When he
envisioned a new Jewish state, Herzl had a culture in mind akin to that of
Vienna transplanted to the Mediterranean. The reality today is something dreamed
up by the father of Cultural Zionism, Ahad Ha'am, who felt that Israel could be
a place of cultural renewal for the Jewish people. New expressions of Jewish
art, music, and literature rooted in Hebrew language and classical source texts
coming out of a homeland could be the basis of a regenerative force in Jewish
life around the world. This month, some great examples arrive in Chicago to
celebrate Israeli Independence Day, each with their own unique flavor and take
on the Jewish State.
Hadag Nachash - Israel's leading funk
and hip-hop group has been entertaining audiences around the world for 15 years
and Hadag Nahash is still going strong. Their blend of eastern and western
musical elements has always had a layer of serious messaging on peace,
tolerance, and equality. Among their best known songs are "Gabi ve Debi," "Lo
Frayerim," and "Lezuz" from their second album of the same name. Another notable
hit was "Misparim," a social commentary on Israeli society and the Jewish
obsession with numbers, taking a jaundiced eye towards everything from the peace
process to economic inequality to the Holocaust. Their famed 2004 "Shirat
haSticker" (The Sticker Song) consisted of a reading of the colorful and
contradictory bumper stickers found on Israeli cars, compiled by poet and writer
David Grossman. Hadag Nahash's hallmark is their funk-infused groove to which
one cannot help but dance. 8pm, Monday, April 22, City Winery, 1200 W.
Randolph, Chicago.
Achinoam Nina (Noa) has been one
of Israel's leading performers and cultural ambassadors for over two decades.
Her infectious pop songs reflect the hope and optimism of her generation while
incorporating many influences and of her Yemenite heritage. 8pm, Sunday,
April 25, City Winery, 1200 W. Randolph, Chicago.
Matisyahu,
The Maccabeats, and King David Drummers headline JUF's Israel
Solidarity Day. This year's official community celebration of Israel's 65th
birthday will take place on the grounds of Ravinia Festival in north suburban
Highland Park. Pop star Matisyahu will make his fourth Chicago area appearance
in six months, performing stripped down arrangements of his recent releases and
a few of his greatest hits.
A cappella ensemble The Maccabeats
will also perform their upbeat parodies of pop songs to the delight of many. The
vocal ensemble originated at Yeshiva University and became a YouTube sensation
for their quirky, humorous, and sometimes touching musical videos. Their
clean-cut appearance, positive message, and bright sunny harmonies are
appropriate and entertaining for families and audiences of all ages. The whole
day will march to the rhythm and beat of the King David Drummers. With
djembes, darbukas, tofs and riqs in arm,
their mix of Middle Eastern and African drumming will keep everyone grooving and
moving before and after the kickoff rally and Walk with Israel. It should be an
excellent day. Israel Solidarity Day, 11am, Sunday, April 28th Ravinia
Festival, HIghland Park.
The Fountainheads - The
Community Foundation for Jewish Education and the Midwest Region of the Jewish
Agency (JAFI) present a community concert by The Fountainheads to celebrate
Jewish education on the evening of Tuesday, April 30. The ensemble is group of
young Israeli singers, dancers, and musicians, all of whom are either students
or graduates of the Ein Prat Academy for Leadership. The institution, located
just outside Jerusalem, is a unique forum for developing young minds that brings
together Jews from all backgrounds for a course of study that turns them into a
new generation of Zionist leaders. The more musically inclined among them have
decided to take Ahad Ha'am's message to heart, creating energizing new Jewish
artistic content online. Asher Ginsberg may not have envisioned YouTube at the
time, but the Fountainheads are successfully using to spread their music.
Their material is primarily pop songs with lyrics centering around the theme
of a specific holiday. They have posted four charming music videos online, all
of which have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times. They include "Dip Your
Apple," a 2011 release timed with Rosh Hashanah that was the most watched online
video in Israel that year. They have subsequently released other music videos
online, including "Light Up the Night" for Chanukah, "Dayenu, Coming Home" for
Passover, and "Raise Your Mask" for Purim. In each, a large cast joyfully sings
and dances in front of familiar Israeli backdrops.
Attractive,
fresh-faced, wholesome and fun-loving, they convey a positive image and clear
lyrics conveying Jewish content that feels like a sort of contemporary Jewish
"Free to be You and Me." The Fountainheads have succeeded in creating a sort of
video midrash that has made their material a useful educational aide in
the classroom. Beyond this, they're simply a delight to watch and hear. Their
performance is engaging and appropriate for audiences of all ages, including
children, young families, and teens. 7pm, Tuesday, April 30 at Chicagoland
Jewish High School, 1095 Lake Cook Rd Deerfield.
Adam Davis is
the founder and executive director ofKFAR Jewish Arts
Center, a leading presenter and advocate of contemporary Jewish arts,
music, and culture programs in and around Chicago.For future arts
suggestions and feedback, e-mail Adam at adam@kfarcenter.org.
