Jerusalem Post, Up Front; July 13, 2007
Click here for original
For followers of controversial novelist/philosopher Ayn Rand, Israel is the one glimmer of light in the Middle East's cultural and intellectual darkness. Dr. Yaron Brook applies Ayn Rand's philosophies to Israel's predicaments.
Anyone who has heard Dr. Yaron Brook lecture on foreign policy would likely call him a militant, unflinching champion of Israel. His loyalty, however, does not derive from his Jewish or Israeli background. He's a proud atheist, who admits to not knowing - or really caring - when the Pessah Seder falls. He relentlessly defends Israel and the West because he puts his faith in the rational, free, individual soul.
Brook is the president and executive director of the Ayn Rand Institute (ARI) in Irvine, California, an educational institute and resource center entrusted with spreading Objectivism, the formal name of the philosophy of the controversial 20th-century novelist-philosopher.
'We view what happens in Israel as an indicator of what will happen in the rest of the world. To the extent America abandons Israel, it abandons itself. Israel is a beacon of civilization in a barbaric, backward area,' Brook said on a recent trip here to visit family with his wife, also an Israeli expatriate, and their two children. 'Israel represents, despite its flaws, the values of the West: individual rights, free speech, freedom of the press, equality before the law and the rule of law.'
Objectivism upholds values generally associated with Western culture - individualism, reason and science - but its distinctive development is a moral ideal of 'selfishness,' whereby someone's own happiness is a moral responsibility. The home page of ARI presents Rand's mantra: 'My philosophy, in essence, is the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute.'
ARI was founded in 1985, after Rand's death, by her intellectual heir, Leonard Peikoff, to pave the way for a philosophical and cultural renaissance in the US and to reverse what ARI sees as anti-reason, anti-individualism and anti-capitalist trends in today's culture. It concentrates on American domestic issues, but Israel figures prominently in its lectures, essays and editorials.
'Ayn Rand herself commented that Israel was one of the few causes she ever voluntarily supported,' Brook said. 'The West turning against Israel - which she saw occurring in the late 1960s and early 1970s - was the West committing suicide.'
Those familiar with Rand's disdain for religion and socialism might find her sympathy for Israel surprising. '[Rand] said Israel has problems, as all countries, but Israel is still West,' Brook said. 'It respects individual rights, reason and science. She could separate out essentials from non-essentials. If Israel abandoned all its Western values, it wouldn't deserve support.'
BORN ALICE ROSENBAUM in 1905 in St. Petersburg to a secular, middle-class Jewish family, Rand fled to the US from the Soviet Union in 1925 because she saw America as the best model of a free country. The new communist regime had already confiscated her father's pharmacy.
Rand maintained no Jewish affiliation throughout her life and shunned religion because it was based on faith as opposed to reason. At 29, she wrote in her philosophical journal: 'I want to fight religion as the root of all human lying and the only excuse for suffering.' She observed no Jewish holidays, but kept Christmas as an American holiday celebrating life and human productivity. Her only acknowledgment of her Jewish identity came in the face of anti-Semitic remarks, as a retort to racism.
She married an American named Frank O'Conner and deliberately had no children so she could give birth to fictional characters who upheld her vision of a hero. Her trademark character is Howard Roark, the intransigent architect of The Fountainhead, who refuses to bend his architectural vision to society's irrational standards. Her magnum opus, Atlas Shrugged, dignifies the villain of socialist artists - the industrial capitalist - through a futuristic depiction of a collectivist America.
From the 1950s until her death in 1982, she led an intellectual movement based on Objectivism, although some critics have dubbed it a cult. Brook thinks her popularity is now at its highest, with more than 750,000 of her books sold annually.
Historically, American academia has been dismissive of Ayn Rand, but in recent years her work is increasingly being included in mainstream curricula. According to the Ayn Rand Institute, which works to raise her profile in academic circles, more than 30 professors teach Rand in leading American universities, with the number continually growing.
Rand remains an obscure figure in Israeli academia, even though many Israelis read her novels in their teens and 20s, including Prof. Elhanan Yakira, head of the philosophy department at the Hebrew University. 'I don't know anyone with us that really teaches her philosophy,' he said. 'There could be people that deal with her, but I don't really know. Sometimes people mention her name, but not a lot.' He can't comment on whether her lack of representation stems from any antipathy to her ideas.
In the 1970s, a capricious philosopher named Moshe Kroy taught Rand's philosophy at Tel Aviv University, but he eventually abandoned rational egoism for Scientology, and later, Indian mysticism, which may have contributed to the perception that her philosophy is a fad. Rand's philosophy is no longer taught at Tel Aviv University.
When asked what he thought of Rand, Joseph Agassi, professor emeritus of philosophy at Tel Aviv University and York University in Toronto, reacted with sharp dislike, calling her a 'fool' and her philosophy unserious. 'It's very low quality,' he said. 'It's extreme right, although not religious right.'
He'd rather teach someone like Khalil Jibran, a Lebanese-born inspirational philosopher. 'He's much more friendly; I just like him more, but I wouldn't teach him either.' He adds that Rand's philosophy is generally easy to study independently and doesn't require a university course.
Prof. Noah Milgram, who attended Brook's lecture, would not be surprised if Israeli professors shy away from her. 'The socialist bent of many Israeli-born and Israeli- trained academicians is such that if they read Ayn Rand's novels, they'd probably dismiss them as inhumane stories about egoism,' said Milgram, dean of graduate studies at the College of Judea and Samaria and professor emeritus in psychology at Tel Aviv University.
Milgram first heard of Rand in the early 1950s, when The Fountainhead was on the reading list of a course on American intellectual thought he took as a student at Harvard. The course was taught by the eminent historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr.
Milgram remained an admirer of her works, and his daughter, Shoshana, a professor at Virginia Tech University, does biographic and literary research on the life and work of Rand.
'In America there is more respect for the notion that the goals of individuals are more important than the goals enforced upon him by society,' he said. 'Admittedly, American universities also have a slant toward liberal and left-leaning thinking, but her ideas are more acceptable in American philosophical and political thought, precisely because they are in accord with the American ideal of the individual acting in accord with his conscience, conquering the frontier and advancing from the log cabin in which he was born to the White House.'
Unlike in the US, where there are many campus clubs dedicated to Objectivism and several independent organizations that systematically study and discuss Rand's work, there are few organized outlets in Israel for Rand scholars and admirers. Over the years there have been attempts to create campus clubs and fan networks here, but none of them stuck.
BOAZ ARAD, an Objectivist who runs his own company selling mobile computers and accessories, started a magazine dedicated to Objectivism in 1987. In 2005 it evolved into Anochi.com, the only comprehensive Hebrew Web site dedicated to Rand's ideas and which received the blessing of ARI. ('Anochi' means 'I' in archaic Hebrew, as a reference to Rand's virtue of 'selfishness.') According to Arad, the site's number of visitors is on the rise, reaching several thousand a month. He estimates there are about 100 Objectivists in Israel and about 1,000 ardent Rand admirers.
Arad developed an interest in Rand after reading The Fountainhead as a teen. He and Brook met in their late teens, united by their interest in Rand's ideas, and it was Arad who organized Brook's lecture.
While the Jewish state may lack serious representation of Rand scholarship, in the US, many leaders of the Objectivist movement are Jewish.
'Most communists are Jewish. Most professors are Jewish. Jews are intellectuals, so they dominate any intellectual movement,' Brook commented. 'Jews dominate the anti-Zionist movement. I wouldn't be surprised if Jews head up Holocaust denial. Jews are intellectual; they gravitate towards ideas. Why that is, that's a deeper question. I think they'd certainly gravitate towards a set of ideas that make sense.' In fact, many of the writers and fellows at the Ayn Rand Institute are Jewish.
Arad said the lack of crossover of Rand's ideas to modern Israel is not terribly surprising. 'Israel had very strong leftist roots historically, especially among the intellectuals, and they felt very intimidated by Ayn Rand ideas, but this didn't cancel the fact that many Israelis read and love Ayn Rand and consider her books to be very moving and inspiring. Not as many applied her ideas to their lives and pursued the philosophy behind the books.'
He related how he recently received a call from an elderly lady who said she was a fan of Ayn Rand. 'She never knew there was any activity related to Ayn Rand, whom she always liked since she was young. I'm sure there are many more like her around.'
(BOX) 'You don't fight a tactic'
Dr. Yaron Brook, 46, speaks and carries himself like a Rand hero. His facial features are angular, his demeanor self-confident. His language is principled, logical, certain, fired by moral passion, replete with absolute terms: good and evil, right and wrong, defeat and victory. He has a slight lisp, which is easily overshadowed by the controversial and harsh words that roll off his tongue.
For the first time since he left Israel for America in 1987 - for essentially the same reasons Rand did - Brook gave a lecture in his mother country: 'Israel and the West's War with Islamic Totalitarianism: Why We are Losing.'
Born in Jerusalem and raised in Haifa, Brook met few intellectuals here who could nurture his interest in Rand's ideas, which he first developed at 16 after reading Atlas Shrugged. The novel catapulted him out of the socialist-Zionist way of thought he had inherited from his South African-Israeli parents and from Israeli education and culture.
'I resisted Atlas Shrugged when I read it, but she convinced me,' he said.
After serving in the army and receiving his BA from the Technion, he took off for the US. 'Israel is small, but with its socialist policy, ridiculous political system, constant external threats, I didn't think it was the place I could make the most of my life,' Brook said.
He went on to receive a PhD in finance and taught finance for seven years at Santa Clara University while running his own consulting firm and a company that organized objectivist conferences. He became head of the Ayn Rand Institute in 2001.
September 11 marked a turning point for ARI, which saw itself in a unique position to defend America morally and intellectually. Brook's Israeli background, along with Israel's struggles with terror, made the Jewish state an even more popular topic on the institute's agenda. Brook has lectured at numerous US college campuses, often under tight security, appeared numerous times on Fox and CNBC, and is emerging as one of the most outspoken voices when it comes to the 'War on Terror,' a title, Brook says, that already dooms the West to failure.
'You don't fight a tactic,' he said in his talk. 'Terrorism is a tactic, and I believe we have to look at the ideological source of terrorism in order to identify the true enemy.' He defines this source as Islamic totalitarianism, which he describes as an expansionist philosophy that seeks to spread Islam by the sword, but he thinks that the enemy's identity has been blurred or ignored by government leaders and the intelligentsia.
'We don't have the guts, the courage, the self-esteem to even identify who the enemy is. We couch it in terms of terrorists who happen to be Muslims who are 'hijacking a great religion.' We're afraid to say 'Islamic anything': Islamic fascism, totalitarianism, whatever you want to call it.' The fear stems, he said, from the academic trend of multiculturalism, in which all cultures are morally equal, and moral relativism, in which 'anything goes' in human behavior.
But, he said, the most damaging idea to the cause of the West is the opposite of Rand's virtue of selfishness: altruism, which Rand didn't define as good-hearted kindness and generosity, but as the idea that one must sacrifice his own interests for the sake of others. Altruism, said Brook, leads to pacifism because 'self-defense is a very selfish act. It's a very self-interested act to defend one's own life, especially in war.'
Brook argues that this form of altruism goads both America and Israel to wage 'compassionate wars': for the American army to build sewers instead of ruthlessly bombing terrorist targets, and for the IDF to send food into Gaza instead of troops and tanks. With such an altruistic approach, Brook says, Israel is setting itself up for defeat.
'There's a whole generation of post-Zionist professors who've been writing for the past 20, 30 years, here in Israel, how this country was founded on original sin,' Brook said in his talk. '[They say] there's no basis for this country; there's no moral reason why this country should exist. We've exploited; we've stolen; we've taken from peaceful people. It's our fault for all these problems. When that's the center of your focus, when you're filled with self-doubt, when you don't believe that your values are better than anyone else's, you cannot fight. You cannot win.
'I believe victory is possible, it just takes something we're not willing to do.' That 'something,' he said confidently, is to wage war with little restraint and without apology against Islamic totalitarianism.
'Israel should plan and execute a systematic invasion of Gaza in which its goal is to wipe out the political and military leadership and infrastructure of Hamas, and to do so systematically and brutally. It needs to send a message to the world, to the Muslim population of the world, to Palestinians in the West Bank, that Israel will not tolerate a terrorist state at its border and would not tolerate the existence of an organization like Hamas.'
What about international opinion? 'The issue of Israel's survival is at stake, so the choice, I believe, is between the world loving us and we're dead or the world hating us for a while but we survive and thrive and we live. You cannot make life-or-death choices based on other people's opinions of you. You have to make choices on what you believe is necessary for your survival, your success.'
'If you want to win, innocents will die. There is no way to get around it. There was no war in which innocents didn't die, and there won't be. At the end of the day, the question is whose 'innocents.' Ours or theirs? If we have pride, self-respect, we have to protect our own innocents.'
HE CONCEDES the validity of Jews banding together in the face of the collective threat of anti-Semitism, but in his essay 'The Rise and Decline of Israel' he argued that the Jewish state's collectivist and religious basis, socialist Zionism, has sown the seeds for its own downfall.
'Zionism fused a valid concern - self-preservation amid a storm of hostility - with a toxic premise - ethnically based collectivism and religion,' he wrote.
Socialist Zionism, he said, also led to the Oslo Accords, through which Israel agreed to set up another ethnically and religiously based state along its border, despite it being headed by a proven terrorist. 'Here was a man [Yasser Arafat] who represents a suffering people, an ethnic group that sought to make its claim for statehood a reality. How could Israel say no? Wasn't it similar to - and so just as legitimate as - the claim of the Jews?'
Given objectivism's capitalistic ideal of private property, he opposes government confiscation of private Arab land for Jewish settlement as much as he opposes the notion of 'public land' - Arab or Jewish. Yet he regards the settlements as security - and moral - buffers; they are a test of the Palestinian's true intentions.
'If the [Palestinians] really want peace why do they want settlements dismantled?' Brook said. 'Why wouldn't they say we want a Palestinian state and we want these Jews to stay here and live as full citizens of the Palestinian state? They're productive individuals, they create jobs, they bring a wealth of knowledge. If Palestinians are about ethnic cleansing, getting rid of Jews so that the Palestinian state is pure, then they're not ready for peace, and Israel should not make peace with them.'
Given his strong opposition to evacuating settlements, one might guess that the right-wing settlers are natural allies for objectivists. Editorials of the Ayn Rand Institute have been published in such right-wing outlets as Arutz 7.
But Brook disagrees. 'I think their whole basis for agreeing with me is corrupt and wrong. Most settlers agree with me for religious reasons. They believe it's some kind of Holy Land that God promised them. The rest of their analysis is derived from that premise, not from a true, rational observation of reality. I think the logic of 'God promised this and gave me this' is one that can only lead to bloodshed and war. I don't think people who have that approach can come up with solutions to deal with the threat.'
Friday, July 13, 2007
Friday, June 29, 2007
The music scene's new groove
Jerusalem Post, Metro; June 29, 2007
Record companies, musicians and schools are dealing with the cellphone and Internet era by restructuring the way they make and sell their music.
The digital age has claimed many casualties the world over: printed classified ads, snail mail, music CDs, and no less than all of these, record companies. Music technology and the internet have transformed the way creative musicians produce, market and distribute music, rendering many artists less reliant on record companies.
Artists can now brand themselves as record labels, creating full albums from the comfort of their own bedroom for little more than the cost of computer hardware and software.
Israeli record companies are restructuring their business models to adapt to industry developments brought on by new technologies. Music schools are adding technology and music business courses to their curricula, and artists are picking up new, non-music related skills in order to compete as self-sufficient artists.
To help musicians navigate the redrawn industry battleground, Koltura, a Tel Aviv-based production and public relations company, held its first 'Conference for Israeli Musicians' earlier this month, drawing over 100 musicians over the course of three days, covering topics such as breaking into international markets, grass-roots concert promotion, penetrating the cellphone market and self-management.
'In our two years of operation, we have encountered many artists who are very talented but face obstacles in getting their music heard, making a living from music, and managing themselves in the music industry,' explained Oded Mizrachi, public relations director of Koltura. 'Many musicians manage themselves in a way that was relevant 20 years ago - they view record labels and radio as the main means. Today, in the world of the internet and cellphones - an age when everyone can record in their home studios - there are many more opportunities for artists who haven't signed with a record label to promote themselves, whether through internet marketing or intense field work to get gigs.'
During the same week of this conference, the Hed College of Contemporary Music in south Tel Aviv held a week-long seminar on the music business - a largely underdiscussed topic in local music schools - as part of the school's 16th anniversary celebrations. Entitled 'How to Advance a Music Industry Career,' the seminar brought top industry professionals to lecture on topics such as copyrights, the functions of a record company and public relations.
'Today the name of the game is marketing, PR, collaborations and initiative,' says music producer Danny Recht, who lectured on the effect of industry changes in the market. Recht runs his own music consultancy firm and has produced hit albums for Israeli bands including Rockfour, Teapacks and Knesiat HaSechel.
Speaking with Metro at his sleek studio loft in south Tel Aviv, he noted that the most striking change in the music industry has been the proliferation of quality home studios that have made the 'master recording' - the main commodity of music companies - obsolete.
Some music today doesn't even require packaging. Songs or tracks could be created using digital synthesizers and then transferred as a digital file with the touch of a button.
Recht pulled out a 'relic' from Israeli modern history: a two-inch tape of the 1994 album of Knesiat HaSechel on which 24 pre-mix audio channels, symbolized by grooves in the tape, have been recorded. 'I keep it as a souvenir,' he said.
Today, modern sequencing programs simulate the process of a two-inch tape, allowing producers and artists to record and mix dozens of music channels through their personal computer. New sounds can be synthesized using sound design software and some artists can bypass recording acoustic instruments by incorporating natural-sounding instrument music samples into their tracks.
As methods for creating and distributing music have become cheaper and more accessible, artists, managers and record labels must divert their energies and resources to creative marketing and promotion if they want to break into the mainstream market. 'I think music production geared for a commercial audience has to have behind it someone who can strategize and develop an artistic concept,' says Recht. 'Today, it's not enough that a song will sound good. A place has to be created for it on the crowded shelf.'
Udi Henis, A&R director for one of Israel's largest record labels, Hed Artzi, and teacher of music business at the Rimon School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in Ramat Hasharon, considers record companies 'passe' and notes that they must now refashion themselves as 'music companies' to stay afloat. This means focusing more on distribution, public relations and artist management rather than traditional music production. 'They've suddenly understood - it took a bit of time - that you can't make a profit from CDs alone,' says Henis. 'They're getting more into management, booking.'
This does not mean that artists do not seek homes - and transformative backing - within large record companies that have already built up connections, credibility and resources to advance their artists. Henis himself has been responsible for signing breakout artists such as Harel Skaat, Keren Peles and Din Din Aviv.
'We still have a lot of artists. The A&R department is also searching for artists, not necessarily those who are just starting out,' says Henis.
Realizing the importance of the home studio, contemporary music schools in Tel Aviv have all made classes in sequencing technology a required course for its students, although schools vary on the weight they give to music technology.
Muzik, a relatively new music school founded in 1997 as 'the DJ School for Contemporary Music,' has recently developed a three-year academic program born out of the recent changes in the music industry. The approach at Muzik is that technology is not only a means to record, but an indelible part of the creative act, often expressed in electronic music genres such as electro punk, minimal techno, industrial R&B and funk metal. The school offers courses in traditional topics such as music theory, orchestration and arrangement, alongside courses in professional home studio creation, sound design, live performance software, self-promotion and management.
'Until about 12 years ago, a composing musician would have to create a demo, in which he recorded himself singing with accompaniment and presented a cassette to a record label,' explains Ronen Heruti, director of Muzik, from his office near the Azrieli towers. 'A band would go into a recording studio and create a rough sketch. There was only one address: the record company, who usually rejected them. [If not rejected,] the record company would begin the process of signing the artist: producing an album in a professional studio; hiring a musical arranger; coordinating rehearsal rooms; recording, finishing and mastering the work. It was an expensive process. Few artists could afford this production process on their own.'
The mass marketing of the CD-R, the increased speed of computer processors and peer-to-peer technology have changed all that. 'The home studio was born. Suddenly, the computer could be the center of music creation. You may not achieve the same results as recording in a very expensive studio, but you can create something at a professional level,' Heruti expounds.
Muzik's curriculum is based on the vision of an independent artist who can rely on his home computer to draw from a full orchestra - plus original synthesized sounds - to produce a self-made album. 'Our students build their own independent home studios from the moment they enter school,' explains Amit Hecht, the academic director at Muzik. 'They view it as their most important creative toolÊand do most of their production workÊfrom home already at the end of their first year.'
Muzik recently partnered with the Open University to offer a BA in humanities specializing in music production. As part of its pioneering approach, Muzik does not offer formal classes for more traditional musical instruments such as guitar, but rather requires students to study keyboard skills and a percussive instrument. The keyboard serves not only as a piano simulator, but as MIDI controller. For the uninitiated, it is hardware or software which generates and transmits MIDI data to MIDI-enabled devices.
Many artists point out that technology still has its limits, and some are wary of jumping on the 'do-it-all-yourself' bandwagon. Even those conversant with the latest sequencing program or instrument plug-in prefer to focus on developing their musical talent and vision, deferring recording and mixing to technicians.
Michael Gottlieb, a recent graduate of Hed and an aspiring film soundtrack composer, does not rely on his home studio to produce his songs, even though music technology is an integral part of Hed's curriculum. 'The home studio is mostly to create demos. For electronic music it is an alternative, but for recording live instruments, it's not.'
Some genres are less affected by the digital age, among them classical music and jazz. 'Jazz is something that is live. You don't record jazz albums at home,' points out Rimon saxophone student Udi Aranoff. 'CDs of instrumentalist music are not recorded at home, [although] the work of a creator can be done at home.'
Aranoff uses the sequencing program CuBase to compose and test his own melodies. 'No musician works without technology. It's like a kid who doesn't know how to surf the net,' he says.
Na'ama Waisel, 18, a first-year student in composition and arrangement at Rimon, envisions herself as a 'total musician.' 'The musician of tomorrow wants to do everything, to multi-task: production, playing, arrangement, composition, sound and promotion,' she proclaims.
Rimon, Israel's largest school for contemporary music that began its career two decades ago as a school for jazz, has embraced music's technological advances, having added required courses in computer sequencing programs for all students. Yet the school maintains a focus on producing quality musicians steeped in traditional principles of music and performance. 'We teach music first of all and then add technology, hoping that good musicians will know how to use technology to make good music,' says Amikam Kimelman, director of Rimon.
'You can view technology as a new platform - it's like another orchestra. It has new sounds, new abilities, but it's still another platform. It doesn't work by itself - you have to fill it with music.'
Nor does he think that the Internet or cellular phones are powerful enough platforms to create stars. Radio and television still remain the medium of choice for exposure. 'Of course you get plenty of stuff in the internet, but psychologically people prefer to be heard on Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) rather than an internet radio station,' says Kimelman. 'That's where most of the action is. People use television and radio more than computers for music. Songs do sell, you can now buy music on-line, but you can't really be heard. People still try to get into the major labels or a spot on television before trusting their website. It doesn't promote itself.'
Henis of Hed Artzi maintains that (Army Radio's music and traffic updates station) Galgalatz, for example, is still very popular and a coveted destination for mainstream artists. 'We're very much dependent on radio. We try to use the Internet as much as possible, but radio is the secret.'
As it has been for decades, getting on a radio playlist is not as easy as posting music on a Myspace page or Youtube. 'Radio is a very sore subject,' says Henis. 'We have no control over the radio. Many times I get music which I know from experience and my guts will do very well, but the only way it'll get heard is through radio, and they won't play it.'
To reach the radio and television, even extremely talented artists cannot rely on their entrepreneurial spirit alone. Like actors need agents, a musician generally fares better with a creative, insistent, visionary manager.
With the decline in income from disc sales, artists and record companies must look elsewhere for sources of income - and for the resourceful artist, they are not lacking.
Moshe Morad, a music consultant and manager who served as CEO of NMC and marketing executive at EMI, dispensed advice and encouragement to students at the Hed seminar, slamming the myth that piracy has robbed artists of a significant source of income. 'Today people buy music more than they ever did: computer games, telephones, ring-tones, elevators, cafes. Music is now a part of life. Even if you don't hear the first source - you don't buy discs - you're surrounded by music, in commercials, on television.'
As an example, he passed around an e-mail he received from an advertising company seeking a 'unique' musical piece for a telephone commercial. The musician is given specific guidelines for the piece: 'distinctive, not retro, original, fresh, unique, warm, positive and emotionally charged.' Such solicitations, however, wouldn't reach an artist directly and are generally channeled through a manager.
The potential of publishing - selling the music's rights - is becoming an increasingly developed field in Israel, as it is abroad, with artists charging hefty sums for the use of their music in television, commercials, films and a variety of other consumers.
Among the leading purchasers of rights are cellphone companies, who pay artists handsome sums for exclusivity. Artists receive royalties for every download - instead of boasting gold albums, they now literally boast 'gold ringtones' which means their song was downloaded from cellular companies at least a certain number of times. [see sidebar]
Recht notes that the phenomenon of sponsorship is increasing and that big companies will seek to associate themselves with certain artists to maintain a certain image, making branding all the more important for an artist seeking to make megabucks.
Merchandising, Henis said, is still an underdeveloped field in Israel, mostly because 'it's hard to have idol quality in Israel because everything is so close.'
But while Israel, the hi-tech bubble that it is, has adapted rapidly to technological changes, the local music business still lags behind. 'Changes in the music industry allow almost everyone with talent to check out the potential of his or her music to reach a crowd, but on a parallel level there's not enough grooming of professionals in the music business,' remarked Recht.
Unlike American and European schools, no Israeli colleges offer a Bachelors or Masters in music business. As an example, Recht pulled from his library a sample of books in English on the music business, noting that 'there are no equivalents in Hebrew.'
'There are very few entertainment lawyers,' said Henis, who says that Israeli studios can easily out-do some European studios in their level of sophistication - a sophistication generally not matched in the field of music business. 'Money is always a problem here. Music doesn't have the allure and money that it has in the States, but I think [the local music business] will grow.'
Recognizing the need for good music business professionals, the Hed music college is seeking to team-up with a local business college to offer a BA in music business. 'I think the industry in Israel is run by people who don't have a clue about how business should be run. Most of them are musicians,' says Yehuda Cohen, director of Hed. 'To know how to run a school, orchestra, band or theater company, you have to have knowledge - and it's not something you can learn in a regular music school.'
Given all the advances in technology, there are some musical experiences that technology can assist, but not replicate. 'The digital age still can't reconstruct the art of stage performance,' notes Recht.
And performing artists who don't perform have little chance of surviving beyond the computer screen.
'I won't sign artists who won't gig,' says Henis. 'If an artist won't gig, there's no use. They won't sell a copy. Before they come to us they have to gig. I have to know that they're hungry, that they want to get their music out there.'
According to Henis, Israel suffers from another ailment that no software can fix. 'There's a huge lack of talent. There's so much happening. So many studios and home studios, so many people recording, but very few stand out. I don't know why that is. I have a hard time explaining it. We'll sit through huge amounts of stuff. It's not easy.'
He attributes this in part to the fledging rock and pop culture in Israel. Another cause may be the need for local artists to spread their energies. With such a small market, a creative musician must be a jack-of-all-music trades to make a living: teacher, performer and technician. 'Because of the economic situation in Israel,' notes Henis, 'someone who only does one thing has no chance unless they're the best at what they do. For the very best, there's room for only four or five.'
The technological advances that make creation and promotion much more accessible to artists do not mean that success is achieved with the touch of a button. 'One of the important things the musicians learned is that being a musician is a full-time job,' said Mizrachi, speaking after the Koltura conference. 'They let go of the fantasy that you can be signed to a record label and sit back. Musicians have to understand that their success depends on their own efforts.'
Record companies, musicians and schools are dealing with the cellphone and Internet era by restructuring the way they make and sell their music.
The digital age has claimed many casualties the world over: printed classified ads, snail mail, music CDs, and no less than all of these, record companies. Music technology and the internet have transformed the way creative musicians produce, market and distribute music, rendering many artists less reliant on record companies.
Artists can now brand themselves as record labels, creating full albums from the comfort of their own bedroom for little more than the cost of computer hardware and software.
Israeli record companies are restructuring their business models to adapt to industry developments brought on by new technologies. Music schools are adding technology and music business courses to their curricula, and artists are picking up new, non-music related skills in order to compete as self-sufficient artists.
To help musicians navigate the redrawn industry battleground, Koltura, a Tel Aviv-based production and public relations company, held its first 'Conference for Israeli Musicians' earlier this month, drawing over 100 musicians over the course of three days, covering topics such as breaking into international markets, grass-roots concert promotion, penetrating the cellphone market and self-management.
'In our two years of operation, we have encountered many artists who are very talented but face obstacles in getting their music heard, making a living from music, and managing themselves in the music industry,' explained Oded Mizrachi, public relations director of Koltura. 'Many musicians manage themselves in a way that was relevant 20 years ago - they view record labels and radio as the main means. Today, in the world of the internet and cellphones - an age when everyone can record in their home studios - there are many more opportunities for artists who haven't signed with a record label to promote themselves, whether through internet marketing or intense field work to get gigs.'
During the same week of this conference, the Hed College of Contemporary Music in south Tel Aviv held a week-long seminar on the music business - a largely underdiscussed topic in local music schools - as part of the school's 16th anniversary celebrations. Entitled 'How to Advance a Music Industry Career,' the seminar brought top industry professionals to lecture on topics such as copyrights, the functions of a record company and public relations.
'Today the name of the game is marketing, PR, collaborations and initiative,' says music producer Danny Recht, who lectured on the effect of industry changes in the market. Recht runs his own music consultancy firm and has produced hit albums for Israeli bands including Rockfour, Teapacks and Knesiat HaSechel.
Speaking with Metro at his sleek studio loft in south Tel Aviv, he noted that the most striking change in the music industry has been the proliferation of quality home studios that have made the 'master recording' - the main commodity of music companies - obsolete.
Some music today doesn't even require packaging. Songs or tracks could be created using digital synthesizers and then transferred as a digital file with the touch of a button.
Recht pulled out a 'relic' from Israeli modern history: a two-inch tape of the 1994 album of Knesiat HaSechel on which 24 pre-mix audio channels, symbolized by grooves in the tape, have been recorded. 'I keep it as a souvenir,' he said.
Today, modern sequencing programs simulate the process of a two-inch tape, allowing producers and artists to record and mix dozens of music channels through their personal computer. New sounds can be synthesized using sound design software and some artists can bypass recording acoustic instruments by incorporating natural-sounding instrument music samples into their tracks.
As methods for creating and distributing music have become cheaper and more accessible, artists, managers and record labels must divert their energies and resources to creative marketing and promotion if they want to break into the mainstream market. 'I think music production geared for a commercial audience has to have behind it someone who can strategize and develop an artistic concept,' says Recht. 'Today, it's not enough that a song will sound good. A place has to be created for it on the crowded shelf.'
Udi Henis, A&R director for one of Israel's largest record labels, Hed Artzi, and teacher of music business at the Rimon School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in Ramat Hasharon, considers record companies 'passe' and notes that they must now refashion themselves as 'music companies' to stay afloat. This means focusing more on distribution, public relations and artist management rather than traditional music production. 'They've suddenly understood - it took a bit of time - that you can't make a profit from CDs alone,' says Henis. 'They're getting more into management, booking.'
This does not mean that artists do not seek homes - and transformative backing - within large record companies that have already built up connections, credibility and resources to advance their artists. Henis himself has been responsible for signing breakout artists such as Harel Skaat, Keren Peles and Din Din Aviv.
'We still have a lot of artists. The A&R department is also searching for artists, not necessarily those who are just starting out,' says Henis.
Realizing the importance of the home studio, contemporary music schools in Tel Aviv have all made classes in sequencing technology a required course for its students, although schools vary on the weight they give to music technology.
Muzik, a relatively new music school founded in 1997 as 'the DJ School for Contemporary Music,' has recently developed a three-year academic program born out of the recent changes in the music industry. The approach at Muzik is that technology is not only a means to record, but an indelible part of the creative act, often expressed in electronic music genres such as electro punk, minimal techno, industrial R&B and funk metal. The school offers courses in traditional topics such as music theory, orchestration and arrangement, alongside courses in professional home studio creation, sound design, live performance software, self-promotion and management.
'Until about 12 years ago, a composing musician would have to create a demo, in which he recorded himself singing with accompaniment and presented a cassette to a record label,' explains Ronen Heruti, director of Muzik, from his office near the Azrieli towers. 'A band would go into a recording studio and create a rough sketch. There was only one address: the record company, who usually rejected them. [If not rejected,] the record company would begin the process of signing the artist: producing an album in a professional studio; hiring a musical arranger; coordinating rehearsal rooms; recording, finishing and mastering the work. It was an expensive process. Few artists could afford this production process on their own.'
The mass marketing of the CD-R, the increased speed of computer processors and peer-to-peer technology have changed all that. 'The home studio was born. Suddenly, the computer could be the center of music creation. You may not achieve the same results as recording in a very expensive studio, but you can create something at a professional level,' Heruti expounds.
Muzik's curriculum is based on the vision of an independent artist who can rely on his home computer to draw from a full orchestra - plus original synthesized sounds - to produce a self-made album. 'Our students build their own independent home studios from the moment they enter school,' explains Amit Hecht, the academic director at Muzik. 'They view it as their most important creative toolÊand do most of their production workÊfrom home already at the end of their first year.'
Muzik recently partnered with the Open University to offer a BA in humanities specializing in music production. As part of its pioneering approach, Muzik does not offer formal classes for more traditional musical instruments such as guitar, but rather requires students to study keyboard skills and a percussive instrument. The keyboard serves not only as a piano simulator, but as MIDI controller. For the uninitiated, it is hardware or software which generates and transmits MIDI data to MIDI-enabled devices.
Many artists point out that technology still has its limits, and some are wary of jumping on the 'do-it-all-yourself' bandwagon. Even those conversant with the latest sequencing program or instrument plug-in prefer to focus on developing their musical talent and vision, deferring recording and mixing to technicians.
Michael Gottlieb, a recent graduate of Hed and an aspiring film soundtrack composer, does not rely on his home studio to produce his songs, even though music technology is an integral part of Hed's curriculum. 'The home studio is mostly to create demos. For electronic music it is an alternative, but for recording live instruments, it's not.'
Some genres are less affected by the digital age, among them classical music and jazz. 'Jazz is something that is live. You don't record jazz albums at home,' points out Rimon saxophone student Udi Aranoff. 'CDs of instrumentalist music are not recorded at home, [although] the work of a creator can be done at home.'
Aranoff uses the sequencing program CuBase to compose and test his own melodies. 'No musician works without technology. It's like a kid who doesn't know how to surf the net,' he says.
Na'ama Waisel, 18, a first-year student in composition and arrangement at Rimon, envisions herself as a 'total musician.' 'The musician of tomorrow wants to do everything, to multi-task: production, playing, arrangement, composition, sound and promotion,' she proclaims.
Rimon, Israel's largest school for contemporary music that began its career two decades ago as a school for jazz, has embraced music's technological advances, having added required courses in computer sequencing programs for all students. Yet the school maintains a focus on producing quality musicians steeped in traditional principles of music and performance. 'We teach music first of all and then add technology, hoping that good musicians will know how to use technology to make good music,' says Amikam Kimelman, director of Rimon.
'You can view technology as a new platform - it's like another orchestra. It has new sounds, new abilities, but it's still another platform. It doesn't work by itself - you have to fill it with music.'
Nor does he think that the Internet or cellular phones are powerful enough platforms to create stars. Radio and television still remain the medium of choice for exposure. 'Of course you get plenty of stuff in the internet, but psychologically people prefer to be heard on Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) rather than an internet radio station,' says Kimelman. 'That's where most of the action is. People use television and radio more than computers for music. Songs do sell, you can now buy music on-line, but you can't really be heard. People still try to get into the major labels or a spot on television before trusting their website. It doesn't promote itself.'
Henis of Hed Artzi maintains that (Army Radio's music and traffic updates station) Galgalatz, for example, is still very popular and a coveted destination for mainstream artists. 'We're very much dependent on radio. We try to use the Internet as much as possible, but radio is the secret.'
As it has been for decades, getting on a radio playlist is not as easy as posting music on a Myspace page or Youtube. 'Radio is a very sore subject,' says Henis. 'We have no control over the radio. Many times I get music which I know from experience and my guts will do very well, but the only way it'll get heard is through radio, and they won't play it.'
To reach the radio and television, even extremely talented artists cannot rely on their entrepreneurial spirit alone. Like actors need agents, a musician generally fares better with a creative, insistent, visionary manager.
With the decline in income from disc sales, artists and record companies must look elsewhere for sources of income - and for the resourceful artist, they are not lacking.
Moshe Morad, a music consultant and manager who served as CEO of NMC and marketing executive at EMI, dispensed advice and encouragement to students at the Hed seminar, slamming the myth that piracy has robbed artists of a significant source of income. 'Today people buy music more than they ever did: computer games, telephones, ring-tones, elevators, cafes. Music is now a part of life. Even if you don't hear the first source - you don't buy discs - you're surrounded by music, in commercials, on television.'
As an example, he passed around an e-mail he received from an advertising company seeking a 'unique' musical piece for a telephone commercial. The musician is given specific guidelines for the piece: 'distinctive, not retro, original, fresh, unique, warm, positive and emotionally charged.' Such solicitations, however, wouldn't reach an artist directly and are generally channeled through a manager.
The potential of publishing - selling the music's rights - is becoming an increasingly developed field in Israel, as it is abroad, with artists charging hefty sums for the use of their music in television, commercials, films and a variety of other consumers.
Among the leading purchasers of rights are cellphone companies, who pay artists handsome sums for exclusivity. Artists receive royalties for every download - instead of boasting gold albums, they now literally boast 'gold ringtones' which means their song was downloaded from cellular companies at least a certain number of times. [see sidebar]
Recht notes that the phenomenon of sponsorship is increasing and that big companies will seek to associate themselves with certain artists to maintain a certain image, making branding all the more important for an artist seeking to make megabucks.
Merchandising, Henis said, is still an underdeveloped field in Israel, mostly because 'it's hard to have idol quality in Israel because everything is so close.'
But while Israel, the hi-tech bubble that it is, has adapted rapidly to technological changes, the local music business still lags behind. 'Changes in the music industry allow almost everyone with talent to check out the potential of his or her music to reach a crowd, but on a parallel level there's not enough grooming of professionals in the music business,' remarked Recht.
Unlike American and European schools, no Israeli colleges offer a Bachelors or Masters in music business. As an example, Recht pulled from his library a sample of books in English on the music business, noting that 'there are no equivalents in Hebrew.'
'There are very few entertainment lawyers,' said Henis, who says that Israeli studios can easily out-do some European studios in their level of sophistication - a sophistication generally not matched in the field of music business. 'Money is always a problem here. Music doesn't have the allure and money that it has in the States, but I think [the local music business] will grow.'
Recognizing the need for good music business professionals, the Hed music college is seeking to team-up with a local business college to offer a BA in music business. 'I think the industry in Israel is run by people who don't have a clue about how business should be run. Most of them are musicians,' says Yehuda Cohen, director of Hed. 'To know how to run a school, orchestra, band or theater company, you have to have knowledge - and it's not something you can learn in a regular music school.'
Given all the advances in technology, there are some musical experiences that technology can assist, but not replicate. 'The digital age still can't reconstruct the art of stage performance,' notes Recht.
And performing artists who don't perform have little chance of surviving beyond the computer screen.
'I won't sign artists who won't gig,' says Henis. 'If an artist won't gig, there's no use. They won't sell a copy. Before they come to us they have to gig. I have to know that they're hungry, that they want to get their music out there.'
According to Henis, Israel suffers from another ailment that no software can fix. 'There's a huge lack of talent. There's so much happening. So many studios and home studios, so many people recording, but very few stand out. I don't know why that is. I have a hard time explaining it. We'll sit through huge amounts of stuff. It's not easy.'
He attributes this in part to the fledging rock and pop culture in Israel. Another cause may be the need for local artists to spread their energies. With such a small market, a creative musician must be a jack-of-all-music trades to make a living: teacher, performer and technician. 'Because of the economic situation in Israel,' notes Henis, 'someone who only does one thing has no chance unless they're the best at what they do. For the very best, there's room for only four or five.'
The technological advances that make creation and promotion much more accessible to artists do not mean that success is achieved with the touch of a button. 'One of the important things the musicians learned is that being a musician is a full-time job,' said Mizrachi, speaking after the Koltura conference. 'They let go of the fantasy that you can be signed to a record label and sit back. Musicians have to understand that their success depends on their own efforts.'
Thursday, June 28, 2007
The Galilean cradle of religions
Jerusalem Post, Weekend Magazine; June 28, 2007
Druse, Christian and Muslim towns make for eye-opening lessons and good eating.
I have to admit, although I run the risk of being politically incorrect, whenever I drive through Galilean roads and pass Arab towns or villages, a slight fear grips me. Since the level of distrust among Jews and Arabs has increased since the intifada, I suspect most Israelis would probably think twice before entering an unfamiliar Arab town to catch a bite or change a tire.
But that doesn't have to be the case. Walking tours within non-Jewish towns and villages - with or without guides - can be eye-opening and tasty experiences. During a recent tour in Western Galilee, I meandered through Muslim, Christian and Druse towns, as well as Baha'i landmarks, only to discover cultural richness, friendliness - and some surprises.
Olive Country
We begin the tour at the visitors' center of the only Jewish olive press in Lower Galilee, Avtalyon - named after the tannaitic sage who migrated there after the destruction of the Second Temple. A quaint cafe serving olive oil-rich, Arab-style foods overlooks the never ending groves of olive trees belonging to the Arab town of Arrabe, which is part of the "axis of olives" in Lower Galilee, along with Sakhnin, Deir Hanna, Marah and Rama.
Avtalyon offers year-round tours, tastings, and lectures on the production and health benefits of olive oil.
Even though I felt nervous passing through the town, Elbaz assured me it was safe and our tour guide, Morris Zemach, author of Traveling with Morris in the Galilee, slammed the myth that Arrabe residents are stingy and not friendly. But we didn't stop to find out.
We continued to Deir Hanna, a mixed Muslim-Christian town with some of the country's oldest olive trees. Every home there once had a working olive press, but industrialization made them obsolete.
"Many Jews don't like to come here," Zemach explained as we stood under an Ottoman stone gate where Muslim elders of the adjacent mosque often meet after prayers. "They're afraid, but that comes from lack of knowledge. You can feel welcome to come on your own."
Zemach, who is friendly with the locals, took us through a Muslim home whose backyard contains the remains of a Byzantine fortress built by Daher el Omar, Ottoman ruler of Galilee in the 1700s. The residents, an elderly couple, didn't seem to mind that we passed through, although when we left and wished them a good day, they didn't exactly smile and wave back.
But gregariousness was not lacking at the Houris, a Christian family that have made their centuries-old olive press a tourist attraction.
The father of the house, Mutlak, and his wife entertained us with a darbuka and violin; the music wasn't exactly the most melodious, but it was endearing. The Houris sell homemade olive oil and carob honey in the same room as their refurbished ancient oil press.
"The building is 1,500 years old, the press is 250 years old, and the donkey that pulls the press is 1,007 years old," explained Mutlak with a joke he probably reserves for all visitors.
Further northwest, in Kafr Yasif, Muslim, Christian and Druse communities open their mosques and churches to Jewish tourists. Jews once lived here too, back at the turn of the first millennium, and an ancient Jewish cemetery is sadly hidden among dying weeds at the side of the main road, across the street from a Superpharm.
An ornate, medieval-style Greek Orthodox church is open to the non-Christian public, and nearby is an Evangelical church. The felafel and humous joints along the main road are said to be among the best in Israel.
Our tour guide, Amnon Gofer, encourages visitors to wander through the village, and even knock on doors and have coffee or tea with the locals, to find out more.
Druse Hospitality
The hassidic man with peyot walking around the Druse village of Sajur seems like an anomaly, but a hassidic presence has existed in Sajur for the past five years - ever since Ibrahim Riad decided to make his family Druse restaurant kosher. The Riads' "The Sultan's Feast" began in a handsome, Oriental living room. Ibrahim's decision to go kosher was strictly business - and a smart one at that - judging by the religious tourists enjoying the food.
Mrs. Riad and her children are the chefs, making fresh, authentic Druse dishes like majadra, a dish of lentils, bulgur and onions; and "groom rice" with meat and cinnamon, served to a Druse groom on his wedding night to give him "strength." Ibrahim has three sons serving in the IDF, and his sweet, well-spoken daughters were on hand to give us some insight into the restaurant, the village, and the basics of the Druse faith.
Further west, in the Druse village of Julis, more clues into the Druse faith can be provided by Nabia Tarif, the grandson and personal assistant of Sheikh Amin Tarif, the "Lubavitcher rebbe" of the Druse community. Sheikh Tarif was given the rare Druse privilege of a private burial place, now a Druse holy place.
"During his tenure as head of the community, there wasn't any split within the Druse community," Nabia Tarif explained, bearing a noble stature, Druse headdress, friendly smile and sparkling blue eyes.
The wall of the visitors' center is covered with pictures of the sheikh and 20th-century notables: David Ben-Gurion, Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Rabin, Jimmy Carter.
Naji Abbas, who lives near the entrance to Julis, claims that his father was the first Druse to serve in the IDF in 1948. In honor of his parents, he planted a marvelous, fountain-filled garden in his backyard called "Fountains of Faith." He has opened it to the public for strolling, relaxing, and meditating - and also for wedding portraits, for which he charges a fee of NIS 100.
Baha'i Gardens
In Israel, the Baha'i faith is most famous for its stunningly landscaped administrative headquarters in Haifa, where the prophet- herald of the faith, the B[Dagger]b, is buried at the Shrine of the B[Dagger]b. But the religion actually took root in Acre.
The founder of the Baha'i faith, Baha'u'llah, an early follower of the B[Dagger]b, declared himself in 1863 to be the messenger of God foretold by the B[Dagger]b. He was banished across the Middle East, until he was thrown into the Acre prison by the Ottomans. When he was released under nominal house arrest, he remained in Acre to continue to document and reveal his message of monotheism and global unity. Now, six million Baha'is are spread throughout 200 countries. Only about 700 of them live in Israel at any given time, caring for Baha'i landmarks and welcoming pilgrims.
The Bahji Mansion in Acre, the burial place and shrine of Baha'u'llah, is the focal point of Baha'i prayer. Its structure is more modest than the "Shrine of the B[Dagger]b" in Haifa, built by Udi Khammar, a prominent Acre resident in the 19th century, but the gardens bear the beauty, geometry, and lushness that has become a signature of the Baha'is. A visitors' center at the mansion offers a brief history of the religion, including key figures and teachings.
(Box 1) Places to Stay
Netiv Hashayara
Many members of this agricultural moshav have traded in their hoes and tractors for beds and Jacuzzis. The moshav offers 70 guesthouses run by 15 families, including the Ya'aris' three Finnish wooden cabins set in a carefully designed tropical garden. The atmosphere of "Derech Hashenhav," as it is named, is not only beautiful and homey, but erotic. The only babies allowed on the premises are those being conceived. The soundproof cabins are decorated with roses and the large Jacuzzi is placed conveniently next to the bed. The guesthouse is supplied with soaps, treats, wine and every amenity a couple could need (except for certain toys). Scrumptious breakfasts are served in the Ya'ari home.
Weekdays: B&B: NIS 480; Weekends: B&B: NIS 1,200 for two nights.
Moshav reception: (04) 982-2261; Derech Hashenhav (Amalya):
(04) 982-2253; 052-828-0953.
Hacienda
While the North is replete with cozy, private guesthouses, those seeking a hotel experience, whether to accommodate kids or an event, can opt for Hacienda, which preserves a lodge atmosphere amidst deluxe four-star amenities. Located within the forests of Western Galilee, between Ma'alot and Kfar Vradim, the campus includes five buildings and 140 suites sprawled over 70 dunams. The main drawback is the price, which doesn't compete with the price of some cozier, more private cabins.
Weekdays: NIS 580 B&B; Weekends: NIS 700 B&B (min. two nights); After July 26 - Weekdays: NIS 780 B&B; Weekends: NIS 720 B&B (min two nights).
(Box 2) The details
_ Avtalyon Olive Press and Cafe:
(04) 678-9521; www.avtalion-oil.net
_ The Houri Family: 050-751-9597;
(04) 678-4035
_ Kafr Yasif Greek Orthodox Church:
054-310-9023; Evangelical Church:
(04) 996-5461; The Great Mosque:
Sheikh Abbad: 050-908-4020
_ The Sultan's Feast: 050-763-7130;
(04) 998-3629
_ Sheikh Tarif Visitors' Center:
(04) 996-4097
_ Gardens of Faith: 052-431-8414
_ Baha'i - For information: (04) 831-3131
_ Tour Guide Information: Morris the Tour
Guide (English): (04) 693-6924;
052-849-9217
_ Amnon the tour guide (Hebrew):
054-654-9191
_ Galilee Tourist Board: 1700-70-50-50
Druse, Christian and Muslim towns make for eye-opening lessons and good eating.
I have to admit, although I run the risk of being politically incorrect, whenever I drive through Galilean roads and pass Arab towns or villages, a slight fear grips me. Since the level of distrust among Jews and Arabs has increased since the intifada, I suspect most Israelis would probably think twice before entering an unfamiliar Arab town to catch a bite or change a tire.
But that doesn't have to be the case. Walking tours within non-Jewish towns and villages - with or without guides - can be eye-opening and tasty experiences. During a recent tour in Western Galilee, I meandered through Muslim, Christian and Druse towns, as well as Baha'i landmarks, only to discover cultural richness, friendliness - and some surprises.
Olive Country
We begin the tour at the visitors' center of the only Jewish olive press in Lower Galilee, Avtalyon - named after the tannaitic sage who migrated there after the destruction of the Second Temple. A quaint cafe serving olive oil-rich, Arab-style foods overlooks the never ending groves of olive trees belonging to the Arab town of Arrabe, which is part of the "axis of olives" in Lower Galilee, along with Sakhnin, Deir Hanna, Marah and Rama.
Avtalyon offers year-round tours, tastings, and lectures on the production and health benefits of olive oil.
Even though I felt nervous passing through the town, Elbaz assured me it was safe and our tour guide, Morris Zemach, author of Traveling with Morris in the Galilee, slammed the myth that Arrabe residents are stingy and not friendly. But we didn't stop to find out.
We continued to Deir Hanna, a mixed Muslim-Christian town with some of the country's oldest olive trees. Every home there once had a working olive press, but industrialization made them obsolete.
"Many Jews don't like to come here," Zemach explained as we stood under an Ottoman stone gate where Muslim elders of the adjacent mosque often meet after prayers. "They're afraid, but that comes from lack of knowledge. You can feel welcome to come on your own."
Zemach, who is friendly with the locals, took us through a Muslim home whose backyard contains the remains of a Byzantine fortress built by Daher el Omar, Ottoman ruler of Galilee in the 1700s. The residents, an elderly couple, didn't seem to mind that we passed through, although when we left and wished them a good day, they didn't exactly smile and wave back.
But gregariousness was not lacking at the Houris, a Christian family that have made their centuries-old olive press a tourist attraction.
The father of the house, Mutlak, and his wife entertained us with a darbuka and violin; the music wasn't exactly the most melodious, but it was endearing. The Houris sell homemade olive oil and carob honey in the same room as their refurbished ancient oil press.
"The building is 1,500 years old, the press is 250 years old, and the donkey that pulls the press is 1,007 years old," explained Mutlak with a joke he probably reserves for all visitors.
Further northwest, in Kafr Yasif, Muslim, Christian and Druse communities open their mosques and churches to Jewish tourists. Jews once lived here too, back at the turn of the first millennium, and an ancient Jewish cemetery is sadly hidden among dying weeds at the side of the main road, across the street from a Superpharm.
An ornate, medieval-style Greek Orthodox church is open to the non-Christian public, and nearby is an Evangelical church. The felafel and humous joints along the main road are said to be among the best in Israel.
Our tour guide, Amnon Gofer, encourages visitors to wander through the village, and even knock on doors and have coffee or tea with the locals, to find out more.
Druse Hospitality
The hassidic man with peyot walking around the Druse village of Sajur seems like an anomaly, but a hassidic presence has existed in Sajur for the past five years - ever since Ibrahim Riad decided to make his family Druse restaurant kosher. The Riads' "The Sultan's Feast" began in a handsome, Oriental living room. Ibrahim's decision to go kosher was strictly business - and a smart one at that - judging by the religious tourists enjoying the food.
Mrs. Riad and her children are the chefs, making fresh, authentic Druse dishes like majadra, a dish of lentils, bulgur and onions; and "groom rice" with meat and cinnamon, served to a Druse groom on his wedding night to give him "strength." Ibrahim has three sons serving in the IDF, and his sweet, well-spoken daughters were on hand to give us some insight into the restaurant, the village, and the basics of the Druse faith.
Further west, in the Druse village of Julis, more clues into the Druse faith can be provided by Nabia Tarif, the grandson and personal assistant of Sheikh Amin Tarif, the "Lubavitcher rebbe" of the Druse community. Sheikh Tarif was given the rare Druse privilege of a private burial place, now a Druse holy place.
"During his tenure as head of the community, there wasn't any split within the Druse community," Nabia Tarif explained, bearing a noble stature, Druse headdress, friendly smile and sparkling blue eyes.
The wall of the visitors' center is covered with pictures of the sheikh and 20th-century notables: David Ben-Gurion, Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Rabin, Jimmy Carter.
Naji Abbas, who lives near the entrance to Julis, claims that his father was the first Druse to serve in the IDF in 1948. In honor of his parents, he planted a marvelous, fountain-filled garden in his backyard called "Fountains of Faith." He has opened it to the public for strolling, relaxing, and meditating - and also for wedding portraits, for which he charges a fee of NIS 100.
Baha'i Gardens
In Israel, the Baha'i faith is most famous for its stunningly landscaped administrative headquarters in Haifa, where the prophet- herald of the faith, the B[Dagger]b, is buried at the Shrine of the B[Dagger]b. But the religion actually took root in Acre.
The founder of the Baha'i faith, Baha'u'llah, an early follower of the B[Dagger]b, declared himself in 1863 to be the messenger of God foretold by the B[Dagger]b. He was banished across the Middle East, until he was thrown into the Acre prison by the Ottomans. When he was released under nominal house arrest, he remained in Acre to continue to document and reveal his message of monotheism and global unity. Now, six million Baha'is are spread throughout 200 countries. Only about 700 of them live in Israel at any given time, caring for Baha'i landmarks and welcoming pilgrims.
The Bahji Mansion in Acre, the burial place and shrine of Baha'u'llah, is the focal point of Baha'i prayer. Its structure is more modest than the "Shrine of the B[Dagger]b" in Haifa, built by Udi Khammar, a prominent Acre resident in the 19th century, but the gardens bear the beauty, geometry, and lushness that has become a signature of the Baha'is. A visitors' center at the mansion offers a brief history of the religion, including key figures and teachings.
(Box 1) Places to Stay
Netiv Hashayara
Many members of this agricultural moshav have traded in their hoes and tractors for beds and Jacuzzis. The moshav offers 70 guesthouses run by 15 families, including the Ya'aris' three Finnish wooden cabins set in a carefully designed tropical garden. The atmosphere of "Derech Hashenhav," as it is named, is not only beautiful and homey, but erotic. The only babies allowed on the premises are those being conceived. The soundproof cabins are decorated with roses and the large Jacuzzi is placed conveniently next to the bed. The guesthouse is supplied with soaps, treats, wine and every amenity a couple could need (except for certain toys). Scrumptious breakfasts are served in the Ya'ari home.
Weekdays: B&B: NIS 480; Weekends: B&B: NIS 1,200 for two nights.
Moshav reception: (04) 982-2261; Derech Hashenhav (Amalya):
(04) 982-2253; 052-828-0953.
Hacienda
While the North is replete with cozy, private guesthouses, those seeking a hotel experience, whether to accommodate kids or an event, can opt for Hacienda, which preserves a lodge atmosphere amidst deluxe four-star amenities. Located within the forests of Western Galilee, between Ma'alot and Kfar Vradim, the campus includes five buildings and 140 suites sprawled over 70 dunams. The main drawback is the price, which doesn't compete with the price of some cozier, more private cabins.
Weekdays: NIS 580 B&B; Weekends: NIS 700 B&B (min. two nights); After July 26 - Weekdays: NIS 780 B&B; Weekends: NIS 720 B&B (min two nights).
(Box 2) The details
_ Avtalyon Olive Press and Cafe:
(04) 678-9521; www.avtalion-oil.net
_ The Houri Family: 050-751-9597;
(04) 678-4035
_ Kafr Yasif Greek Orthodox Church:
054-310-9023; Evangelical Church:
(04) 996-5461; The Great Mosque:
Sheikh Abbad: 050-908-4020
_ The Sultan's Feast: 050-763-7130;
(04) 998-3629
_ Sheikh Tarif Visitors' Center:
(04) 996-4097
_ Gardens of Faith: 052-431-8414
_ Baha'i - For information: (04) 831-3131
_ Tour Guide Information: Morris the Tour
Guide (English): (04) 693-6924;
052-849-9217
_ Amnon the tour guide (Hebrew):
054-654-9191
_ Galilee Tourist Board: 1700-70-50-50
Pancakes for dinner? (restaurant review)
Jerusalem Post, Weekend Magazine; June 28, 2007
Benedict is a welcome concept, where breakfast is a fashion as much as it is a meal.
It's 11:30 a.m., and I figure it's getting a little late for breakfast. But at Benedict in Tel Aviv, the city that never sleeps, it's never too late for breakfast. Or actually, it's never too early for breakfast.
"You'll hear 'good morning' here all the time," explained Yair Kindler, co-owner and visionary of Benedict. Six years ago, Kindler thought of this new concept as a business idea: a breakfast restaurant open 24/7. He realized this vision about a half year ago.
Located on the corner of Ben-Yehuda and Jabotinsky streets, Benedict has the look and feel of a French cafe- bistro - with its white brick walls, round wooden tables and a shelf with decorative books; but Kindler stresses that Benedict is a restaurant, specializing and excelling in one genre of food: breakfast. Benedict truly is a brilliant idea, especially for a city where bars get busy only at midnight and night prowlers seek munchies at ghostly hours.
"Breakfast is not just a course on the menu, but a whole genre of food," says Kindler, who believes that in Israel, people eat "breakfast foods" all the time, especially light "dinners" such as omelets and yogurts.
After six months in business, Benedict is already the talk of the morning. Blame it on the gimmick, or on the darn good breakfasts.
I order, of course, Eggs Benedict, but as a non-pork eater, I opt for the Eggs Benedict Florentine (with spinach) for NIS 44. As legend has it, explains Kindler, the dish was created in 1894 by Lemuel Benedict at New York's Waldorf-Astoria when he craved a meal to treat a hangover - and I can understand its curative powers. The ghastly amounts of fat are sure to absorb any alcohol in the system.
The eggs were perfectly poached, which is a welcome feat in a country which I have found translates "over easy" into "sunny side up slightly scrambled." The yolk was perfectly preserved inside fluffy whites. The hollandaise sauce, the same color as the yolk, soaked the toast beneath, maybe a bit too much. If I thought I came for breakfast, I finished the meal feeling like I had just eaten a heavy dinner. I could hardly move, and I realized that it's a dish better shared. But it was well worth the rich taste.
All egg dishes come with a plate of refillable, home- baked breads and bread sticks, baked in an oven on view at the "bread bar." The rolls are fresh and soft, mouthwatering like biscuits, and perfect for spreading Nutella, which is served as a condiment on every table. Morning cocktails are mixed at the bread bar all hours of the day. There are many servers to keep up with the traffic, and they are all friendly and helpful.
Egg breakfasts range from NIS 36 (shakshuka) to NIS 79 (Texas- style breakfast, i.e. steak and eggs), with several international varieties to satisfy both dairy and meat lovers. While only seven formal egg dishes are listed on the menu, the eggs are merely the medium, and the cheeses, vegetables, and meats (including ham) are the colors of the palette mixed to create breakfast masterpieces. The egg breakfasts come with coffee and juice (go for the freshly squeezed O.J. and not the factory-bought lemonade).
For those watching their cholesterol intake, there are a few healthier options, like salads and muesli. Waffles and pancakes aren't as generously represented on the menu as they would be, say, at International House of Pancakes (IHOP), probably the closest American concept to a "breakfast" restaurant.
Benedict isn't suited for people who want to perch for a few hours with a laptop. It is, after all, a restaurant, or more like an edible breakfast gallery, where breakfast is a fashion as much as it is a meal.
Benedict is a welcome concept, where breakfast is a fashion as much as it is a meal.
It's 11:30 a.m., and I figure it's getting a little late for breakfast. But at Benedict in Tel Aviv, the city that never sleeps, it's never too late for breakfast. Or actually, it's never too early for breakfast.
"You'll hear 'good morning' here all the time," explained Yair Kindler, co-owner and visionary of Benedict. Six years ago, Kindler thought of this new concept as a business idea: a breakfast restaurant open 24/7. He realized this vision about a half year ago.
Located on the corner of Ben-Yehuda and Jabotinsky streets, Benedict has the look and feel of a French cafe- bistro - with its white brick walls, round wooden tables and a shelf with decorative books; but Kindler stresses that Benedict is a restaurant, specializing and excelling in one genre of food: breakfast. Benedict truly is a brilliant idea, especially for a city where bars get busy only at midnight and night prowlers seek munchies at ghostly hours.
"Breakfast is not just a course on the menu, but a whole genre of food," says Kindler, who believes that in Israel, people eat "breakfast foods" all the time, especially light "dinners" such as omelets and yogurts.
After six months in business, Benedict is already the talk of the morning. Blame it on the gimmick, or on the darn good breakfasts.
I order, of course, Eggs Benedict, but as a non-pork eater, I opt for the Eggs Benedict Florentine (with spinach) for NIS 44. As legend has it, explains Kindler, the dish was created in 1894 by Lemuel Benedict at New York's Waldorf-Astoria when he craved a meal to treat a hangover - and I can understand its curative powers. The ghastly amounts of fat are sure to absorb any alcohol in the system.
The eggs were perfectly poached, which is a welcome feat in a country which I have found translates "over easy" into "sunny side up slightly scrambled." The yolk was perfectly preserved inside fluffy whites. The hollandaise sauce, the same color as the yolk, soaked the toast beneath, maybe a bit too much. If I thought I came for breakfast, I finished the meal feeling like I had just eaten a heavy dinner. I could hardly move, and I realized that it's a dish better shared. But it was well worth the rich taste.
All egg dishes come with a plate of refillable, home- baked breads and bread sticks, baked in an oven on view at the "bread bar." The rolls are fresh and soft, mouthwatering like biscuits, and perfect for spreading Nutella, which is served as a condiment on every table. Morning cocktails are mixed at the bread bar all hours of the day. There are many servers to keep up with the traffic, and they are all friendly and helpful.
Egg breakfasts range from NIS 36 (shakshuka) to NIS 79 (Texas- style breakfast, i.e. steak and eggs), with several international varieties to satisfy both dairy and meat lovers. While only seven formal egg dishes are listed on the menu, the eggs are merely the medium, and the cheeses, vegetables, and meats (including ham) are the colors of the palette mixed to create breakfast masterpieces. The egg breakfasts come with coffee and juice (go for the freshly squeezed O.J. and not the factory-bought lemonade).
For those watching their cholesterol intake, there are a few healthier options, like salads and muesli. Waffles and pancakes aren't as generously represented on the menu as they would be, say, at International House of Pancakes (IHOP), probably the closest American concept to a "breakfast" restaurant.
Benedict isn't suited for people who want to perch for a few hours with a laptop. It is, after all, a restaurant, or more like an edible breakfast gallery, where breakfast is a fashion as much as it is a meal.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Go, go Gao (restaurant review)
Jerusalem Post, Weekend Magazine; June 14, 2007
Meaning "a step forward" in Thai, Gao is a kosher Thai kitchen located on Tel Aviv's Rehov Hahashmonaim. The name struck a chord, owner Amir Adar says, because he sought a "step forward" after he had to close his dairy restaurant in Safed after the Second Lebanon War made business plummet.
Gao, however, is a step forward in other ways as well. It offers quality, fresh and authentic kosher Thai cuisine in a very clean, sleek, modern setting. Portraits of Japanese graffiti and gibberish on the walls seem like a non-sequitur but contribute to the cute, easy vibe of the joint.
Gao food can best be characterized as "gourmet fast food." "Gourmet" because of the quality of the raw materials, the attention to detail by the Thai chefs and the consistent standards; "fast" because the meals are prepared quickly and Gao specializes in take-out. The menu offers a very large selection of classic Thai dishes, making Gao a lunch-hour favorite for businesses in the restaurant-packed area.
I started with the egg rolls (NIS 9), served aesthetically on white ceramic. While the flavor was fine but no more, it was clear the preparation wasn't hasty or haphazard. The fish noodles (NIS 38), a Thai concoction of salmon, leek, spinach and cashews, was very good, with just the right blend of soy and ginger.
The same quality was evident in the Beef Gao (NIS 37), tempura beef made with crunchy raw sweet potato, onions, carrots, peppers and cashews. Because of its rich flavor, I would have rather it came with white rice, rather than the mediocre flavored rice I was served for absorbing the rich sauce.
The prices here are reasonable, especially considering the generous portions.
On Friday Gao has an excellent 20 percent off deal, which makes it a recommended Shabbat take-out option. For NIS 100 you can buy a Friday night meal that can serve at least four people, if you fancy Asian cuisine for Shabbat. I heated up the chicken Gao Pat Kati on Friday evening. Of course, it lost some of its freshness and the oil sank to the bottom, but for NIS 30, the tasty chicken/ broccoli dish was more than worth it.
Gao, Rehov Hahashmonaim 91, Tel Aviv.
Tel. (03) 561-3553. Kosher.
Meaning "a step forward" in Thai, Gao is a kosher Thai kitchen located on Tel Aviv's Rehov Hahashmonaim. The name struck a chord, owner Amir Adar says, because he sought a "step forward" after he had to close his dairy restaurant in Safed after the Second Lebanon War made business plummet.
Gao, however, is a step forward in other ways as well. It offers quality, fresh and authentic kosher Thai cuisine in a very clean, sleek, modern setting. Portraits of Japanese graffiti and gibberish on the walls seem like a non-sequitur but contribute to the cute, easy vibe of the joint.
Gao food can best be characterized as "gourmet fast food." "Gourmet" because of the quality of the raw materials, the attention to detail by the Thai chefs and the consistent standards; "fast" because the meals are prepared quickly and Gao specializes in take-out. The menu offers a very large selection of classic Thai dishes, making Gao a lunch-hour favorite for businesses in the restaurant-packed area.
I started with the egg rolls (NIS 9), served aesthetically on white ceramic. While the flavor was fine but no more, it was clear the preparation wasn't hasty or haphazard. The fish noodles (NIS 38), a Thai concoction of salmon, leek, spinach and cashews, was very good, with just the right blend of soy and ginger.
The same quality was evident in the Beef Gao (NIS 37), tempura beef made with crunchy raw sweet potato, onions, carrots, peppers and cashews. Because of its rich flavor, I would have rather it came with white rice, rather than the mediocre flavored rice I was served for absorbing the rich sauce.
The prices here are reasonable, especially considering the generous portions.
On Friday Gao has an excellent 20 percent off deal, which makes it a recommended Shabbat take-out option. For NIS 100 you can buy a Friday night meal that can serve at least four people, if you fancy Asian cuisine for Shabbat. I heated up the chicken Gao Pat Kati on Friday evening. Of course, it lost some of its freshness and the oil sank to the bottom, but for NIS 30, the tasty chicken/ broccoli dish was more than worth it.
Gao, Rehov Hahashmonaim 91, Tel Aviv.
Tel. (03) 561-3553. Kosher.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
History and trends blend in Jerusalem
The Jewish Journal; June 7, 2007
Click here for original
With style, fanfare and fireworks, the $400 million Mamilla Alrov commercial and residential quarter opened its Jerusalem stone doors to the public on May 28.
The only completed portion is a small section of the outdoor mall, but among its anticipated 138 stores are Israeli fashion chains and boutique shops, as well as high-end retail outfits like Tommy Hilfiger, MAC, Bebe, H. Stern and Ralph Lauren. To use a Los Angeles analogy, it may be fair to say that the Holy City has just welcomed its equivalent of The Grove.
Unlike The Grove, however, the Mamilla Alrov Quarter need not create artificial facades to evoke a historical texture. Built on the historic Rehov Mamilla, the quarter has been a restoration project as much as an effort in capitalism.
It served as the first trading center outside the Old City walls at the turn of the century.
Visitors can walk along a street where Jordanian snipers fired at indigent Israelis who lived there in the years following the War of Independence. The French Catholic Convent of Saint Vincent de Paul stands oddly between the Israeli clothing shop Renuar and Erroca Eyewear. Even though the Old City is a tourist magnet on Shabbat and holidays, all stores will be closed on the holy days.
One aim of the project is to contribute style to an area associated more with political and religious tension rather than colorful trends: the Jaffa Gate right outside the Old City walls.
By 2008 the complex will include 50 luxury residences and the five-star Alrov Mamilla Jerusalem Hotel, all designed by world-renowned Israeli Canadian architect Moshe Safdie. The hefty price tags of the condos range from $1.1 million to $13 million. Today, roughly 35 percent of the Mamilla properties have already been sold, mostly to foreign residents.
The project has been many decades in the making and is considered among the most ambitious and contentious enterprises ever undertaken in the city. The visionary behind the project is real-estate magnate Alfred Akirov, who built Tel Aviv's Opera Tower and Treetop Towers. He and his associates endured long battles with government bureaucracy as well as environmental and religious groups objected to the construction of such a massive complex in an archeology-rich, hallowed neighborhood.
Safdie designed the project with sensitivity to the site's archeology and history. Many of the historic structures have been restored or reassembled, using the original Jerusalem stone. One such structure is the Stern House, where Theodor Herzl stayed overnight during his visit to Jerusalem in 1898. The mall is generally proportionate with the architecture of the immediate environs. The greatest challenge in creating the complex has been "patience," Safdie said.
In a city often touted as one of the poorest and politicized in Israel, Safdie believes the project will bring a much-needed revival to the commercial and cultural landscape in Jerusalem.
"I think the project is a bridge and connection, by uniting the Old City with the new city, the Arab side with the Israeli side. I think it will bring life to the entire central business district," he said.
Those who still prefer the traditional Israeli shopping experience, where they can find bargains through old-fashioned haggling, can easily take a short walk down the path of the promenade, past the Jaffa Gate into the bustling shuk in the Arab Quarter.
"That's what it's all about," Safdie said.
Click here for original
With style, fanfare and fireworks, the $400 million Mamilla Alrov commercial and residential quarter opened its Jerusalem stone doors to the public on May 28.
The only completed portion is a small section of the outdoor mall, but among its anticipated 138 stores are Israeli fashion chains and boutique shops, as well as high-end retail outfits like Tommy Hilfiger, MAC, Bebe, H. Stern and Ralph Lauren. To use a Los Angeles analogy, it may be fair to say that the Holy City has just welcomed its equivalent of The Grove.
Unlike The Grove, however, the Mamilla Alrov Quarter need not create artificial facades to evoke a historical texture. Built on the historic Rehov Mamilla, the quarter has been a restoration project as much as an effort in capitalism.
It served as the first trading center outside the Old City walls at the turn of the century.
Visitors can walk along a street where Jordanian snipers fired at indigent Israelis who lived there in the years following the War of Independence. The French Catholic Convent of Saint Vincent de Paul stands oddly between the Israeli clothing shop Renuar and Erroca Eyewear. Even though the Old City is a tourist magnet on Shabbat and holidays, all stores will be closed on the holy days.
One aim of the project is to contribute style to an area associated more with political and religious tension rather than colorful trends: the Jaffa Gate right outside the Old City walls.
By 2008 the complex will include 50 luxury residences and the five-star Alrov Mamilla Jerusalem Hotel, all designed by world-renowned Israeli Canadian architect Moshe Safdie. The hefty price tags of the condos range from $1.1 million to $13 million. Today, roughly 35 percent of the Mamilla properties have already been sold, mostly to foreign residents.
The project has been many decades in the making and is considered among the most ambitious and contentious enterprises ever undertaken in the city. The visionary behind the project is real-estate magnate Alfred Akirov, who built Tel Aviv's Opera Tower and Treetop Towers. He and his associates endured long battles with government bureaucracy as well as environmental and religious groups objected to the construction of such a massive complex in an archeology-rich, hallowed neighborhood.
Safdie designed the project with sensitivity to the site's archeology and history. Many of the historic structures have been restored or reassembled, using the original Jerusalem stone. One such structure is the Stern House, where Theodor Herzl stayed overnight during his visit to Jerusalem in 1898. The mall is generally proportionate with the architecture of the immediate environs. The greatest challenge in creating the complex has been "patience," Safdie said.
In a city often touted as one of the poorest and politicized in Israel, Safdie believes the project will bring a much-needed revival to the commercial and cultural landscape in Jerusalem.
"I think the project is a bridge and connection, by uniting the Old City with the new city, the Arab side with the Israeli side. I think it will bring life to the entire central business district," he said.
Those who still prefer the traditional Israeli shopping experience, where they can find bargains through old-fashioned haggling, can easily take a short walk down the path of the promenade, past the Jaffa Gate into the bustling shuk in the Arab Quarter.
"That's what it's all about," Safdie said.
Reaching new heights
Jerusalem Post, Weekend Magazine; Jun 7, 2007
There's a host of new and newly improved activities in Galilee and the Golan for the whole family to explore. Just don't mention the war.
What war? You mean to tell me there was a war around here? That was the question that crossed my mind as I traveled as part of a press tour to northern Galilee and the Golan Heights. The drying, straw-yellow hills of the Golan, now ripe with garlic and cherries, bore no sign of tragedy. The only occasional shadow in the pastoral landscape were the tanks at the side of the road participating in a massive army drill; a grim reminder of the predicted war with Syria.
Talk of war hardly came up in conversations with the tour guides and sites we visited. I'm not sure whether to attribute this to painful denial, optimistic dismissal or just plain defiance, but entrepreneurs and tourism professionals are holding nothing back in developing the north for the waves of tourists they expect this summer. Millions of dollars are being invested to build, upgrade and rehabilitate.
Yalla Nasrallah, as they say. Northern Israel blooms in summertime despite you.
Kfar Giladi: The Chicken-Coop Path
At night the bus turns into Kibbutz Kfar Giladi, and near the entrance several stone plaques surround a small, bare plot of land. Twelve soldiers were killed here by a direct rocket hit during the war.
We focus on other monuments: monuments in honor of the industry and creativity of the north. Seven former chicken coops will soon be transformed into a pastoral promenade for shops and galleries. The project, called in Hebrew Shvil Halulim (the chicken-coop path) was started a year and a half ago by Yaron Bar, a northern native who got his inspiration from time spent in South Africa.
"I saw ranches in South Africa where you can find all the local products, wines, foods, oils, art and all types of goods," Bar said. To give local artisans a platform to showcase and sell their wares, he leased the former coops from the kibbutz for 20 years.
Sivan Ravitz from Kibbutz Dan opened the first business on the developing promenade right after the war. Razei Hata'am ("The Secrets of Taste") is a boutique food shop selling gourmet spices, oils, cheeses, pastas, meats and also kitchenware in a colorful and aesthetic setting. Her shop was a risky endeavor, not necessarily because of the war, but because of its novelty.
"People in the region aren't aware of the possibilities of delicatessens or the things they can offer. The purpose of the store is to suggest more options to people. It's catching on, but it's something new. Even during Pessah, people saw it as a gift shop. They need to get used to it as a place where they can buy food for themselves."
Interest in the compound suffered in the wake of the war, but it is starting to pick up again. In a few weeks a housewares shop and an art gallery will open their doors.
Probably the most remarkable attraction at the compound comes at the end of the path in the form of an imposing, antique basalt structure that is now home to 1922, a meat and wine bar. Built by French designers in 1922, the structure was used first as a barn and then as a secret weapons storehouse.
Through creative lighting and steel and glass decor, contemporary Israeli designers have transformed the interior into an enchanting restaurant combining the antique and modern. The high ceilings, cracked walls, chandeliers and gray tone made me feel like the place was haunted, but in the end I only felt pleasantly haunted by the excellent taste and preparation of the beef and lamb steaks served.
Razei Hata'am: Sun.-Thurs. 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Fri., holiday eves 9 a.m.-4 p.m.;
Sat., holidays: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.,
(04) 694-6310
1922: Reservations: (04) 694-6646
The Wild Heights: Cowboy Village
It's a long, lonely ride to Kibbutz Merom Golan in the northern Golan, but this is where cowboy fantasies are realized.
Merom Golan has all the attractions to complete the experience: horse riding, tractor riding, a cattle ranch and a cowboy restaurant. Founded in 1997, the restaurant serves hickory-flavored chicken and smoky, grilled beef. The wooden logs adorned with posters of Clint Eastwood complete the Wild West theme.
Right behind the restaurant, the muscular Druse cowboy and horse trainer, William, led us on horse rides through the surrounding mountains on the rather tame and friendly horses. My horse, Pele, trailed behind the others and kept eating the shrubbery, but I still felt like a true cowgirl.
The scent of freshly chopped wood and fabrics fill beautiful cabins equipped with plasma televisions and mini Jacuzzis. These eight new additions to the kibbutz's existing boarding facilities are for tourists who like to live the cowboy good life. Another 12 units will be built in time for the High Holy Days.
Merom Golan: (04) 696-0267; www.meromgolantourism.co.il
Manara Cliff
For one minute, I was transformed into a rocket.
My most exhilarating moment in the north was flying through the air above Kiryat Shmona. For a few moments I dangled over this northern city, patches of Hula Valley farmland under my feet, the forests - some charred, some intact - in full view. It only took about 30 seconds to glide down the Omega human cable glide, but as the wind hit my face, I thought, what an eloquent answer to Nasrallah's Katyushas.
I reclaimed the northern skies.
Manara Cliff is known for its outdoor adventures, which also include rappelling and wall climbing. Forest fires damaged their 2- km.-long cable car ride, and the cliff reopened only last Pessah.
Manara cliff: NIS 49/NIS 59 (weekdays/weekends) for Omega cable glide.
NIS 95/NIS 105 for cable glide & activities. Between 4-5 p.m. daily, there's a happy hour with reduced rates. Tel 04-690-5830.
JNF Forests
JNF tour guides provide free tours of the forests overlooking the Galilee panhandle. It seems the European influence is not good for the north, at least in the field of greenery. Most of the damage in the last Lebanon war was incurred upon pine trees imported from Europe, which were too weak to withstand the heat and pressure. The JNF will rebuild the forest using more resilient, indigenous trees and greenery, such as oak.
With the backdrop of Lebanon and the Golan, our JNF tour guide gave us one of the most comprehensive explanations of the effects of the war.
THE BUREAU of Statistics has found that despite the war, internal tourism in the north has increased by about 5 percent this year, while foreign tourism has declined by about 10%. The increase can likely be attributed to Israeli solidarity.
But when I returned back to the center of the country, I realized there is another value to visiting spots hurt by the War. I couldn't help but feel inspired by the tenacity of the tourism and hotel operators and the local entrepreneurs. It's their energy, drive and hope that lend me to believe that despite all the heartache the north has undergone, the northern spirit largely remains indefatigable; a quality you can't see or read in a brochure - or ever really destroy.
There's a host of new and newly improved activities in Galilee and the Golan for the whole family to explore. Just don't mention the war.
What war? You mean to tell me there was a war around here? That was the question that crossed my mind as I traveled as part of a press tour to northern Galilee and the Golan Heights. The drying, straw-yellow hills of the Golan, now ripe with garlic and cherries, bore no sign of tragedy. The only occasional shadow in the pastoral landscape were the tanks at the side of the road participating in a massive army drill; a grim reminder of the predicted war with Syria.
Talk of war hardly came up in conversations with the tour guides and sites we visited. I'm not sure whether to attribute this to painful denial, optimistic dismissal or just plain defiance, but entrepreneurs and tourism professionals are holding nothing back in developing the north for the waves of tourists they expect this summer. Millions of dollars are being invested to build, upgrade and rehabilitate.
Yalla Nasrallah, as they say. Northern Israel blooms in summertime despite you.
Kfar Giladi: The Chicken-Coop Path
At night the bus turns into Kibbutz Kfar Giladi, and near the entrance several stone plaques surround a small, bare plot of land. Twelve soldiers were killed here by a direct rocket hit during the war.
We focus on other monuments: monuments in honor of the industry and creativity of the north. Seven former chicken coops will soon be transformed into a pastoral promenade for shops and galleries. The project, called in Hebrew Shvil Halulim (the chicken-coop path) was started a year and a half ago by Yaron Bar, a northern native who got his inspiration from time spent in South Africa.
"I saw ranches in South Africa where you can find all the local products, wines, foods, oils, art and all types of goods," Bar said. To give local artisans a platform to showcase and sell their wares, he leased the former coops from the kibbutz for 20 years.
Sivan Ravitz from Kibbutz Dan opened the first business on the developing promenade right after the war. Razei Hata'am ("The Secrets of Taste") is a boutique food shop selling gourmet spices, oils, cheeses, pastas, meats and also kitchenware in a colorful and aesthetic setting. Her shop was a risky endeavor, not necessarily because of the war, but because of its novelty.
"People in the region aren't aware of the possibilities of delicatessens or the things they can offer. The purpose of the store is to suggest more options to people. It's catching on, but it's something new. Even during Pessah, people saw it as a gift shop. They need to get used to it as a place where they can buy food for themselves."
Interest in the compound suffered in the wake of the war, but it is starting to pick up again. In a few weeks a housewares shop and an art gallery will open their doors.
Probably the most remarkable attraction at the compound comes at the end of the path in the form of an imposing, antique basalt structure that is now home to 1922, a meat and wine bar. Built by French designers in 1922, the structure was used first as a barn and then as a secret weapons storehouse.
Through creative lighting and steel and glass decor, contemporary Israeli designers have transformed the interior into an enchanting restaurant combining the antique and modern. The high ceilings, cracked walls, chandeliers and gray tone made me feel like the place was haunted, but in the end I only felt pleasantly haunted by the excellent taste and preparation of the beef and lamb steaks served.
Razei Hata'am: Sun.-Thurs. 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Fri., holiday eves 9 a.m.-4 p.m.;
Sat., holidays: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.,
(04) 694-6310
1922: Reservations: (04) 694-6646
The Wild Heights: Cowboy Village
It's a long, lonely ride to Kibbutz Merom Golan in the northern Golan, but this is where cowboy fantasies are realized.
Merom Golan has all the attractions to complete the experience: horse riding, tractor riding, a cattle ranch and a cowboy restaurant. Founded in 1997, the restaurant serves hickory-flavored chicken and smoky, grilled beef. The wooden logs adorned with posters of Clint Eastwood complete the Wild West theme.
Right behind the restaurant, the muscular Druse cowboy and horse trainer, William, led us on horse rides through the surrounding mountains on the rather tame and friendly horses. My horse, Pele, trailed behind the others and kept eating the shrubbery, but I still felt like a true cowgirl.
The scent of freshly chopped wood and fabrics fill beautiful cabins equipped with plasma televisions and mini Jacuzzis. These eight new additions to the kibbutz's existing boarding facilities are for tourists who like to live the cowboy good life. Another 12 units will be built in time for the High Holy Days.
Merom Golan: (04) 696-0267; www.meromgolantourism.co.il
Manara Cliff
For one minute, I was transformed into a rocket.
My most exhilarating moment in the north was flying through the air above Kiryat Shmona. For a few moments I dangled over this northern city, patches of Hula Valley farmland under my feet, the forests - some charred, some intact - in full view. It only took about 30 seconds to glide down the Omega human cable glide, but as the wind hit my face, I thought, what an eloquent answer to Nasrallah's Katyushas.
I reclaimed the northern skies.
Manara Cliff is known for its outdoor adventures, which also include rappelling and wall climbing. Forest fires damaged their 2- km.-long cable car ride, and the cliff reopened only last Pessah.
Manara cliff: NIS 49/NIS 59 (weekdays/weekends) for Omega cable glide.
NIS 95/NIS 105 for cable glide & activities. Between 4-5 p.m. daily, there's a happy hour with reduced rates. Tel 04-690-5830.
JNF Forests
JNF tour guides provide free tours of the forests overlooking the Galilee panhandle. It seems the European influence is not good for the north, at least in the field of greenery. Most of the damage in the last Lebanon war was incurred upon pine trees imported from Europe, which were too weak to withstand the heat and pressure. The JNF will rebuild the forest using more resilient, indigenous trees and greenery, such as oak.
With the backdrop of Lebanon and the Golan, our JNF tour guide gave us one of the most comprehensive explanations of the effects of the war.
THE BUREAU of Statistics has found that despite the war, internal tourism in the north has increased by about 5 percent this year, while foreign tourism has declined by about 10%. The increase can likely be attributed to Israeli solidarity.
But when I returned back to the center of the country, I realized there is another value to visiting spots hurt by the War. I couldn't help but feel inspired by the tenacity of the tourism and hotel operators and the local entrepreneurs. It's their energy, drive and hope that lend me to believe that despite all the heartache the north has undergone, the northern spirit largely remains indefatigable; a quality you can't see or read in a brochure - or ever really destroy.
Friday, June 1, 2007
Pride and politics
Jerusalem Post, Up Front; June 1, 2007
In an interview, Emuna Elon describes how she is putting culture on the Orthodox agenda
Readers of Emuna Elon's columns in Ma'ariv and Yediot Aharonot over the past 15 years might find her debut novel, If You Awaken Love, a striking, unlikely diversion from her political crusading. In her novel, political rhetoric is cooled and sympathies are spread over the political Left and Right alike.
If You Awaken Love is not a morality tale, but a love story, or rather, an unrequited love story. The heroine, Shlomtzion, is not a settler, but part of the Yeshivat Merkaz Harav milieu in the 1970s, the hothouse for the growing religious-Zionist movement after the Six Day War. Once her engagement to her teenage love, Yair, is nixed by the rosh yeshiva, the heartbroken Shlomtzion rebels against and questions that world.
'Everything that happens to her and everything she thinks, I know. It's all a part of me... I haven't lived as a secular person, but I've lived the possibility of that,' Elon tells The Jerusalem Post over coffee at the Inbal Hotel in Jerusalem.
Elon is 52, soft-spoken but brimming with quiet, intense passion. Wisps of hair fall from her blue-and- white, flowery scarf. But her imagination reaches far beyond the rocky hills of her settlement of Beit El, north of Jerusalem, where she lives with her husband, MK Benny Elon.
'When asked how I took upon myself to describe the life of a secular person without living it, I answer that Shlomtzion, my heroine, is not secular, that she violates the laws of the Torah, but she remains religious in her way of thinking. It's obvious that she doesn't stop believing in God for one minute. Someone who doesn't believe in God doesn't bother to dedicate her life to defying Him.'
And defy Him she does. On the rebound, Shlomtzion remarries a handsome, rugged army officer, Rosy, whom she divorces because of her lingering yet impossible love for Yair. Shlomtzion lives the single life in Tel Aviv as a successful interior designer, and her daughter with Rosy, Maya, emerges as the correction to Shlomtzion's soured relationship with Yair. Maya's engagement to religious Zionism and to Yair's son, Ariel, forces Shlomtzion to confront her former love and values.
Arguments about the virtues and non-virtues of the Oslo Accords that take place at Shlomtzion's apartment and later at the fictitious settlement of Tirza (based on Beit El) constitute the few instances of Left-Right wrangling in the book.
'All of those leftist viewpoints are those I understand, and I feel them. I know what it is to believe in all these 'leftist' ideals because they're in me. I see myself as a right-winger who sees the complexity of the situation.'
She considers the living conditions of Palestinian refugees, described briefly in the novel, a tragedy she can't ignore, but she doesn't believe uprooting settlements will solve their plight.
However, she won't say that outright in her novel, which bears no blatant political message or prescription. Elon is quick to tell me that 'messer,' or 'message' in Hebrew, means 'knife' in Yiddish, which can 'cut' a work of literature. 'A novel should try to express things, not to say what is wrong and what is right, not to put things in boxes, not to suggest how to solve the problems. A novel should only express how difficult it all is and how beautiful and impossible and painful and fulfilling.'
AMONG THE early advocates of the book was, surprisingly, the staunch left-wing writer Amos Oz, with whom she had struck up a 16-year correspondence while studying literature under him at Ben-Gurion University. He introduced her novel to Keter, which published it in Hebrew in 2004. The friendship has fostered mutual understanding, but neither has backtracked on his or her political stance.
'This is the essence of the political conflict in Israel. We still have to survive here together, all of us. There are very deep and strong feelings of anger toward each other, but we're still in this together.'
In her own political circles, Elon has received more understanding and encouragement than disapproval. Some fellow settlers have commented that her novel portrays too much sympathy for leftist viewpoints or Palestinian distress, but Elon is not deterred by such criticism. Readers may not become automatic settler supporters, but they might look upon settlers with increased empathy.
'An extreme leftist called me and said, 'I didn't know you fall in love.' If someone learns from one of my books that people in settlements are people who also fall in love, who have questions and problems about life, people who are complex and real, this is also an achievement. That is enough for me... We're not posters or banners. We hurt, we feel, we're alive.'
For Elon, writing the novel served as a personal and professional awakening. While building her home in Beit El and working as a teacher of Judaism and literature as well as a political columnist, she didn't consider writing literature an effective, worthy or desirable endeavor for fashioning Israel according to religious-Zionist values.
'Somehow we were brought up to believe it's more important to study and write about Torah, to educate, to settle the land, to be involved in security missions in the army. Contemporary Israeli culture always took a backseat,' she explains.
Elon and her husband established a printing press in 1987, which published seven of her children's books. Her mid-40s marked a turning point. 'I felt that I reached an age in which I had to write literature. I could no longer push it off.' Currently she dedicates most of her time to teaching and working on her second novel.
The 2005 disengagement gave an extra boost to this career switch. Since the evacuation, which continues to pain her, she has taken a break from political journalism.
'I felt that my voice couldn't be heard right now, and I didn't feel like continuing to write for a newspaper that supported [the disengagement].'
Now she views arts and culture as a legitimate, powerful and even desirable way for people of her political persuasion to influence society. 'Sometimes I think maybe [the disengagement] would not have happened if we had 'settled' as much in culture as in the land.'
SHE PUTS much of her faith in the younger generation, who are less shy about their creative pursuits. 'Among our younger generation, there is a lot of involvement in literature, film, poetry.'
Her son, for example, a filmmaker, is publishing a book of his short stories and her son-in-law is the literary editor at Makor Rishon and author of a soon-to-be- published book of poetry.
'The optimism, power and creativity of the youth are expressed in the novel in the form of the successful and loving relationship between Maya and Ariel,' she says. 'The younger generation in the settlements doesn't need the bombastic declarations we used when we were younger. They just live as proud Israeli Jews.'
Toward the end of the novel, Maya and Ariel describe their vision for an idyllic, ecological settlement. Shlomtzion and Yair see their former selves in them, and Yair remarks: 'When we were your age, we too wanted to fix the world.' To which Ariel responds: 'We don't want to fix the world,' with Maya adding softly, 'Only ourselves.'
'This is the most optimistic saying of the book,' says Elon. 'That the future of Israel would look better because of the natural attitude of the youngsters who don't feel like they have to prove anything to anyone. They just want to live life because they want to live life. This is the real way of fixing the world, and eventually, of everyone fixing him or herself.'
In an interview, Emuna Elon describes how she is putting culture on the Orthodox agenda
Readers of Emuna Elon's columns in Ma'ariv and Yediot Aharonot over the past 15 years might find her debut novel, If You Awaken Love, a striking, unlikely diversion from her political crusading. In her novel, political rhetoric is cooled and sympathies are spread over the political Left and Right alike.
If You Awaken Love is not a morality tale, but a love story, or rather, an unrequited love story. The heroine, Shlomtzion, is not a settler, but part of the Yeshivat Merkaz Harav milieu in the 1970s, the hothouse for the growing religious-Zionist movement after the Six Day War. Once her engagement to her teenage love, Yair, is nixed by the rosh yeshiva, the heartbroken Shlomtzion rebels against and questions that world.
'Everything that happens to her and everything she thinks, I know. It's all a part of me... I haven't lived as a secular person, but I've lived the possibility of that,' Elon tells The Jerusalem Post over coffee at the Inbal Hotel in Jerusalem.
Elon is 52, soft-spoken but brimming with quiet, intense passion. Wisps of hair fall from her blue-and- white, flowery scarf. But her imagination reaches far beyond the rocky hills of her settlement of Beit El, north of Jerusalem, where she lives with her husband, MK Benny Elon.
'When asked how I took upon myself to describe the life of a secular person without living it, I answer that Shlomtzion, my heroine, is not secular, that she violates the laws of the Torah, but she remains religious in her way of thinking. It's obvious that she doesn't stop believing in God for one minute. Someone who doesn't believe in God doesn't bother to dedicate her life to defying Him.'
And defy Him she does. On the rebound, Shlomtzion remarries a handsome, rugged army officer, Rosy, whom she divorces because of her lingering yet impossible love for Yair. Shlomtzion lives the single life in Tel Aviv as a successful interior designer, and her daughter with Rosy, Maya, emerges as the correction to Shlomtzion's soured relationship with Yair. Maya's engagement to religious Zionism and to Yair's son, Ariel, forces Shlomtzion to confront her former love and values.
Arguments about the virtues and non-virtues of the Oslo Accords that take place at Shlomtzion's apartment and later at the fictitious settlement of Tirza (based on Beit El) constitute the few instances of Left-Right wrangling in the book.
'All of those leftist viewpoints are those I understand, and I feel them. I know what it is to believe in all these 'leftist' ideals because they're in me. I see myself as a right-winger who sees the complexity of the situation.'
She considers the living conditions of Palestinian refugees, described briefly in the novel, a tragedy she can't ignore, but she doesn't believe uprooting settlements will solve their plight.
However, she won't say that outright in her novel, which bears no blatant political message or prescription. Elon is quick to tell me that 'messer,' or 'message' in Hebrew, means 'knife' in Yiddish, which can 'cut' a work of literature. 'A novel should try to express things, not to say what is wrong and what is right, not to put things in boxes, not to suggest how to solve the problems. A novel should only express how difficult it all is and how beautiful and impossible and painful and fulfilling.'
AMONG THE early advocates of the book was, surprisingly, the staunch left-wing writer Amos Oz, with whom she had struck up a 16-year correspondence while studying literature under him at Ben-Gurion University. He introduced her novel to Keter, which published it in Hebrew in 2004. The friendship has fostered mutual understanding, but neither has backtracked on his or her political stance.
'This is the essence of the political conflict in Israel. We still have to survive here together, all of us. There are very deep and strong feelings of anger toward each other, but we're still in this together.'
In her own political circles, Elon has received more understanding and encouragement than disapproval. Some fellow settlers have commented that her novel portrays too much sympathy for leftist viewpoints or Palestinian distress, but Elon is not deterred by such criticism. Readers may not become automatic settler supporters, but they might look upon settlers with increased empathy.
'An extreme leftist called me and said, 'I didn't know you fall in love.' If someone learns from one of my books that people in settlements are people who also fall in love, who have questions and problems about life, people who are complex and real, this is also an achievement. That is enough for me... We're not posters or banners. We hurt, we feel, we're alive.'
For Elon, writing the novel served as a personal and professional awakening. While building her home in Beit El and working as a teacher of Judaism and literature as well as a political columnist, she didn't consider writing literature an effective, worthy or desirable endeavor for fashioning Israel according to religious-Zionist values.
'Somehow we were brought up to believe it's more important to study and write about Torah, to educate, to settle the land, to be involved in security missions in the army. Contemporary Israeli culture always took a backseat,' she explains.
Elon and her husband established a printing press in 1987, which published seven of her children's books. Her mid-40s marked a turning point. 'I felt that I reached an age in which I had to write literature. I could no longer push it off.' Currently she dedicates most of her time to teaching and working on her second novel.
The 2005 disengagement gave an extra boost to this career switch. Since the evacuation, which continues to pain her, she has taken a break from political journalism.
'I felt that my voice couldn't be heard right now, and I didn't feel like continuing to write for a newspaper that supported [the disengagement].'
Now she views arts and culture as a legitimate, powerful and even desirable way for people of her political persuasion to influence society. 'Sometimes I think maybe [the disengagement] would not have happened if we had 'settled' as much in culture as in the land.'
SHE PUTS much of her faith in the younger generation, who are less shy about their creative pursuits. 'Among our younger generation, there is a lot of involvement in literature, film, poetry.'
Her son, for example, a filmmaker, is publishing a book of his short stories and her son-in-law is the literary editor at Makor Rishon and author of a soon-to-be- published book of poetry.
'The optimism, power and creativity of the youth are expressed in the novel in the form of the successful and loving relationship between Maya and Ariel,' she says. 'The younger generation in the settlements doesn't need the bombastic declarations we used when we were younger. They just live as proud Israeli Jews.'
Toward the end of the novel, Maya and Ariel describe their vision for an idyllic, ecological settlement. Shlomtzion and Yair see their former selves in them, and Yair remarks: 'When we were your age, we too wanted to fix the world.' To which Ariel responds: 'We don't want to fix the world,' with Maya adding softly, 'Only ourselves.'
'This is the most optimistic saying of the book,' says Elon. 'That the future of Israel would look better because of the natural attitude of the youngsters who don't feel like they have to prove anything to anyone. They just want to live life because they want to live life. This is the real way of fixing the world, and eventually, of everyone fixing him or herself.'
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Rita, Israel’s reigning diva
The Jewish Journal; May 31, 2007
Click here for original
Only Rita could have pulled it off. Her famous "One" concert was the first time any Israeli recording artist has attempted such an extravagant, multimedia performance. With its crew of 50 tumbling dancers, grandiose costumes, pyrotechnics and video art, the $5 million production looked like it came right off the Las Vegas Strip.
Rita Last summer's show at the Tel Aviv Exhibition Center, which took its inspiration from Céline Dion's year-round Caesar's Palace concert, "A New Day," drew close to 100,000 fans over a period of one month. That's a lot of concertgoers for a country with a population of some 7 million, especially considering the concert was held during the height of the second Lebanon War.
"It was like a miracle," said Rita, who much like Madonna and Cher eschews her last name. "It was a huge success."
The concert proved that after 25 years on the stage, Rita is Israel's most beloved diva. And at 45, the daring performer shows no signs of slowing down.
This month, Rita has something more intimate planned for Angelenos. Only 500 tickets are available for her June 5 performance at the American Jewish University's (formerly the University of Judaism) Gindi Auditorium.
"My desire in bringing Rita to this location, as opposed to a larger venue which we could have easily sold, is to provide people the unique opportunity to experience an intimate evening with one of Israel's best," said Gady Levy, dean and vice president of the AJU's department of continuing education. "What I believe Rita does best is connect with her audience during a show. The close, informal setting will allow her to connect with the audience even more."
The Tehran-born singer, known for her passionate love ballads, already enjoys a built-in Los Angeles fan club. After the Islamic revolution in Iran in the late 1970s, most of her family in Iran split between Israel and Los Angeles, and she maintains close ties with her Los Angeles family, not to be confused with her Jewish fans abroad, who she also terms "family."
Born in 1962, Rita Yahan-Farouz dreamed of performing from the time she was 4, when she sang into a microphone at her uncle's engagement party, while standing on a chair.
"While singing, I remember it very clearly ... very, very, very clearly.... I knew that that's what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I felt like I was home," she said.
Her Zionist father felt it was time to pack their bags in 1970 after Rita's sister came home crying because she refused to recite a Muslim prayer at school. The singer moved to Israel with her family at age 8.
As a teenager in Israel, Rita worked her way through dance school, acting school and voice lessons. The day after performing one of her singles for the Israeli Pre-Eurovision Song Contest, the Persian beauty was mobbed on the bus by new fans.
"It was a Cinderella story," she said. "I didn't know that it became that I could never go on a bus again. I got out after two stations. The entire bus was on me, touching and asking, and I didn't know what happened. It was strange, very strange, very new, very frightening."
But Rita didn't set out to be the Israeli idol she is today.
"You don't think big," she said. "You're innocent. It's not like now that everyone sees all these contests, like 'American Idol.' It's much more something that burns inside of you that you want to sing to people -- you don't think about big success, fame, nothing like that. It's much deeper."
Rita is flattered by her comparison to Canadian American legend Celine Dion, although when asked who her American idols are, she answers with little hesitation: "Beyonce. I don't know whether to kiss or hit her because she's amazing. She's really something. She sings, she dances. I like very much the last record of Christian Aguilera."
She counts Kate Bush and Barbra Streisand among her earlier influences for their multifaceted talents.
Of Dion she said, "I think [she] has a great voice -- a great, great voice -- but I never sat and cried when I heard her." Nevertheless, it's hard to deny the similarities.
As a thespian, Rita has starred in Israel's stage musicals of "My Fair Lady" and "Chicago." Despite the occasional provocative, sexy dress, Rita, a mother of two (Meshi, 15, and Noam, 6) radiates a pure, "put together" image.
Rita married her teenage sweetheart, singer-songwriter Rami Kleinstein, who has written, arranged and produced many of her albums and who has performed at American Jewish University in the past. Their musical marriage is one of the most celebrated and enduring in Israel.
Rita's attempt to break into the international market was cut short, in part, by her commitment to her family. She became pregnant with her second daughter while on tour in Europe promoting her English album, "A Time for Peace," which sold just 20,000 copies.
"I think this is a very important decision to make," she said. "I decided that I didn't want to be famous and miserable when I come home alone. That's why I had to decide that my main career will be in one place, so I could build a family with children and a husband."
Click here for original
Only Rita could have pulled it off. Her famous "One" concert was the first time any Israeli recording artist has attempted such an extravagant, multimedia performance. With its crew of 50 tumbling dancers, grandiose costumes, pyrotechnics and video art, the $5 million production looked like it came right off the Las Vegas Strip.
Rita Last summer's show at the Tel Aviv Exhibition Center, which took its inspiration from Céline Dion's year-round Caesar's Palace concert, "A New Day," drew close to 100,000 fans over a period of one month. That's a lot of concertgoers for a country with a population of some 7 million, especially considering the concert was held during the height of the second Lebanon War.
"It was like a miracle," said Rita, who much like Madonna and Cher eschews her last name. "It was a huge success."
The concert proved that after 25 years on the stage, Rita is Israel's most beloved diva. And at 45, the daring performer shows no signs of slowing down.
This month, Rita has something more intimate planned for Angelenos. Only 500 tickets are available for her June 5 performance at the American Jewish University's (formerly the University of Judaism) Gindi Auditorium.
"My desire in bringing Rita to this location, as opposed to a larger venue which we could have easily sold, is to provide people the unique opportunity to experience an intimate evening with one of Israel's best," said Gady Levy, dean and vice president of the AJU's department of continuing education. "What I believe Rita does best is connect with her audience during a show. The close, informal setting will allow her to connect with the audience even more."
The Tehran-born singer, known for her passionate love ballads, already enjoys a built-in Los Angeles fan club. After the Islamic revolution in Iran in the late 1970s, most of her family in Iran split between Israel and Los Angeles, and she maintains close ties with her Los Angeles family, not to be confused with her Jewish fans abroad, who she also terms "family."
Born in 1962, Rita Yahan-Farouz dreamed of performing from the time she was 4, when she sang into a microphone at her uncle's engagement party, while standing on a chair.
"While singing, I remember it very clearly ... very, very, very clearly.... I knew that that's what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I felt like I was home," she said.
Her Zionist father felt it was time to pack their bags in 1970 after Rita's sister came home crying because she refused to recite a Muslim prayer at school. The singer moved to Israel with her family at age 8.
As a teenager in Israel, Rita worked her way through dance school, acting school and voice lessons. The day after performing one of her singles for the Israeli Pre-Eurovision Song Contest, the Persian beauty was mobbed on the bus by new fans.
"It was a Cinderella story," she said. "I didn't know that it became that I could never go on a bus again. I got out after two stations. The entire bus was on me, touching and asking, and I didn't know what happened. It was strange, very strange, very new, very frightening."
But Rita didn't set out to be the Israeli idol she is today.
"You don't think big," she said. "You're innocent. It's not like now that everyone sees all these contests, like 'American Idol.' It's much more something that burns inside of you that you want to sing to people -- you don't think about big success, fame, nothing like that. It's much deeper."
Rita is flattered by her comparison to Canadian American legend Celine Dion, although when asked who her American idols are, she answers with little hesitation: "Beyonce. I don't know whether to kiss or hit her because she's amazing. She's really something. She sings, she dances. I like very much the last record of Christian Aguilera."
She counts Kate Bush and Barbra Streisand among her earlier influences for their multifaceted talents.
Of Dion she said, "I think [she] has a great voice -- a great, great voice -- but I never sat and cried when I heard her." Nevertheless, it's hard to deny the similarities.
As a thespian, Rita has starred in Israel's stage musicals of "My Fair Lady" and "Chicago." Despite the occasional provocative, sexy dress, Rita, a mother of two (Meshi, 15, and Noam, 6) radiates a pure, "put together" image.
Rita married her teenage sweetheart, singer-songwriter Rami Kleinstein, who has written, arranged and produced many of her albums and who has performed at American Jewish University in the past. Their musical marriage is one of the most celebrated and enduring in Israel.
Rita's attempt to break into the international market was cut short, in part, by her commitment to her family. She became pregnant with her second daughter while on tour in Europe promoting her English album, "A Time for Peace," which sold just 20,000 copies.
"I think this is a very important decision to make," she said. "I decided that I didn't want to be famous and miserable when I come home alone. That's why I had to decide that my main career will be in one place, so I could build a family with children and a husband."
Thursday, May 24, 2007
The test for Tike (restaurant review)
Jerusalem Post, Weekend Magazine; May 24, 2007
Tike, the second Israel branch of an international Turkish chain, is attempting to bring blessing to a high- rent, high-profile locale on Ibn Gvirol. Will it succeed?
When I used to live near Kikar Rabin, I'd pass by Ibn Gvirol between David Hamelekh and Bloch streets almost daily and witness the slow rise and quick fall of any restaurant that dared to open on the same block as the ever-popular, ever-packed Brasserie. Any restaurant which opens up in what is jokingly referred to as the "cursed spot" always runs the risk of constantly being mentioned in the same sentence as its dominating neighbor.
First there was soccer-legend Itzik Zohar's "Oliver K" bistro, which was DOA (Dead On Arrival), lasting only about six months. Then there was the valorous attempt of the seafood restaurant, Frank Fish. It stood empty for much of its year-long career, while Brasserie continued to boast a waiting list at any given hour.
Now Tike (pronounced tea-keh), the second Israel branch of this international Turkish chain, is attempting to bring blessing to this high-rent, high-profile locale. Recently, many restaurants have branches on or branched off from Ibn Gvirol: the Eastern fusion Minna Tomei, the seafood giant Goocha and the nightlife hotspot Silon are just some examples.
Tike, however, is following its own lead.
It has already made its mark in the Fertile Crescent as a gourmet Turkish restaurant offering the best and finest of Turkish cuisine in a modern, Westernized setting. Its 11 branches in Turkey and one in Greece generally serve businesspeople and high society. This made the Herzliya business district the natural location for its first Israel branch, introduced into the country last year.
Tike's Tel Aviv design is definitely inviting. It blends Turkish motifs with New York style and clean lines. The restaurant is split into small enclaves, smoking and non-smoking, which lend themselves to privacy among the diners. Watch the Turkish pitot come out in a hearth in the center of the restaurant.
That Tike offers a new concept for Tel Avivians already gives it an edge over its failed predecessors. The appetizers, presented artistically and professionally, perfectly demonstrate Tike's culinary objective: to concoct authentic Turkish dishes using the finest raw materials.
We started off with the flavorful Lahmacun (NIS 18), a thin pastry topped with tomatoes and herbed lamb, which already hinted at the high standards of preparation of Tike's Turkish chefs.
The creativity and attention to detail was evident in the two stuffed appetizers, Yaprak Dolmasi (stuffed grape leaves) and Cig Kofta ("kibbeh," or stuffed bulgar). The ground lamb of both dishes delicately absorbed the unexpected spices, among them cinnamon, pine nuts and red currants. The Mutebbel (NIS 20), a grilled eggplant dish, is poised to be a favorite among eggplant and yogurt lovers.
The main dishes that arrived at our table, however, didn't live up to the expectations set up by the appetizers. The lamb kebab of the flagship dish, Adane Kebop, was a little on the dry side, and I could not pinpoint any specific feature or flavor that would distinguish it from other kebabs I've tried. The side serving of rice was plain and small, making me wonder if the dish justified its price of NIS 69. The Iskender Kebap, with its leaf cut of "doner" meat, looked promising, but the sauce tasted a bit like tomato paste. Hidden under the thin slivers of meat were bread crumbs, which didn't add much to the dish and actually detracted from its generosity.
Any misgivings about the main dishes, however, were immediately rectified when we took a bit of the mouth-watering helva, a mound of sweet-flavored semolina and cheese over a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Talk about a Turkish delight! The Kunefe was excellent as well.
Spirits are the specialty of the manager and co-owner, Dudi Zats, a former bar manager, and he does an excellent job adapting the popular Turkish anise liquor to create cocktails that blend the old with the new. The Southern Sabres, a blend of South Comfort and the Israeli sabra, and the Kosmo Raki, a Turkish take on the Cosmopolitan, were both superb. By virtue of the cocktails, Tike's bar has the potential to become the center of the restaurant during prime nightlife hours.
The menus of the two Israeli branches are exactly the same, so one test for Tel Aviv's Tike will be location, location, location. Given the prestige of Brasserie among the Tel Aviv branja (in crowd), it's likely that young, stylish locals who dine to see and be seen may yet prefer to spend their money on Tike's neighbor. Those looking for a unique, quieter and more specialized dining experience may opt for this Turkish delight.
Tike could very well be the restaurant to exorcize the Bloch/ Hamelekh curse. If it can't, didn't any one ever think of trying something totally new there - like a clothing store, perhaps?
Tike, Rehov Ibn Gvirol 74, 12 noon to 2 a.m., (03) 696-5315. Not kosher.
Tike, the second Israel branch of an international Turkish chain, is attempting to bring blessing to a high- rent, high-profile locale on Ibn Gvirol. Will it succeed?
When I used to live near Kikar Rabin, I'd pass by Ibn Gvirol between David Hamelekh and Bloch streets almost daily and witness the slow rise and quick fall of any restaurant that dared to open on the same block as the ever-popular, ever-packed Brasserie. Any restaurant which opens up in what is jokingly referred to as the "cursed spot" always runs the risk of constantly being mentioned in the same sentence as its dominating neighbor.
First there was soccer-legend Itzik Zohar's "Oliver K" bistro, which was DOA (Dead On Arrival), lasting only about six months. Then there was the valorous attempt of the seafood restaurant, Frank Fish. It stood empty for much of its year-long career, while Brasserie continued to boast a waiting list at any given hour.
Now Tike (pronounced tea-keh), the second Israel branch of this international Turkish chain, is attempting to bring blessing to this high-rent, high-profile locale. Recently, many restaurants have branches on or branched off from Ibn Gvirol: the Eastern fusion Minna Tomei, the seafood giant Goocha and the nightlife hotspot Silon are just some examples.
Tike, however, is following its own lead.
It has already made its mark in the Fertile Crescent as a gourmet Turkish restaurant offering the best and finest of Turkish cuisine in a modern, Westernized setting. Its 11 branches in Turkey and one in Greece generally serve businesspeople and high society. This made the Herzliya business district the natural location for its first Israel branch, introduced into the country last year.
Tike's Tel Aviv design is definitely inviting. It blends Turkish motifs with New York style and clean lines. The restaurant is split into small enclaves, smoking and non-smoking, which lend themselves to privacy among the diners. Watch the Turkish pitot come out in a hearth in the center of the restaurant.
That Tike offers a new concept for Tel Avivians already gives it an edge over its failed predecessors. The appetizers, presented artistically and professionally, perfectly demonstrate Tike's culinary objective: to concoct authentic Turkish dishes using the finest raw materials.
We started off with the flavorful Lahmacun (NIS 18), a thin pastry topped with tomatoes and herbed lamb, which already hinted at the high standards of preparation of Tike's Turkish chefs.
The creativity and attention to detail was evident in the two stuffed appetizers, Yaprak Dolmasi (stuffed grape leaves) and Cig Kofta ("kibbeh," or stuffed bulgar). The ground lamb of both dishes delicately absorbed the unexpected spices, among them cinnamon, pine nuts and red currants. The Mutebbel (NIS 20), a grilled eggplant dish, is poised to be a favorite among eggplant and yogurt lovers.
The main dishes that arrived at our table, however, didn't live up to the expectations set up by the appetizers. The lamb kebab of the flagship dish, Adane Kebop, was a little on the dry side, and I could not pinpoint any specific feature or flavor that would distinguish it from other kebabs I've tried. The side serving of rice was plain and small, making me wonder if the dish justified its price of NIS 69. The Iskender Kebap, with its leaf cut of "doner" meat, looked promising, but the sauce tasted a bit like tomato paste. Hidden under the thin slivers of meat were bread crumbs, which didn't add much to the dish and actually detracted from its generosity.
Any misgivings about the main dishes, however, were immediately rectified when we took a bit of the mouth-watering helva, a mound of sweet-flavored semolina and cheese over a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Talk about a Turkish delight! The Kunefe was excellent as well.
Spirits are the specialty of the manager and co-owner, Dudi Zats, a former bar manager, and he does an excellent job adapting the popular Turkish anise liquor to create cocktails that blend the old with the new. The Southern Sabres, a blend of South Comfort and the Israeli sabra, and the Kosmo Raki, a Turkish take on the Cosmopolitan, were both superb. By virtue of the cocktails, Tike's bar has the potential to become the center of the restaurant during prime nightlife hours.
The menus of the two Israeli branches are exactly the same, so one test for Tel Aviv's Tike will be location, location, location. Given the prestige of Brasserie among the Tel Aviv branja (in crowd), it's likely that young, stylish locals who dine to see and be seen may yet prefer to spend their money on Tike's neighbor. Those looking for a unique, quieter and more specialized dining experience may opt for this Turkish delight.
Tike could very well be the restaurant to exorcize the Bloch/ Hamelekh curse. If it can't, didn't any one ever think of trying something totally new there - like a clothing store, perhaps?
Tike, Rehov Ibn Gvirol 74, 12 noon to 2 a.m., (03) 696-5315. Not kosher.
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