“Even Jacob Went Down to Egypt”: On Shmemel’s “Berlin” and Israeli Out-Migration

By Jonathan Katz September 3, 2014

The Israeli band Shmemel recently released a controversial, tongue-in-cheek video single entitled Berlin(English translation and annotation here, courtesy of The Forward). In the song, the band sings a ballad of Israelis leaving the country – for economic opportunity, for the madness of living in a state of constant war, or for a better and more…

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Holocaust music video; Hadassah hassled; climate change; and more. [Required Reading]

By John Propper February 8, 2012

Holocaust music video resonates with online viewers. [YouTube] In an effort to re-engage young Jews and others to the loss and legacy of the Shoah, an audiovisual collaboration between composer Cecelia Margules and director Daniel Finkelman is quickly making the rounds. Since January 25th, the YouTube video has received over 51,000 hits. Hadassah organization investigating…

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Battle of the Catchy Palestinian Children’s Extremist Indoctrination Songs

By Ben Sales June 23, 2010

Egyptian pop heartthrob Amr Diab has many hits throughout the  Arab world, such as “Nour al Ain” and “Habibi.” The one I’ve watched most on YouTube, however, is “Al Quds De Ardina,” which translates to “Jerusalem is Our Land.” There aren’t any subtitles, but the title and music video make the point pretty clear. See if you…

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