Wedding Music for IDF Soldiers

Many soldiers were at the wedding, plus those who couldn't be there.

And many of us guests have soldiers on the front. 

Am Yisrael Chai!

עם ישראל חי

We Attended Evyatar Banai's Humongous Outdoor Concert in Jerusalem

Yes, here we are sitting with thousands and thousands of people

 See, I'm not exaggerating at all. Sultan's Pool, near Jerusalem's Old City is quite an impressive venue.

Evyatar Banai performed with three guest artists, and I have no doubt that Aviv Geffen was the highlight for most of the audience. It was quite an extravaganza. 

We were sitting in the VIP section in front. Why? Well that's a story.

Both of us, my husband and I, had totally ignored the ads about the concert which was sponsored by Mateh Binyamin, our regional council -a sort of cross between a county and American-style state. So to put it mildly, we hadn't planned on attending. 

So, how did we end up going, and davka with seats in the VIP section?

Barely 24 hours before the concert, my husband received a message from what we'll call the Public Relations Department of Mateh Binyamin offering us a pair of complementary tickets including an invitation to the preconcert reception. For decades we've been the volunteer "meeters and greeters" welcoming journalists, dignitaries and a wide variety of other visitors including groups. I'm no longer on their "speed-dial," though my husband still gets calls. Over the years we've gotten preholiday gifts, which is how I got that "beer glass" I drink cold brew coffee from. It even came with special beer, which was a real treat for me.

Rather obviously, just like the classic Jewish Joke, as soon as we heard that we'd been offered free tickets, we happily accepted them and attended the concert. To be perfectly honest, until I heard them live, Banai, Geffen and two other popular singers, I don't think I've even listened to their music, though I had heard of them. 

I must say that the Evyatar Banai & Friends concert in such a venue was great fun. Until I turned around to photograph what was behind me, I had no idea how humongous it was, even though we had walked down from the top. Beware that the steps are dangerous, because they aren't marked with reflective or white tape. I didn't want to leave the way we came; it was terrifying to think of going up those black unmarked steps. Luckily there was a lower exit, no steps. I think that we could have entered that way too, if we had come with the other VIPs.

There was an intimacy in sitting so close to the stage and not seeing the rest of the audience. It was great fun. We left a bit early so we could catch a bus home. Lovely evening. I'm so glad we had been invited.

Faux Beatles, But Good Enough for Me

Yesterday my daughter-in-law found the perfect treat for me, a Jerusalem performance of The Magical Mystery Tour Band. The performance was geared for the "entire family," and my three year old grandson was as enchanted as I was. Three generations sang and danced along to the timeless Beatles songs.

The Beatles had filled my adolescence. Yes, I'm of the '60s. Way back when, over half a century ago, nobody could have confidently predicted that the Beatles' music would be so popular today. It has more life than modern music for sure. We certainly didn't need the beer and chaser to enjoy ourselves, but toasting a l'chaim, to life, never does any real harm. We weren't driving. 

Most of the audience seemed much younger than me; it was an afternoon show. I got a kick observing the enthusiasm of the audience, who had been encouraged to get up, dance, jump and play with balloons. In addition we were invited to sing along, thank Gd. I couldn't have stayed quiet even if I had tried. I still remember all the lyrics.

So, if you have the opportunity to attend a performance of the Magical Mystery Tour band, don't delay. Get your tickets before they're sold out.

Enjoyable Chanukah Videos

Every year some new Chanukah Videos are released, some better and some... less so. Here in Israel the weather is stormy. Gd obviously decided to give us WINTER as a Chanukah present.

This is not the time to travel, even though I had some really important plans for today. Instead we'll sing.

Which is your favorite? Why?

חג אורים שמח

Chag Urim Sameach

May You Have An Enlightened Holiday

Drumming Up Fun in Katamon

The other day just after I picked up one of my young grandchildren from day care, I got a message from my daughter-in-law that there was going to be a "musical activity" for children in a park near their home.

I had just walked a few minutes in the wrong direction when I decided to go. That meant I'd be walking up hill pushing the stroller, wearing my backpack. Once I clarified the location, I consulted with Google Maps, which warned me that it would be a half hour walk. Yes, the shortest route was uphill. But should that frighten this intrepid savta (grandmother)? Gd forbid!

With both hands firmly on the stroller, the toddler who refused to wear a jacket "NO!" sitting and observing, my phone in my fanny pack loudly broadcasting Google Maps' directions, "turn left," then "take the second exit on the roundabout..." I must have looked like quite a nutty old lady.

Finally, after over half an hour of trekking through hilly Jerusalem, consulting with my daughter-in-law for the exact location I found the "musical activity" in a lovely park hidden away behind a grocery store and parking lot. Lots of children and parents, probably grandparents too, were sitting mesmerized watching the show.

I skillfully wheeled my grandchild next to the front row to get a birds eye view and hear the music and explanations. I covered him up with his jacket and blanket, no refusals this time. Within seconds someone gave me a chair, so I could sit, too.

We enjoyed the show, even though we had missed most of it. The "musical activity"  was perfectly geared to young children and didn't seem to bore the adults with them.

When it was over, a short walk to my son's apartment. The fun of grannyhood.

Elvis in Zion Square, Evening in Jerusalem

Now that we're no longer on Daylight Savings Time, and winter has finally arrived here in the Holy Land, afternoons quickly turn to nighttime. The day, full of light, is so short and sometimes non-existent, since Gd has been blessing us with rain.

A couple of days ago, I had an appointment near Zion Square, which decades ago had been the social and commercial hub of Jerusalem. I was happy to see it full of people. The people were mostly foreign students from the various yeshivot and seminaries. And best of all, there was music, Elvis Presley of all people. Listen.



A minute's walk away was this shop selling drums and other musical instruments. I miss the sound of real drums, Ringo Starr, and the energy he and others added. Nowadays too many bands and "instrumentals" that "accompany" singing and dancing substitute computerized banging for a real human drummer. I can hear the difference. There's an excitement/emotion in human drumming, which does not exist in the machine ones.

Today's music is too artificial/electric.

And no modern, weatherproof mall is as much fun as real streets and stores. What do you think?

Israel's Eurovision Win, Not Just Music

When I saw Israel's Netta's "Toy" in the Eurovision semifinal last week, which was the first time I watched it or any of the annual contest for years, I began to understand that Eurovision's no longer just a "song contest." And I'm not talking about the "politics." If you want to know a bit about the "politics," then read my Shiloh Musings post.

The staging and production of Eurovision is now most suited to a sports arena, and there's no way that it will fit in Jerusalem's Binyanei Ha'uma, where it had been held in the past.


Israel's "Halleluyah" won Eurovision in 1979, when the competition took place in Jerusalem's Binyanei Ha'uma.

Compare it to Israel's win in Lisbon just a few hours ago:



There's nothing simple about the staging. Of course the most spectacular place in Jerusalem would be Sultan's Pool, outside of the Old City, but security would be easier at Teddy Stadium. What do you think?

Klezmer in The Israel Museum

After a "long year" of shnat evel, mourning, I'm really enjoying musical performances, which had been forbidden. Again I found myself in the Israel Museum. This time there were free klezmer performances in various exhibition areas yesterday afternoon.

They were a "warmup" of sorts for a couple of more serious performances later in the day, for which you had to buy tickets. But my friend and I really had a nice time following this excellent trio around the museum.

We listened to the music and entertaining talk. There was participation, which was clearly enjoyed by adults as well as children.

I put some of the klezmer we heard on youtube for you to enjoy. What do you think?

Sort of Like Cheating... Isn't It?

As some of you may know, my mother passed away two months ago.  As a Torah observant Jew, as a mourner, I'm in a restricted state, forbidden a number of "pleasures," such as wearing new clothes, certain social occasions and listening to music.

I have control over the first two restrictions.  Even under normal circumstances I don't get new clothes all that frequently, and if I do really need something, like a hat to wear at my son's wedding or an unripped shirt at work, I can ask someone else to wear the item for a set period of time.  That way it's not considered "new."  It's not that difficult to decline invitations to social occasions.  It's only permitted if there is Torah or educational content and no music.

Music!  Yes, staying away from music is near impossible.  I can't avoid music, at least recorded music.  At work, in Yafiz and Rami Levy there is always music on.  Even before my mother passed away I'd ask that the volume be turned down in Yafiz, since I can't hear the customers clearly when the music is too loud.  And there's also music on the buses and tremps I take to and from work and other traveling.

I have no control over this music.  It's part of life.  I'm not in charge.  And even more troubling... I love music.  I find myself singing, humming and sometimes even dancing along...