Nostalgia Sunday – Matti Caspi stepping forward

March 11, 2012 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Art, General, History and Culture, Israeliness, Music, Nostalgia Sunday, Pop Culture, Profiles, tv 

It’s hard to overstate the importance of Matti Caspi to Israeli music. Simply put: he is very important. Caspi, who has been on the scene since the early 1970s and released his first solo album in 1974, bridged between old-style Hebrew-language / Russian-influenced popular music and myriad new influences, from rock to jazz to Latin American — writing, performing, producing, arranging, collaborating and conducting — all while creating his own distinctive harmonies and scales. Behind the poker face, as musicologist Tzipi Fleischer puts it (in Caspi’s online biography), “is a musical wild man. He is the one who promoted sophistication and western standards to the region.”

In addition to his solo work, over the years, Caspi has worked with Israeli artists such as Yoni Rechter, Ehud Manor, Yehudit Ravitz, Meir Banai, Rami Kleinstein, Aviv Gefen, HaParvarim, lyricist Raquel Caspi (who is also his wife), Riki Gal and Shlomo Gronich (more about them in a moment). He’s won numerous awards for his work, including the prestigious Kinor David (David’s Harp Prize) for cultural contribution. His online bio notes that many of the Israeli songs played on radio today are in one way or another related to Caspi, whether as a singer, composer, arranger or producer. A full biography of Matti Caspi is available here.

One of Caspi’s earliest collaborations was Meahorei HaTzlilim (Behind the Sounds), with keyboardist Shlomo Gronich, a musical force in his own right. Meahorei HaTzlilim started out as a Caspi-Gronich stage collaboration and evolved into an album, released in 1973, that’s still considered a touchstone in Israeli progressive rock. Since then, the two have reunited for occasional Meahorei HaTzlilim shows: in 1984, 1989, 2002 and now 2012 when the two will perform a benefit concert on March 26 at the Jerusalem Theater on behalf of non-profit Tsad Kadima (A Step Forward), the Association for Conductive Education in Israel.

Tsad Kadima engages in he rehabilitation and education of children, adolescents, and young adults with cerebral palsy or motor dysfunctions. The organization operates Transitional Programs for young adults. These programs engage children aged 14-21 once or twice a week in an after-school activity. The highlight of this program is a Summer Camp which takes place in August. To fund its activities, each year, Tsad Kadima holds an event that, in addition to benefiting a worthy cause, also affords one a trip down memory lane.

Last year, Shlomit Aharon, former frontwoman for HaKol Over Habibi, took center stage. The year before, rocker Riki Gal graced the hall. Both women have worked with Caspi and Gal has been a frequent collaborator.

In fact, 25 years after one of their biggest hits, Mah Zot Ahava (What Is Love) Matti Caspi and Riki Gal will be bringing back the magic on March 24, when their new concert tour of the same name, premieres at Nokia Stadium in Tel Aviv. More information is available here.

Visit the website to learn more about Tsad Kadima. Tickets to the March 26 benefit may be purchased by phone: 02 654 0062 or by email: ayala@tsadkadima.org.il.

By the way, in his current incarnation, Matti Caspi is also a turtle. Or rather, a stuffed animal series bearing a keen resemblance to him. Inside each turtle is a real music box that plays tinkly versions of beloved Matti Caspi songs.

And here are Caspi and Gronich, then and now.

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Nostalgia Sunday – Adloyada-yada-yada

March 5, 2012 by · 1 Comment
Filed under: A New Reality, Art, education, Entertainment, General, History and Culture, Holidays, Israeliness, Movies, News, Nostalgia Sunday, Picture of the Week, Politics, Pop Culture, Religion, Social Justice, Travel 

Could it be true that the Adloyada Purim parade is returning to Tel Aviv? According to Ahbar HaIr (City Mouse) weekly, there’s a grassroots movement forming among last summer’s Social Welfare Protest organizers to bring the legendary celebration back to its birthplace and natural habitat. Finally! A concrete aspect to the nebulous Protest — and one that I can back one hundred percent.

Briefly put, the phrase “Adloyada” comes from “ad lo yada” or “unable to differentiate”, referring to the Purim tradition of drinking until one is unable to tell the difference between evil Haman and good Mordechai. The first Adloyada parade was held in 1912 in Tel Aviv and continued until 1936. It was reestablished in the 1950s and shut down again in the 1960s. In the early 80s, the Sheinkin Adloyada came and went — fast and furious like the punk music that inspired it — and that was it. Until now.

(The full background to the Adloyada’s historic Tel Aviv roots — and its relationship to debonair choreographer and filmmaker Baruch Agadati — may be found here).

Last week, the organizers of this latest incarnation put in a request to make the renewed Adloyada an official Tel Aviv municipal event but received no response. No matter. “We don’t need permission from the establishment to go out and party,” city council member Sharon Louzon told Ahbar HaIr.

Well said — and probably the right attitude as it doesn’t look like municipality is going to back the revival any time soon. “The Adloyada was cancelled for two principle reasons,” ran the official municipal statement quoted by Ahbar HaIr, “budget and logistical complications that shut down the city almost entirely on a day of heavy traffic. In addition, it should be noted that the city of Holon hosts a very successful event, and we think it would not be right to enter into a competition as there is a concurrent event only 10 minutes driving distance away.”

Holon! Sacrilege!

The public procession is scheduled to start this coming Thursday at 11:00 AM at the end of Ibn Gabirol Boulevard (corner of HaYarkon Park) and will proceed southwards towards Rothschild Boulevard, Allenby Street, Levinsky Park and the New Central Bus Station, ending at Hatikva Park at around 3:00 PM.

More photos of Adloyadas gone by may be viewed here – plus see below for some rare footage from the Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive. You can check out the Holon Adloyada from last year (also below) — it looks very fun, actually, and I think Agadati would have appreciated the Rio carnival dancers.

Purim Sameach! Have a happy Purim holiday!

Adloyada 1932

Adloyada 1960

Holon Adloyada 2011

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Nostalgia Sunday – From Hollywood to Holyland

February 26, 2012 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Art, coexistence, education, Entertainment, General, History and Culture, Movies, News, Nostalgia Sunday, Picture of the Week, Politics, Pop Culture, Travel, tv 

Someone recently sent me a link to one of those time-wasting yet fascinating Internet slide shows, in this case, snapshots of unexpected celebrity combinations. For example, Walt Disney and Salvador Dali. Who’da thunk it? Vivien Leigh and Ringo Starr — who put them together? You wouldn’t have expected to see Charlie Chaplin and Mahatma Gandhi in the same room, let alone in the same frame, would you?

Or would you…? After all, it has long made political sense for leaders in government to cultivate relationships with high-profile celebrities, such as movie stars.

In honor of tonight’s Oscars, we dove into the Israel National Photo Collection and came up with a fistful of pearls, like this shot (by Moshe Pridan) of singer-actor Eddie Fisher chowing down on falafel while on a 1957 visit to the young State of Israel.

Frequent visitor Danny Kaye was snapped clowning around with Arab schoolkids in Nazareth.

While on a visit to Universal Studios in 1964, Prime Minister Levi Eshkol and wife Elisheva chatted with movie stars Rock Hudson and Gina Lollobrigida.

Photo by Moshe Pridan

Frank Sinatra made an appearance in an Upper Nazareth kindergarten.

Prime Minister Golda Meir had a tete-a-tete (and a smoke) with actor Gregory Peck and wife Veronique at a 1969 gala dinner hosted by entertainment industry heads in LA.

Photo by Moshe Milner

And the ever-glamorous Elizabeth Taylor met with Prime Minister Menachem Begin and wife Aliza in 1977.

Photo by Yaacov Saar

This above photo was taken at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City, but the National Photo Collection has many others of Taylor visiting Israel, including one of her and husband Richard Burton at the Western Wall. There’s also a deer-in-the-headlights shot of Sophia Loren, engulfed by the local paparazzi as she lands at Lydda airport to shoot the movie Judith. Diana Ross serenading Prime Minister Itzhak Rabin? Who’da thunk it?

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Nostalgia Sunday – What all the fuss was about

February 19, 2012 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Environment, General, History and Culture, Immigrant Moments, Israeliness, News, Nostalgia Sunday, Picture of the Week, Pop Culture, Travel 

Excepting the city’s residents, everyone is very disappointed in Jerusalem today. That is because, despite the dire weather predictions, it did not snow in Jerusalem on Friday night, thus putting the kibosh on everyone else’s Saturday plans. We are a people with a short attention span and it is much quicker to drive the mere 50 minutes up to view the Holy City, instead of the 3 to 4 hour-long slog to gawk at the Hermon.

To understand what had the entire country looking hopefully eastwards, let’s take a look at snowy Jerusalems gone by.

One of the nicest photo-essays about coping with Israel’s bad winter weather can be found at none other than bus company Egged’s website. Oh, the irony! We may complain bitterly about their “the customer is always wrong” company policies, the drivers’ rude and aggressive behavior on the road and inside the bus, their tendency towards strong-armed monopolistic practices (with a healthy dash of nepotism thrown in for good measure) and horrible taste in bus depot design but when the going gets tough, we get going — to Egged.

According to the Egged essay (in Hebrew), the winter of 1950 was a particularly bad one, especially because many new immigrants to the young State of Israel were still living in makeshift shanties. “Nonetheless, it was a memorable experience for both children and adults and looking back, they remember it with a smile and longing.”

Hmmm… perhaps. Happier documentation may be found in this pre-State film from news service British Pathe, which captures the Jerusalem winter of two years earlier, in 1948.

Jerusalem in White aka Jerusalem Under Snow

A very sweet photo essay (in Russian) about the 1968 snowstorm describes the adventures of three friends who brave the storm in order to visit a snow-clad Jerusalem.

News Report: Snowy Day in Jerusalem, 1980

And the most recent big storm, which was in 2008.
Jerusalem in Snow from All About Jerusalem.com

Yes, Jerusalem did let everyone down this year but snow buffs can take heart: there are still a few more weeks of this miserable weather so maybe you’ll get your wish. As for me, I’m holding out hope for an early thaw.


© Леонид

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Nostalgia Sunday – Nostalgia Online

February 11, 2012 by · 1 Comment
Filed under: Blogging, design, education, Entertainment, General, History and Culture, Israeliness, Nostalgia Sunday, Pop Culture, tv 

Get ready to get nostalgic, big time. The wonderful Nostalgia Online site, (at Nostal.co.il)，　a collection of documents, videos, audio tracks and images curated by collector/editor and contemporary history buff David Sela, sent out an email this past week announcing that all site content, text and images were now available for download, free-of-charge, for non-commercial use for private studies, homework, research and other educational needs including news report citations. Yay!

Sela, who only a few weeks ago, launched Radio Nostalgia, an online music channel playing Israeli hits from 25 years ago and beyond, has clearly tapped into a wellspring of human emotion: the good feeling elicited from seeing an old movie poster, classic naaley bayit slippers or even the relief felt from seeing a picture of a rusty old kerosene heater and being able to say, “Well, thank goodness we don’t have to use THAT anymore!”

The site is a comprehensive, non-profit enterprise with content written by Sela and a team of volunteer researchers, with materials contributed by thousands of visitors, private entities and institutions all interested in preserving the collective memory of the modern State of Israel. The site is divided into dozens of sub-sites (portals) and tens of thousands of entries, images, presentations, audio and video clips and various visual images.

In addition to Radio Nostalgia, there’s a video archive that gathers together over 1000 YouTube clips, an audio archive with sounds from famous historical events, a collection of downloadable PowerPoint presentations and print materials. There’s even a daily trivia factoid. For example, 34 years ago today in 1978, the film Eskimo Limon (Lemon Popsicle) — itself a nostalgic look back at wayward Tel Aviv youth in the　late 1950s — premiered and became a national sensation.

Nostalgia Online also publishes an online magazine called Kova Tembel (in Hebrew) distributed free to 146,000 subscribers, runs an information center and also answers individual questions about the various historical aspects of Israeli culture and heritage.

The Nostalgia Online team assists organizations and institutions in creating displays for employees and/or the public and has also formed a non-government organization (NGO) for the purpose of establishing a museum of Israeli nostalgia.

You can show your support by joining their Facebook page. And if you’ve got any Israeli knick-knacks, bric-a-brac or any other cool old stuff lying around, take a picture and share — it will surely be appreciated!

For old time’s sake, here’s the trailer for Lemon Popsicle.

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