THE OTHER ISRAEL
I got a reminder in my inbox today about the other face of Israel, not the face of Bibi or Lieberman or the ultra-Orthodox or the settlers. Although, the press release did come from the NY Consulate which falls within the Avigdor Lieberman's Foreign Ministry.
The headline reads:
Just in Time for LGBT Month,
International Gay Icon Comes to New York
and it promotes the upcoming concert by Israeli rock star, Ivri Lider at the very hip Webster Hall in NYC's East Village.
Ivri is not only one of the most popular rock stars in Israel, he is also flooded by adoring fans who are teenage girls, in addition to the gay community. When he came out a few years ago, he risked his popularity, due to his young female fan base, but the fact is that Israel--this other Israel--is actually a very liberal place, and a very welcoming and contemporary place. Indeed, it is the Israel of Tel Aviv, the Israel that yearns for normalcy, the Israel that sees itself as dancing away from its turmoil, the Israel that ultimately must make peace with the Palestinians if it is to find the place it so desires on the world stage. It's the Israel of Time Out Tel Aviv.
A few years ago, I wrote about this Israel for an oped piece in the Los Angeles Times, capturing the spirit that was popular back then of giant raves that young people conducted, sometimes for 48 hours at a time, and the attempt by a small group of young activists to turn their raves into political happenings to promote peace. I wove a region where Time out Tel Aviv would like their weekend events to Time Out Beirut--or Time Out Ramallah--where the young people of the region would find a borderless land mass over which they could cross, since after all, boys--and girls--just wanna have fun.
It's great that the Israeli Foreign Ministry is promoting Ivri. It would be greater if they would promote the policies necessary to make this type of popular culture thrive long term in Israel and see it as a necessary and delightful way to promote Israel's modernity along with a promise of peace.
This is a talented singer-song-writer, of that there can be little doubt. But, to what extent does his popularity represent a "yearning" for "normalcy" and a desire for peace with Palestinians, and to what extent a desire for escapism and irresponsibility?
When Sharon stood by and let Palestinians be massacred in Lebanon in 1982 he was considered persona non grata in Israeli politics for years after.
When Sharon's heirs, not only failed to stop but PERPETRATED the deliberate mass killing of children in Gaza, they lost political support for not being harsh ENOUGH!
There were plenty of audience members in Berlin cabarets of the early 1930s who "yearned for normalcy". That yearning certainly has something to do with Germany's success as a stable peaceful democracy since 1949 in the West and 1990 in the East. It was not a means for heading off the disaster of 1933-45.
May 22, 2009 7:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
Culture is where real change begins. Enjoy
May 22, 2009 11:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
Speaking of culture, lest we fail to acknowledge that Avigdor Liebermans come a dime a dozen in this world, Bernard-Henri Levy writes of the impending Director General of UNESCO,
May 22, 2009 11:29 AM | Reply | Permalink