Korin Elal-Rare Breed

It's Gay Pride Week! Tomorrow's parade will be especially family oriented-ending at the Charles Clore park and nearby beach, as opposed to the more central Gordon beach. Not everyone is happy about it but it fits with the changing atmosphere of Gay life in Israel and specifically in Tel Aviv. Although the city is still a hot magnet for teens and young people, especially those discovering their sexual identity, it has steadily become more bourgeois in recent years and if in the past it was common to spend your 20s in Tel Aviv and your 30s with your family in a more breathable town, many parents are choosing today to raise their children in Tel Aviv and of course Gays are no exception. In fact, in the past most Gays didn't really have the freedom to even raise a family but today (much to the delight of Jewish mothers) it's not such a big deal to see a kid with two moms or dads-The Tower magazine depicts this social novelty in depth and also sheds light on how family oriented we are as a society. In fact now that I think about it, those who choose not to have children are a true 'rare breed' over here and very often aren't taken seriously. This song, which was embraced by the LGBT community, could easily apply to them, just as it could easily apply to anybody who feels marginal. Korin chose to sing it at Arik Einstein's ceremony not necessarily because they were both part of an exclusive group but because, as she said in an interview, she really saw him as a unique person. This song is also a very fitting choice because Korin just got married to Ruti, her partner of 15 years with whom she has two sons. I love how Korin is so chill about it, she doesn't hide who she is and she goes to pride events when invited but being lesbian is not her entire identity and she has other things on her mind, like her music and raising her kids.
Korin is truly a national treasure with classics like 'Antarctica' and 'Days of flowers and love' but my favorite has to be the timeless 'Maayan' (spring).
Mazal Tov!

We're afraid of our own shadow,
Clinging to the walls of the houses
And most of the time ashamed of our bodies,
Digging shelters.

We flee from a crazy party,
Pushed into rowboats.
All land is a sinking ship
When digging shelters.

We are a rare breed: a strange bird.
Dreams in the air, head in the ground.

We deceive mainly ourselves
Not blind, but not looking.
And it's not clear what we will leave behind,
Besides fears.

We are a rare breed...