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The shrill voice of Israel - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News

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Home PrintEdition Opinion Published06:1929.02.12 Latestupdate06:1929.02.12

TheshrillvoiceofIsrael
Initsshortlife,thiscountryhasnotfoundthetimetosolveanyexistential problems,butitscitizensconstantlygivethehighestratingstosongcontests.
ByUriMisgav
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Thereisanoldstoryaboutastudentwhogetsafailinggradeinevery subjectexceptforsinginginwhichheearns"excellent."Uponseeing hisson'sreportcard,thefatherslapstheboyandasksangrily:"You getgradeslikethis,butyoustillsing?" OnecouldposeasimilarquestiontotheStateofIsrael. Initsshortlife,thiscountryhasnotfoundthetimetosolveany existentialproblems,butitscitizensconstantlygivethehighestratings tosongcontests.Thetruthisthatsinging,whichissoprominentin Israelipubliclife,isactuallyagoodbarometerofotherfacetsoflifein thiscountry. Singingisfirstandforemostapersonalact,sometimesevenatotally privateone.Apersoncangetagreatdealofenjoymentfromsingingin theshower.Notevery singerneedsan audience.Myparents relatethatwhenIwasa kidIwouldmakemy wayfromkindergarten totheirhouseonthe kibbutz,singingalltheway.Irememberthatstoryeverymorning whenmyyoungsonwalkstokindergartensinging"Ruah,ruah," ("wind,wind")asongperformedbyIsrael'sgreatestsinger,Arik Einstein.(Thecomposer,ShalomHanoch,oneofthefoundersofIsraeli rockandnotasingerintheclassicalsense,laterwrotethat"children arethebridgetoourselvesthattimehasgrantedus.")Butsingingis veryoftenmorethanthepursuitofanindividual,anditssignificance oftentranscendsthatoftheindividual.

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The shrill voice of Israel - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News

MembersofthePalmachprestateundergroundwouldsingaroundthe campfire,andwhentheyhastilypreparedtheillegalimmigrantson boardtheExodusin1947,theytoldthemtoarriveattheshoresof BritishcontrolledPalestinesingingwithalltheirmight.Theirsinging wasinthespiritoftheRedArmyandthepartisansinoccupiedEurope acollectivesong,likethatofachoir. Tothisday,singalongsarestillapopularIsraelinationalpastime. Therehavealsobeentimesthishasgonebeyondaculturalexpression tobecomeaformofrealdefiance,asin"Wewillnotstopsinging"the namegiventothefirstseasonoftheIsraelitelevisionsongcontest, nowknownas"Astarisborn."Anechoofthisspiritcanbefoundina recentfilmclipoftheforeignministergrabbingthemicrophoneand killingthenationalanthemfrombeginningtoend.Anamateursinger isallowedtosingoffkeyhereandthere,butwhenAvigdorLieberman cannothitevenonenotecorrectlyduringHatikvathisisa reverberatingmetaphor. Inrecentyears,Israelishavealsolearnedthatsinging,provideditis carriedoutbythefemalehalfoftheworld'spopulation,canbea pretextforactsofmadness.Soldiersandpublicfiguresleave ceremoniesonthataccountwhilecitinganewanddubiouspreceptof Jewishreligiouslaw,andarabbiwhoholdsanofficialgovernment positionhasdeclaredthathepreferstofaceafiringsquadratherthan listentowomen'svoices.Ifonlyfromthispointofview,theamazing successoftheTVprogram,"TheVoice,"isawelcomemessage:There, thankGod,womenarestillallowedtoopentheirmouths. However,thatprogramhasonefaultthatissobasicthatitisamazing thatnoneofthemusiciansinvolvedinitsproductionhavenoticedit. Initssecondandprolongedstage,thecompetitorscompeteagainst oneanotherinaduet.Inordertodrivehomethepoint,theyare placedonastagethatlookslikeaboxingring.Butthatisabsurd. Singingtogetherisnotaconfrontationthatisdecidedbyaknockout itssuccessissupposedtobebasedonharmony,interactionand coordination. Theprogram'sformatwassupposedlyboughtfromaDutchcompany, butthereissomethingquintessentiallyIsraeliaboutitandsomething verydepressing,too,inthefestiverenunciationofamultitudeof voicesandsharedinterestsinfavorofoneloudandvictoriousvoice abovealltheothers.Thatistrueofmusicalduets,butalsowithregard tosolvingconflictsandconductingdiplomaticprocesses.Itisthestory ofthelosthonorofharmony.
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