Nikuy Rosh - Rabat Summit (The Neighborhood Song)

Like so many other Israelis, I was also quite shaken by Moti Kirschenbaum's sudden death on Friday. He seemed to be in the midst of so many plans and there were no evident signs of slowing down- his highly acclaimed current affairs new show London & Kirschenbaum with Yaron London, the occasional guest spot on the satire "The State of the Nation", maybe a new travel documentary. He's gone much too soon. We were born almost exactly 50 years apart, but he's one of the few figures in Israeli culture who I really identify with and admire. Much has already been said about his remarkable personality but he really did stand out with his mix of keen intelligence, never-ending sense of curiosity and above all his rich sense of humor, which reflected in everything he did. I'm not sure if he would have liked all these praises-he probably would shake his head and sum it all up in a word or two, as he often did on his show.

I think that because we're such a young country it's always very sad when someone who was there from the very beginning and in many ways shaped our cultural DNA passes away.
Kirschenbaum was among the founders of Israeli television, serving as the editor-in-chief of the news program "Mabat" and the producer of the satirical show "Nikuy Rosh", which can be translated as "head cleaning" airing from 1974-1976.
"Nikuy Rosh" deserves a special place in Israeli culture as it not only paved the way for future Israeli satires but also in many ways reflected the state the country was in right after the Yom Kippur War.
Kirschenbaum captured the absurdities of Israeli reality in a critical yet affectionate way. As for this skit, which is based on the very popular "Neighborhood Song", performed by The Tarnegolim, and accounts the Rabat summit in 1974,  I don't know what's more depressing- the fact that most of it is still very relevant or the fact that most Israeli producers would be hesitant to air something like this today. I especially like how coordinated the group of actors is and I'm pretty sure that Kirschenbaum played a big part in that.

Probably how I'll remember him the most-here's Kirschenbaum dancing along to Terry Poison-make sure to watch till the end!

Guys, guys, wait a minute
Asad, Faisal, Arafat
Are playing in the conference over in Rabat, Morroco
They kicked Hussey out, the shouting didn't help
Let's catch them and beat them up
Go, call the guys over here
There's only the Dominican Republic
Go, call the guys over here
We'll exert American influence
Go and call our friends
Go and call our Jews
Go, call the guys over here
They should come already
How they got beaten up in October
Walla, it was an Akbar war
The Egyptians got their teeth knocked out
And also the Syrians suffered a serious blow
Look and see how they're ruining a chance
They didn't even mention Peace
Look and see how they're ruining a chance
They didn't recognize the Palestinians
What a painful insistence
They don't want to sit next to me
Look and see how they're ruining a chance
They should come already
There's no Palestino
So there's no aggreemo
The end to the end of Peace
Elik elik boom boom boom boom
One two three Henry's coming
Four five six Henry's coming
Seven eight nine Henry's coming
Yalla, Henry, what are we doing?
Say Peace
Dream
Say Palestinians
Dancing eyes
Say chance
Fuy
Look, how they chose the PLO and they're sending him to the UN
They're forcing me to sit and discuss with murderers
That's because you didn't make sure to encourage anyone else
You withheld any organization so stop complaining
We don't want peace we want to go crazy
Listen to what my dad said last night
We don't want peace we want to go crazy
That all the Arabs are the same
Come on guys, learn from the mistakes
That we already made, don't do the same nonsense
We don't want to hear about reason and logic
Leave persuasion and let's play with armor
We don't want peace we want to go crazy
Go to the UN to file a complaint
We don't want peace we want to go crazy
We'll blow up the neighborhood!

MONGAR - Doklyn

It's not the greatest feeling to be welcomed back in the country by a harsh heatwave, pushing and shoving on the bus during a traffic jam and an overall feeling of post-holiday blues. But hey, it's the weekend again! This excellent track by MONGAR is just what I needed to start the new year with a fresh peace of mind.

ZOHARA - New Village

Falafel usually takes minutes to order and just a few more minutes to eat but in those precious minutes it's just you and your falafel-no extra hand for checking your phone and no point in polite small talk. This colorful video captures the Israeli falafel experience with Zohara's "New Village" in the background, giving everything a cool and bright touch.

She didn't call the Meds again
She's stuck with the disease
The world it stops and then begins
We're down here on our knees
We add the minutes passing by
To know what we are worth
We chase our dreams we're running fast
Against the turning of the earth
The songs are playing in our heads
But they can't reach our hearts
The government's a piece of shit
You've given up on art
I asked the clouds sailing up above
To stop smothering the light
I called you for the last time again
I wonder if you might...

*I'll be kicking off the new Hebrew year abroad so see you sometime after the 15th and Shana Tova!