"Something dormant is beginning to wake up." Ehud Banai's new song for this moment in Israeli history
Once again, one of Israel's most influential musicians, combines tradition with political critique. Yair Sheleg on the increasingly violent protests. And a meeting of kids you wish never happened.
Before we get to Ehud Banai, below, and our schedule, a brief video, online on Instagram here, of a meeting of young Israelis. Just watch what the Bar and Bat Mitzvah age kids say as they introduce themselves. It’s a group for kids like them, but just listening reminds you of a side of Israeli society it’s all too easy to forget.
It’s also important to remember what a consummate mensch President Herzog is. A stellar human being.
The Saturday night protests have resumed, once against Netanyahu, but this time not about judicial reform. Now it’s about the entire mess the country is in, and most poignantly, the plight of the hostages, who have now been in hellish captivity for half a year.
There are, of course, voices that reject the violence in absolute terms. And there are others who say that the families have run out of options; what you hear all the time is, “what would you do if you thought your daughter was being raped every day for half a year?”
There are few voices that both repudiate the violence in no uncertain terms but at the same time express deep understanding of the rage and frustration of the families. One of those few voice is Yair Sheleg, hardly a hard-core anti-Bibi voice, who is now disgusted with the government, which, he says, simply has to go.
Because this past Saturday night’s protests grew violent once again (this week, it was protesters who were attacked), we’re sharing portions of Sheleg’s opinion piece from this past week, published the day before the Saturday night protests of April 6.
Not only is the war in Gaza a complicated swamp, but the situation inside Israel is becoming ever more complex as well. On the one hand, there is not only a need, but indeed, an obligation to topple the Netanyahu government, which is providing no leadership to the country in one of the most trying hours in its history. On the other hand, the violent protests to which we were witness in Jerusalem last week [DG – Saturday night, March 30) represent a serious danger to the country, at a time when it is still at war.
** Sheleg goes on to enumerate several of the reasons for which he believes the Netanyahu government must go immediately – the utter lack of leadership, ruining the relationship with the United States, helping the ultra-Orthodox continue to evade the draft, etc.
But at the same time, pinning the blame for the lack of a hostage deal on Netanyahu is an exaggerated accusation. The hostages’ families and friends, understandably terrified of what is happening to their loved ones, have apparently forgotten that for a deal to be reached, two sides are necessary. As cynical a politician as Netanyahu is, the other side is infinitely more cynical and cruel.
Yahya Sinwar sees the families pressuring Netanyahu and he intuits that it’s not in his interest to rush things. He can make the most of the technical difficulties in contacting him, employing them as an excuse for rejecting every offer the Hamas leadership abroad makes, saying that those conditions are not good enough. What does it bother him to see Israelis splitting and tearing each other apart, at the same time that humanitarian aid is increasing? When the Palestinians complain that the aid is not flowing in sufficient quantities, Israel is going to get blamed anyway.
** Sheleg then argues that Netanyahu should ideally resign, but if not, then there need to be elections, especially now that the war is being fought on a relatively low flame.
What’s necessary is vigorous resistance to this government. We need massive protests, like we saw after the 1973 Yom Kippur War [DG – which led to the resignation of Golda Meir and her government], that will demand that the government pack it bags. There also needs to be personal pressure on the 63 cynical MKs [DG – the other members of the 64-member coalition, in addition to Netanyahu] who are giving Netanyahu their backing, preferring the status quo even if it is dangerous to our security and diplomacy, as long as the political status quo lets them keep their jobs.
The members of the coalition and their supporters need to remember: yes, violence is entirely unacceptable and dangerous. But as they remember well from the days when they were in the opposition, whoever fails to address legitimate public frustration and pain becomes the cause for the minority to consider the possibility of violence. It’s not sufficient to harshly critique the violence and to send horse-mounted police to contain it. You also have to address the frustration and rage which are underlying the reasons for the possibility of violence.
TUESDAY (04/09): What makes a hero in today’s Israel? Omri Glikman has a new video out about that question, and we’ll see it. We’ll also cover a group of women, now married and mothers, who have set out for basic training, doing the army service they wish they’d done earlier. And we’ll talk about the protests, what they have become, what they must not be, and what heroism there looks like.
WEDNESDAY (04/10): Esty Shushan is a Haredi woman, a film maker, and the founder of an organization that seeks to get Haredi women into politics. She is clearly not your “average” Haredi woman. She is fascinating, and we will hear her on the issue of drafting Haredim.
THURSDAY (04/11): Holiday celebrations, at their best, are things that we plan for. Jerusalem, as we’ll see, has already announced much subdued celebrations for this year’s Independence Day. But long before Independence Day, we have Passover. I’ll share some thoughts about how to make this year’s Seder tied to today’s events, but filled with meaning and even optimism.
Since Purim is now in the rear-view mirror, Passover cannot be far away. We’ll provide more details as the holiday grows closer, but for now, a quick note that we’ll be taking most of Passover off.
Ehud Banai is an Israeli musician, songwriter, and also the author of two books. He was born in Jerusalem to the famous Banai family.
Religiously observant, he weaves tradition into his music in a way that just a few decades ago would have been unthinkable. But the Ashkenazi, secular hegemony over Israeli music has long since broken. Banai’s 1987 hit, Egel Hazahav (“The Golden Calf”) takes issue with Israel’s lack of leadership at the time. Banai sings about how Moses’ absence at Mt Sinai made the people anxious and thus they started praying to a golden calf statue. His song Odeh L’El (“Thanks to God”) incorporates a piyyut that urges us to be conscious of our souls and keep them pure.
Ehud Banai has produced 10 albums. This latest song is inspired by a sermon he heard some 40 years ago at a synagogue in Tel Aviv.
And in ways you can’t miss, it addresses the hopes of the moment.
Banai Family Tree:
The Banai family is richly talented. There’s a family tree below, Google translated with some very goofy translation errors. But it’s enough to get the idea. Beyond Ehud IN THE RED, here are a few of the others.
Eviatar Banai (Ehud’s cousin) IN THE BLACK is also a musician, singer, songwriter. Just like Ehud, Eviatar became religious about 20 years ago and much of his music incorporates religious text and tradition. You can listen here to one of his more popular songs.
Orna Banai (Eviatar’s sister and Ehud’s cousin) IN THE YELLOW is still a household name although she didn’t chose the path of music. Orna is an actress and comedian.
Meir Banai z’’l (Orna + Eviatar’s brother and Ehud’s cousin) IN THE PURPLE was also a singer, songwriter. His music was often a mix of rock and Israeli folk music. He too became more religious later in life, and in 2007, released an album called Sh’ma Koli, a collection of Sephardi piyyutim and his own music. He passed away from cancer in 2017. You can listen here to one of Meir’s most played and popular songs, which came out in 1987.
Yuval Banai (cousin of Eviatar, Orna and Meir) IN THE GREEN is an Israeli musician and was the lead singer of the Israeli rock band Mashina, which disbanded in 1995. Yuval went on to form a band with his son, Elisha, “Elisha Banai and the Forty Thieves.” Here is Yuval and Elisha actually performing one of Eviatar’s songs.
Impossible Takes Longer is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble and at other booksellers.