safed.co.li

Author: byishimo

  • The Safed Klezmer Festival

    If you love hearing beautiful music and getting to enjoy it for free, then the Safed Klezmer Festival might by right up your alley. And “alley” is definitely the right word when this festival takes place each year in Safed. Safed is an ancient and glorious city in the Northern part of Israel which hosts a music festival every summer for three days. People flock from near and far to enjoy the Klezmer music that can be heard through the night, and also to enjoy the venders, the other musical guests and so much more.

    An Overview of the Festival

    The Safed Klezmer Festival

     

    The Safed Klezmer Festival takes place for three days each summer, usually in August. It starts around 7 or 8 pm each night with musicians playing in many of the courtyards, amphitheaters and alleys of Safed. All night long, both individuals and groups take their turns on the many different stages, courtyards and other areas entertaining the many guests. There are a few indoor music sites which require tickets, but the majority of the fun is to be had for free.

    Tips During the Festival

    If you’re interested in joining in this amazing experience, you’ll want to book a room early. There are many bed and breakfast locations scattered about Safed and a few hotels. Make sure to reserve your spot before they all book up and before they raise their rates as the festival approaches! If you plan to drive into town during the festival, arrive early in the day. After 3:00pm the entrance to Safed is usually closed to private vehicles and you’ll then have to park in a lot outside of town and take a bus shuttle service.

    Interesting Details about the Festival

    The Safed Klezmer Festival is run by the Safed Foundation. They organize the musicians and find the acts and entertainment for the festival. While the festival is called the Safed Klezmer Festival, there are also a number of musicians playing different types of genres. This makes for an interesting mix of musical choices throughout the night. In 2004, the Safed Deputy Mayor Reuven Sadeh actually invited former President Bill Clinton to appear with his saxophone at the Klezmer music festival. Ma’ariv reported that President Clinton did not take him up on the offer, but that it was extended with sincerity! In 2008, the line-up included such musical groups as Simply Tsf

    at, Maxim Klezmer, Hanan Rosenzweig, Flicks Klezmer and Klezmer Tish.

    Festival Criticism

    The Safed Klezmer Festival has received some criticism for being deemed not authentic enough. Some people have argued that the musicians come from Hassidic, rock and other influences more than they do from Klezmer backgrounds. There is certainly a lot of debate about exactly what falls into the realm of “klezmer” and festival organizers have answered this criticism each year by inviting both traditional klezmer musicians and more contemporary Israeli ones.

    Any way that you look at it, this is certainly a festival that is not to be missed. The Safed Kelzmer Festival offers something for everyone and guarantees an enjoyable, free experience for the taking!

  • A Brief History of Klezmer

    The word “klezmer” comes from two Hebrew words that refer to musical instruments. Over time, they have come to signify the musicians and the type of music that these musicians play. It now refers to the musical genre that is a type of secular Jewish music with roots dating back as far as the 16th century.

    A History of Klezmer Music

    Yiddish Theater and Beyond

    In the 1870’s, a man named Abraham Goldfaden founded the first Yiddish theater in Romania. The Yiddish theater popularized Jewish music and had a large influence on the Jews of the time. Klezmer was popular at this time in Europe as an expression of Jewish culture. When the first recording technologies were invented in the first decade of the 20th century, klezmer music was recorded and made available to the masses. This early recorded material has been a major source for the current revival of this type of music. K

    lezmer instruments during this time consisted mostly of violin, cimbalom and bass. At the end of the 19th century, the clarinet, brass instruments and drums became part of many of these ensembles.

    The Downturn for Klezmer

    After the large immigration of Jews to the United States from 1880-1920, klezmer started to lose favor with these European Jews. While they had enjoyed this music and had heard it at their bar mitzvahs, weddings, and other affairs, they now wanted to assimilate. This desire for mainstream American culture, combined with the decimation of Jewish people and culture during the Holocaust, rendered klezmer music almost obsolete.

    The Upturn for Klezmer

     

    In the 1970’s, klezmer started to find a revival as an extension of the folk music revival that was popular at the time. One band, called The Klezmorim, brought new energy and interest to the world of klezmer music. They toured Europe, played at Carnegie Hall and exposed the new generation of Jews to this traditional Jewish music. With this revival, people become interested in klezmer music again and started to search for old examples to emulate.

    Klezmer Today

    Today, Klezmer is a very popular type of music with people in both America and Israel requesting it for the family events, Jewish get-togethers and more. Each summer in Israel there is a three day Klezmer festival in Safed, where some of the best Klezmer bands in the world come to entertain and to enjoy playing their music. Klezmer has found its revival today and will, undoubtedly, be here to stay for quite awhile.

     

  • Simply Great with Simply Tsfat

    There are many great bands and individual musicians who play klezmer music each year at the Safed Klezmer Festival. One of these well known bands is called “Simply Tsfat” and their music attracts people from all walks of life and of all ages.

    Simply Tsfat at the Tsfat Klezmer Festival

     

    Who Is Simply Tsfat?

    Simply Tsfat is a band that includes three Breslev Chassids. Two of them are Americans and one is Israeli. Their instruments include only two guitars and one violin, and with this they make powerful and exciting Jewish music. They live in Tsfat and desire, through their music, to bring the joy of Breslev Chassidim to their listeners.

    Where Have They Played?

    Simply Tsfat has not only played in Israel and at the Tsfat Klezmer Festival. Their influence reaches far beyond the confines of Tsfat. They are booked throughout the year all over North America and other locales, bringing their music and their message to both Jewish groups and to non-Jewish groups who enjoy their sound. They’ve played in New York, Philadelphia, Montreal, Miami, San Diego, Portland, Canada, Guatemala and Costa Rica. They’ve entertained Jewish inmates in prison, people on skid row in Los Angles, soldiers in the Golan, and Conservative congregations. They even played for 4000 people at an Israel 2000 event at the Greek Theater in L.A.!

    Who Have They Touched

    Simply Tsfat’s music is full of vibe and energy. Anyone can enjoy their sounds and their enthusiasm. While they certainly look the part as Breslav Chassids, they are able to touch people of all denominations and ages with their music. They play at weddings, annual dinners, day school events, nursing homes, synagogues and more. They entertain tour groups, soldiers, Hillel students, and other interested groups. Many people come to the Tsfat Klezmer Festival hoping to hear and enjoy Simply Tsfat.

    The Tsfat Klezmer Festival Has It All

    This is but one of the many interesting groups that come to play at the Tsfat Klezmer Festival. You never know who you’ll see at the festival, or what message they will have to convey about Jewish heritage and history. The festival brings out the best in its musicians, and offers people a glimpse at the powerful music and presence of musicians like Simply Tsfat.

  • Klezmer 101

    Klezmer music has been around for ages. It has been dormant to most people, however, until making a come-back recently. What is Klezmer music and why has it begun to experience a rival in recent years?

    What is Klezmer Music?

    Klezmer Music 101

     

    Klezmer actually means “musician” in Yiddish. It has come, however, to characterize the style of music played by Ashkenazi Jews for celebration and cultural expression. This type of music actually tries to replicate the human voice, sounding a bit like crying, laughing or wailing. It almost always features a violinist, who is able to make these specific sounds. A klezmer band usually also includes a fiddle, a bass or cell, a clarinet and a drum. Sometimes, there will also be hammered dulcimers and an accordion.

    Other Sounds It Incorporates

    Klezmer draws on centuries of old Jewish traditions, but it also incorporates other sounds. It uses music from European and international traditions such as Roma or Gypsy music, Easter European folk music, French Café music and early jazz.

    Let’s Dance!

    Klezmer music invites – and even begs – people to dance. Most of the dances that people do with klezmer music are set dances. They are similar, in this way, to the Anglo square dance or the contra dance. Klezmer music also has traditional waltzes and polkas. Recently, people have been doing tangos with klezmer music as well.

    Why Has Klezmer Revived?

    Klezmer music has its roots in the old Jewish villages or shtetls of Eastern Europe long before the Holocaust. It was originally meant to imitate the voice of the cantor in the synagogue. Klezmer played a large part in the culture and celebrations of Eastern European Jewry. When the Jews of Eastern Europe immigrated to North America, they brought their klezmer music with them. How

    ever, as happens with so many cultural things, people wanted to acclimate to their new surroundings and blend in. They moved away from traditional Jewish music in order to blend into American society. Then in Europe, the remaining Klezmer bands vanished with the Holocaust. Just in the last 30 years or so, klezmer music has enjoyed a revival. Bands have begun popping up who have revived what their ancestors were playing, and more people have been requesting klezmer bands for their functions and celebrations. This new form of klezmer music has been influenced by Israeli music and culture and now creates an interesting blend of old Jewish history and the modern day people.

    Klezmer’s Significance

    The revival of klezmer music is a very exciting phenomenon for Jewish historians and for Jewish people. It shows that the younger generation is seeking information about their heritage and is reviving some of the culture that was abandoned long ago.

  • A Personal Look at the Safed Klezmer Festival

    The summer that we made aliyah (immigration to Israel), four and a half years ago,

    we went to the Safed Klezmer Festival.

    A Personal Account of the Klezmer FestivalWe had heard that they had a great festival every summer and that it would be a wonderful way to enjoy Safed. We booked our bed and breakfast early, knowing that they would fill up quickly, and we were ready for our adventure.

    Arriving in Safed

    When we arrived in Safed, we were thrilled to find that our bed and breakfast was in a beautiful area. Safed is full of narrow alleys, hidden corridors and small streets. Our bed and breakfast was off of a small alleyway and was part of someone’s home. They had a lovely courtyard in the middle of their property with three bungalows around it. Our bungalow was painted in light blue, as is so much of Safed, to ward off evil spirits. It was roomy and designed in a rustic, Mediterranean style. It was a great beginning to a fantastic exp

    erience.

    Other Perks of Safed

    The festival covers three days and is filled with fantastic music, food, venders and other adventures. Safed feels like it is bursting at the seams during this time period, as people come from all areas of Israel to experience the festival. When the music wasn’t playing during the day, there were tons of other activities to enjoy. Safed has a rich history of Jewish life and there are many historic buildings to see and history to learn. Safed has a candle making factory that is world famous and where you can see people making candles and where you can purchase all sorts of beautiful items. There is also a bustling artist’s colony in Safed, making it a wonderful place to admire paintings, pottery, and sculptures and more.

    The Festival Begins

    In the evening each day, the city would turn into a magical oasis. Everywhere that you looked there was entertainment. While I didn’t have a schedule of events at the time, I saw later that there were artists scheduled to perform virtually every hour of the evening in every available location. When we walked down the street, we would suddenly turn a corner and find ourselves in a courtyard with a musician. Everywhere that you looked, there were talented people playing klezmer music. And since all of this was happening outside, we didn’t have to worry about there being enough seats or enough room for everyone. No one felt pushed or cramped and everyone was able to enjoy the music.

    Other Entertainment

    Along with the klezmer selections, many other musicians and entertainers came to Safed for the festival. We watched one man who made music with unusual objects. He played the flute with his nose, played the drums with a child’s truck and played th

    e guitar with a coke bottle. He had dozens of unusual items in front of him and was able to make great music with each of them. In another location we saw a woman playing the harp. The rich melodies coming from her instrument blended so beautifully with the surrounding landscape and made for an unforgettable experience.

    Great Memories

    Our children were only four and two when we went to the Safed Klezmer Festival, but they still talk about the experience today. It was a beautiful way to enjoy this sacred city and to soak in some of Israel’s culture. There is nothing like the Safed Klezmer Festival to make you appreciate klezmer music and Jewish history. We can’t wait to go back and to enjoy it all over again.

  • The Safed Annual Klezmer Festival

    Every year dozens of Klezmer bands from throughout Israel and from around the world descend upon Safed i

    Safed Klezmer Festivaln order to participate in the city’s much loved and anticipated Klezmer Festival. The festival features a combination of both solo and group performances and many well-known names in the Klezmer circle are always present. Bill Clinton has even been invited to perform in the yearly event!

    When and Where

     

    The festival takes place each summer is usually is arranged as a three day/night event. Concerts take place within the Red Mosque and other venues and many concerts are even performed outside in the crisp summer air. The entire city becomes alive during this time and all of the city’s local artists set up their wares on craft tables along the main walkways. This is a festival not to be missed

    and if you have the opportunity to journey to Safed during this magical time then you will not be disappointed.

     

    Check out some of articles on personal experiences at the the Klezmer festival and also get all of the information you need to be an expert on Klezmer music by looking at our articles: Klezmer 101, Klezmer Background, Klezmer history, early Klezmer history, Hassiddic influence on Klezmer, Klezmer instruments, Klezmer tunes and dances, pre-WWII Klezmer, and Theatre and Vaudeville.  In addition learn more about some of Israel’s most popular Klezmer musicians and bands like Simply Tsfat, and enjoy our three part article on Ruby Harris, a fiddler and Klezmer musician.

    Upcoming Festival Details

    Stay tuned here at www.safed.co.il for all of the information you will need for this year’s upcoming Klezmer Festival and find out all of the in-depth details about who will perform and when. For additional updates in English, Russian and Hebrew, check out Safed’s muncipal site covering The Klezmer Festival.

    More than music

    Tours, lectures, theater and a masters music school; these activities are free and are happening in Tsfat right around Klezmer time. Come to Tsfat for the exciting annual klezmer festival — where it’s now more than music!

  • Safed’s Music Scene

    Safed’s music scene is rich and varied, and just as the city serves as an inspiration to many artists and Kabbalah scholars, many musicians are also unable to call any other place home.

    Klezmer

    Each summer the city of Safed hosts a world-famous Klezmer festival. Klezmer musicians journey from around the globe to participate in the festivities, and every open space, concert hall, and gymnasium in the city becomes a possible venue for the many Klezmer performances that go on day and night. This is a festival not to be missed. Here in our Klezmer section, find out more about the Safed Klezmer festival and also enjoy our articles on the history and origins of Klezmer as well as informative pieces on the instruments used in Klezmer. In addition, check out some of our interviews with well-known Klezmer musicians.

     

    Musicians In Safed

    In this section we provide many one-on-one interviews with musicians and musical groups based in Safed as well as offer information on the many music venues in Safed where you can see your favorite musician perform. Also check out our articles on places to study music in Safed such as formal courses at the Safed College or more intimate courses in the privacy of teachers home.

     

    Music In Safed

  • Tikkun: Repairing the World

    A popular term borrowed from the language of the Kabbalah has become common in the Jewish world: “tikkun“.

    Tikkun “Tikkun” literally means “fixing”, or “repairing”, and, far from being a particular political or social agenda, refers to the essential purpos

    e of Creation. In addition, each one of us, individually, has certain “tikuns” or “repairs” to make on our own soul; it is for this reason that we were born.

    Teachings of Kabbalah

    Kabbalah teaches that before the world actually came into being, certain specific spiritual energies were arranged lacking harmony with one another. The strictly hierarchal relationship among these entities was not created (or able) to last, resulting in what Kabbalah calls the “Shattering of the Vessels” (perhaps similar to the Big Bang), whose outcome was the creation of the universe. Hardly a random occurrence, this is the stage which the Creator made upon which we perform – to repair the lack of balance.

    Sometimes these repairs are made within ourselves, i.e. parts of our soul, among our emotional traits, our menta

    l factors, etc. Sometimes we are asked to fix things within our families and communities. And sometimes we are called upon and inspired to make “tikkun” on a global scale, perhaps even among various elements of creation. It is important to note that the effect of a particular fixing is not always perceived by us. Whether signing a peace treaty moves the world closer to perfection more than an individual overcoming his qualities of selfishness or anger is rarely obvious.

    Understanding Tikkun

    In order to understand “tikkun”, or the rectification of world (whether for an individual soul or universally), it is important to understand a few basics: Kabbalah describes three archetypal qualities, sometimes referred to as “right”, “left”, and “center” columns. These three relate to the qualities of loving-kindness and giving (“right”), strength and restraint (“left”), and the harmonious blending of the two (“center”). Loving-kindness is characterized by generosity, selflessness, revelation, and infinity. Strength is exemp

    lified by limitations, structure, and discipline. The healthy fusion of the two is what is called the “middle” column. In the same way that a classic functioning family must have father and mother roles, so too, within each of us do we have these various qualities which must work together, each utilization his/her own unique strengths and talents for the betterment of the family.

    In addition, Kabbalah adds another dimension: that of process. Not only are there right, left, and center columns, but there is also an element of stages of growth. For example, not only are there parents in an archetypal family, but children as well – each with their unique roles, albeit in their limited level of maturity. All members of the family, like all limbs and organs of a healthy body, must cooperate, acknowledging their respective roles within each unique context, for the good of the whole.

    In the system of “tikkun“, sometimes roles shift. Every particular component is growing and maturing, ready to impart greater levels of conscious and healing to those less mature, i.e. on a more constricted level of consciousness. In any case, a deep understanding of Kabbalistic concept of “tikkun” demands that we see ourselves as part of a greater whole and attempt integrate each element to the best of our ability.

  • Kabbalah: Medicine for the Soul

    For thousands of years Kabbalah, often called “The Hidden Torah”, was just that: secreted away,

    Kabbalah: Medicine For The Soul

    reserved for the elite few who had sanctified themselves to the utmost. The transmission of Jewish mysticism was so reserved for a number of reasons: 1) the danger that it could be misused and/or misunderstood; and 2) the decree of exile was still in effect and the time was not yet ripe for this wisdom to illuminate the world.

    In the last few hundred years, however, we have witnessed an explosion of sorts of revelations of Jewish mysticism. From the 16th Century Kabbalists of Safed (particularly Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto and Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, known as the Arizal) to the students of the Vilna Gaon and the Baal Shem Tov in the 18th Century, access to these previously hidden teachings has been strengthened tremendously. In the 20th Century, particularly the latter part, until today, the ability to learn Kabbalah – as well as the swelling interest worldwide – has increased exponentially.

    Kabbalah Study

    If, in the past, the study of Kabbalah was reserved only for the most holy, one could think that there is no one in our generation pious enough to learn these hallowed secrets. However, the majority of recent sages of Kabbalah say otherwise. Tradition

    teaches that when the Torah was being given to Moses and the Jewish nation at Mount Sinai, the angels complained that the holy Torah should be given to them – after all, the Israelite nation was not on a particularly holy level after their tortuous exile in Egypt. The response to their claim was that, indeed the Jewish nation was not on the highest spiritual level – in fact they were quite sick, spiritually; but only the potent medicine of the holiness of the Torah could cure them of their ailment. So too, in our generation, the most powerful remedy is necessary to heal us of our estrangement and alienation to the path of holiness.

    Similarly, the great Chasidic Rebbe, Rebbe Shneur Zalman of Liadi, gave a parable: once the king’s son became deathly ill. The royal doctors all gave up hope, having tried almost every treatment available. Finally, a unique healer was found, who told the king that he could heal the prince – but only if the king was willing to make a great sacrifice. The king, out of his great love for his son, immediately exclaimed that he would give anything to heal his son. The doctor then explained to the king that if he were to take the main jewel from the king’s crown and were to grind it up and feed but a drop of it to the prince, the prince would survive. In the same way, it is said that even if the secrets of Torah become reduced a bit from their previously lofty status, it is worth it to heal – and inspire – our people at this time.

  • Kabbalah and Jewish Meditation

    There are many customs worldwide surrounding the practice of meditation. Unknown to many,

    Jewish Meditationthe Jewish people have a rich tradition of meditation with unique characteristics not found in any other spiritual practice, ancient or new. In fact, it can be said that some of the more well-known practices of East, developing control of the mind through breathing techniques, relaxation, and clearing our consciousness of extraneous thoughts, are a good starting point from where to begin the practice of Jewish meditation.

    Four Categories

    One can see Jewish meditation as divided into four unique categories:

    The first type, which most prominently comes to mind when discussing Jewish meditation, involves intense focus upon specific divine names in Hebrew. Many hundreds of these meditations can be found in classic texts of the Kabbalah, and most demand extensive background in the study of Kabbalah. In these meditations one pictures, or draws, images of the Hebrew letters in their mind’s ey

    e. These specific teachings are usually meant to either purify a person’s soul (particularly from past misdeeds or personal flaws), effect specific types of universal healing, or help one attain divine consciousness.

    A second type of meditation focuses on specific divine names pictured in the mind’s eye while involved in particular mitzvahs (Torah commandments), especially during prayer. In the teachings of the Kabbalists, especially the holy Arizal, tremendous insights are provided as to the mystical ramifications of the performance of most commandments. A great many specific meditations are provided for these commandments, for example while lighting Shabbat candles, wrapping tefillin, or giving charity. By far the most extensive teachings surround daily prayer, and numerous prayer books, especially that designed by Rabbi Shalom Sharabi (known as the Rashash), contain literally thousands of divine names and the concepts that accompany them to be meditated upon during a regular daily prayer session. In addition to the abstract forms of the divine names, often we are asked to focus upon such ideas as drawing down specific qualities of divine “light”, or building certain types of spiritual “vessels” to channel that light, sometimes uniting masculine and feminine mystical archetypes, and sometimes separating them.

    Another type of Jewish meditation involves meditating on divine names while performing day to day activities. While there are many classic meditations to be practiced while involved in such acts as walking and eating, we can also discover and invent meditations based on divine names which apply to our daily experiences. Certain Chassidic schools (particularly Komarno) advocate creative meditations such as these, recognizing divine elements in everything we see and feel. Of course, this is next to impossible without a significant background in Kabbalah study, and we are encouraged to immerse ourselves in the study of authentic classic texts in Jewish mysticism.

    A fourth type of Jewish meditation is fast becoming the most popular. It involves simply talking to the Creator in one’s own words. Using one’s native language, each person reaches out to G-d in as truthful a way as he/she can. A personal relationship to G-d is built through this technique, and, like any craft, as a person develops this skill it grows more and more deeply, very often resulting in profound insights. This practice, often called “hitbodedut“, is best to do by one’s self and, with time, many find they can meditate in this manner for hours, with heartfelt prayers flowing from their lips with little or no effort.