, we’ve compiled a list of eight of our favorite Hanukkah jams – one for every night of the holiday. Happy holidays, and enjoy!
Matisyahu, “Happy Hanukkah” – We LOVE this new Hanukkah song by American reggae artist Matisyahu – and it’s not just because of the great beat! All proceeds from his song “Happy Hanukkah” will be donated to help victims of Hurricane Sandy. “I am from New York and wanted to give back to my incredible community in the wake of Hurricane Sandy,” said Matisyahu. He’s talented and generous too!