Israeli culture is an exquisite blend of ancient and modern and a country that people from West and East have come to call home. Heavily influenced by Jewish law and custom, Israeli culture has borrowed not only from its rich religious roots, but also from the food, music, and art of the people who have emigrated both from Europe (Ashkenazic Jews) and from North Africa and the Middle East (Sephardic Jews).
Includes primary sources, lesson plans, videos, and other resources, commemorating the State of Israel's independence.
Activities, discussion guides and links to resources are starting points for introducing Israeli music as a tool for teaching Zionism, statehood, Jewish history, challenges and hopes. Various songs, including Israel's national anthem "HaTikvah" are explored as unique artistic ways that raise ideas how people connect to the land of Israel and challenge long held beliefs and values.
In a music scene dominated by Ashkenazi culture, Mizrahi singers had to patiently pave their way to the Israeli mainstream one song at a time. In Part III of the miniseries, the podcast hosts meet two Yemenite trailblazers, who took very different approaches to their heritage.