Garage Band, iMovie, Photoshop and Kindle..Meet Israel

Garage Band, iMovie, Photoshop and Kindle…Meet Israel
Session 1 – Israeli Music (45 minutes)
Tziyud Needed:
1. One copy/chevruta of the two songs. (Appendices I and II).
2. Musical recording of the two songs and speakers to play the songs.
3. Pen and Paper.
Note:
You may want to present this session consecutively with Session 2, and have
them form a mini-unit within the framework of the overall unit. Alternatively, you
may like to split them, and present them at different times during camp.
Procedure:
Part A
 The session should begin with the madrich/a asking the chanichim to share
some of their thoughts about the role music plays in our lives. This does not
need to be an extensive conversation, simply a way to engage the chanichim.
Some suggested questions might be:
• Which type of music/which specific songs speak to you today? Why?
• Is your choice in music reflective of who you are? What does your choice
of music say about you?
• How does this type of music/how do these songs affect you?
• Do you think that music has the potential to change/shape society or
individuals? Why/why not?
• Is North American music today society-changing? Why/why not?
• Do you think North American music was society-changing during other
time periods (e.g. the 1960’s)?
• Has North American society changed over the previous several decades
and is this reflected in the different music that is produced there today?
Why/why not?
• Is music a reflection of the society and time in which the musician is living?
 Next, the madrich/a should quickly ask chanichim what they know about
Israeli/Jewish music. The goal here is not to solicit a laundry list of band
names and songs, but ideas about the role music plays/doesn’t play in
Israeli/Jewish society. This list should be recorded and saved for the end of
the session.
 Next, divide the group into chevrutot (2 chanichim per chevruta) and give
each group the ‫ עכשיו מעונן‬song found in Appendix I.
 Ask the chevrutot to read the song out-loud (in Hebrew or English) and
answer the questions listed together at the bottom of Appendix I.
 The madrich/a should briefly bring the group back together and should be
encouraged to briefly discuss and share their thoughts about the song.
 The madrich/a should remind the chanichim of all the challenges the current
generation (i.e. the Third Generation) has experienced: mass terrorism (19932004/5), the failure of the Oslo process (2000), Second Intifadah (20002004/5), Second Lebanon War (2006), the continuing Israeli military
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Garage Band, iMovie, Photoshop and Kindle…Meet Israel
control/occupation of Judea and Samaria/”the West Bank” and Operation
Cast Lead (2008/9). Ask the chanichim if they think this has played a major
influence in the lives of Israelis and their music.
 If Israel was meant to be different then the other countries of the world, that is,
we were meant to be an ohr lagoyim (a light unto the nations), does being “a
screwed up generation” represent a most severe problem for Israeli society?
 Or, was the aim of Zionism to “normalize” us, and thereby make us like every
other nation in the world? (If so, perhaps being “a screwed up generation” is
not such a serious problem, because it is one that is shared by peoples
throughout the world.)
Part B
 Next, divide the group again into chevrutot (2 different chanichim per
chevruta) and give each group the ‫ היא חזרה בתשובה‬song found in Appendix
II.
 Ask the chevrutot to read the song out-loud (in Hebrew or English) and
answer the questions listed together at the bottom of Appendix II.
 The madrich/a should bring the whole group back together and ask each
chevruta to share some of the topics they discussed together.
 The madrich/a should remind the chanichim that in Israel, secular/religious
Jews learn in different schools, attend different youth groups, (sometimes) go
to different army units, (often) live in different neighborhoods, and because
the Israeli weekend only consists of Shabbat, very often do not even mix
socially. From this, perhaps we can more fully understand the authentic and
genuine pain of the protagonist (main character) of this song.
 It is important to also make clear that on the other hand that religious
observance in Israel is not black and white, and there are many, many shades
of gray. (Even the “painfully secular” protagonist in the song still uses the term
“oneg Shabbat” for his sexual rendezvous with his ex-girlfriend.)
Part C
 The madrich/a should play the two songs that the chanichim have been
learning (available on the “RILI CD” or from the National Ramah Program
Bank). Once the songs have been played, ask the chanichim if hearing the
music has changed any of their views about the songs. Does the song have
more power because of the music, or are the lyrics strong enough to speak
for themselves?
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Garage Band, iMovie, Photoshop and Kindle…Meet Israel
Appendix I
It’s Cloudy Now
Music and lyrics: Aviv Geffen
‫עכשיו מעונן‬
:‫אביב גפן מילים ולחן‬
In a dangerous place called home
Lives a confused man – that's me
And even though there is sun, there are many gray
(down) people
In a pretty ugly place called home
Lives a confused man – that's me
And even though there is money, there are many
poor people
‫במקום מסוכן שנקרא לו הבית‬
‫גר אדם מבולבל שנקרא לו אני‬
‫ולמרות שיש שמש יש הרבה אנשים אפורים‬
‫במקום די מגעיל שנקרא לו הבית‬
‫מבולבל שנקרא לו אניגר אדם‬
‫כי למרות שיש כסף יש הרבה אנשים עניים‬
It’s cloudy now…
...‫עכשיו מעונן‬
In a pretty great place called home
Parents break up, so things will be better
But my home is situated between two different
streets
‫במקום די מדהים שנקרא לו הבית‬
‫ההורים נפרדים שיהיה יותר טוב‬
‫אבל הבית שלי הוא נמצא בין רחוב לרחוב‬
In a pretty scary place called home
A man drinks bottle after bottle
That man is my father
‫במקום די מפחיד שנקרא לו הבית‬
‫בן אדם שם שותה בקבוק אחרי בקבוק‬
‫הבן אדם הזה הוא האבא שלי בדיוק‬
Maybe it’s cloudy now…
...‫אולי עכשיו מעונן‬
We are a screwed up generation
It’s cloudy now
We are a screwed up generation
It’s cloudy now
We want to get out of here
It’s cloudy now
We’re a screwed up generation
It’s cloudy now
‫אנחנו דור מזוין‬
‫עכשיו מעונן‬
‫אנחנו דור מזוין‬
‫עכשיו מעונן‬
‫רוצים ללכת מכאן‬
‫עכשיו מעונן‬
‫אנחנו דור מזוין‬
‫עכשיו מעונן‬
Discussion Questions:
•
•
•
What are your impressions of/thoughts regarding this song? What do you think
Aviv Geffen means by “‫דור מזוין‬/a screwed up generation?” What would he point to
in Israeli society to support his argument?
Do you think it is a realistic portrayal of the current generation of the Israeli state?
Do you think that “we are a screwed up generation” (in part/completely)?
Why/why not?
Do you think that Aviv Geffen has a serious wider ideological point he is trying to
make, or that he is simply producing rock music? Do you support/oppose such an
ideological point? Why?
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Garage Band, iMovie, Photoshop and Kindle…Meet Israel
Appendix II
She Became Religious
Yankele Rotblit/Matti Caspi
‫היא חזרה בתשובה‬
‫מתי כספי‬/‫יעקוב רוטבלים‬
I fell hard, a wail in my throat.
They said that she too had become religious
(chozeret bitshuvah):
Righteous men are teaching her the laws of fear
She will not return again to the fields of sinners.
Completely concealed, without even a crack,
The white of her breasts covered with modest
clothing.
Her tender ankle covered with a long stocking,
Her hip is wrapped gently.
Her long flowing, fallen hair
Is gathered and humiliated, and is now
imprisoned in a head covering and wants to
break free,
But the Rabbi says that her hair must be cut.
‫ בגר‬,‫וני יבבהאז נפלתי שדוד‬
:‫הם אמרו שגם היא חזרה בתשובה‬
‫צדיקים מלמדים לה דיני יראים‬
.‫לא תשוב עוד לפקוד את שדותי החוטאים‬
‫ מבלי סדק פעוט‬,‫עטופה כל כולה‬
.‫צחור שדיה כיסתה במלבוש של צניעות‬
‫קרסולה העדין בפוזמק הארוך‬
.‫ מתחתל הוא ברוך‬,‫על חלקת ירכה‬
‫ הגולש ויורד‬,‫שערה הארוך‬
‫נאסף והושפל וכלאוהו כעת‬
‫במטפחת שביס נאנק מתפרץ‬
.‫והרבי אומר שצריך לקצץ‬
Her gaze has a different look, without spark or
lightning,
Her tongue which knew delights has become
mute,
Her tender lips move with prayer.
I feel like crying for me, for her.
.‫ לא עוד גיץ וברקים‬,‫מבטה אור אחר‬
‫נאלמה לשונה שידעה תפנוקים‬
.‫ושפתיה רכות ונעות בתפילה‬
.‫ בשבילה‬,‫מתחשק לי לבכות בשבילי‬
The little book which is held in her hand is happy,
Her very speedy fingers move the pages, and flip
through them.
God is surely sitting erect.
‫מאושר הספרון שאוחזת ידה‬
‫בזריזות אצבעות אשר אין לה מידה‬
‫ עמודיו ת‬,‫בדפיו תעלעל‬.‫דפדף‬
.‫היושב במרומים בודאי מזדקף‬
They took her out to the shuk (marketplace) for a
shidduch (a match),
And I have been stolen from, cheated, and
oppressed.
I am painfully secular but love her just like them.
But they left me out of the bidding process.
‫הוציאוה לשוק וכעת לשידוך‬
‫ואני הנגזל מרומה ועשוק‬
‫חילוני עד כאב ואוהב כמאז‬
.‫הותירו אותי מחוץ למכרז‬
And she won’t come again; she won’t sneak in
quietly between my sheets, for an Oneg Shabbat.
And miserable me, what more can I say?
If I had the answer, I too would become religious.
‫ מתגנבת בלאט‬,‫והיא שוב לא תבוא‬
‫ לעונג שבת‬,‫בין סדיני הרכים‬
‫ מה אוסיף לדבר‬,‫ואני האומלל‬
.‫ אז הייתי חוזר‬,‫לו הייתה לי תשובה‬
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Garage Band, iMovie, Photoshop and Kindle…Meet Israel
Discussion Questions:
• For those who have been to Israel before: Do you have Israeli relatives
and friends whom you have visited? If so, what was their religious
philosophy and level of religious observance? What was similar/different to
your/your family’s religious philosophy and level of religious observance?
What seemed unique/strange/contradictory? On a general level, how does
“Israeli Jewishness” (as defined anecdotally by your experiences) differ
from “American Jewishness” (as defined anecdotally by your
experiences)? What are some possible explanations for this?
• If you are shomer Shabbat/kashrut, have you ever had a non-shomer
Shabbat/kashrut friend? If you are non-shomer, have you ever had a
shomer friend? How did this difference affect your friendship?
o Note: If the chanichim bring up the issue of shomer/non-shomer
dating, this can also be incorporated into the sicha, but the sicha
should not slip into the area of inter-dating.
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