February 25, 2019: Our daily look at Israeli music news and information! Today: Aviv Gefen talks politics, Shlomi Shabat pays tribute to terror victim Ori Ansbacher, and Israel wins an Oscar!
Israeli Music Today: Transcript
This is MyIsraeliMusic.com, I’m Josh Shron, and here’s your Israeli music news for Monday, February 25, 2019.
Aviv Gefen Gets Political
With the Israeli elections just about six weeks away, political talk has – to say the least – taken over the national discourse in Israel. And of course, celebrities like to add their two shekels. Singer Aviv Geffen, never afraid to share his far-left views on Israeli politics, is speaking out on the race for Prime Minister. The Jerusalem Post quotes Gefen, at a performance Saturday night, as saying, “The next, next, next prime minister of Israel, won’t be Bibi, won’t be Gantz, won’t be Lapid. There’s a good chance that if [things continue like this], it will be Yigal Amir who will be our next prime minister,” Gefen said. He is, of course, referring to the man serving a life sentence for assassinating prime minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995. Gefen’s comments came days after Prime Minister Netanyahu aligned himself with the far-right “Otzma Yehudit” party, a move that has been criticized throughout Israel and abroad.
Shlomi Shabat Pays Tribute to a Victim of Terror
One of the reasons I love Israeli music so much is because it’s there to comfort us in times of national tragedy. Such was the case last week as more than 6,000 Israelis marched in Jerusalem to mourn 19-year-old Ori Ansbacher, who was brutally murdered by a Palestinian terrorist on February 7. Joining in the memorial were a number of Israeli artists, such as Ehud Banai, the Shalva Band, Yuval Dayan, Micha Shitrit, and Amir Benayoun. Ori liked to write poetry, and singer Shlomi Shabbat performed one of her poems set to music.
Israel wins an Academy Award!
And finally, in the larger world of Israeli entertainment, no doubt you’ve heard about this today. Israelis are beaming with pride as Israeli director Guy Nativ won an Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film at last night’s Academy Awards. He even spoke a bit of Hebrew during his acceptance speech.
Always nice to experience a little blue and white excitement. Kol Hakavod.
That’s your Israeli music news for today! For myisraelimusic.com, I’m Josh Shron, Al Tafsiku Lashir (don’t stop singing).
