When I went to visit the websites for this week's reading, only two of them actually worked for me. The others said the page could not be found or that the site did not exist anymore. Therefore, I will focus on the two I was able to access.
The Sabreen website reminded me a lot of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra. However, unlike the Divan Orhcestra, Sabreen focuses on expanding the horizons of Palestinian musicians. Beginning in 1980, Sabreen has held various workshops in areas such as Jerusalem, Gaza, and the West Bank. Over the last week I've come to realize just how big of an impact music can have on the live's of individuals in both Arab countries as well as Israel. It truly is a form of identity. Although I really enjoyed browsing the site and learning about the Sabreen organization, I was left with a few questions. First of all, do they perform in countries outside of their home base? From what I've read, it appears they have performed within a limited area. Also, is the Sabreen organization still alive today? I ask this because as I was looking at the "News & Articles" section of the website, I realized their last press release was in 2008.
The Jewish rap was the other website I was able to access. I was upset that I wasn't able to view the Palestinian rap because it would have been a great medium to compare and contrast the two groups of people. With that being said, Yitz Jordan (also known as "Y-Love") was an awesome performer. Up until this point, the only music we had been exposed to was classical. "Y-Love" changed my perspective on music in Israel. I really enjoyed his lyrics and even proceeded to view more of his music on YouTube. I found it interesting that he was born in the United States to non-Jewish parents. He said from the time he was a young boy he had been interested in Judaism. By the time he was 14 he was wearing a kippah on a regular basis. I recommend his music to anybody who appreciates good lyrics presented in a creative and unique fashion. Even if you're not a fan of rap music, I think it's good to see Israeli music presented in a new, distinct way.
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