As is written on Last.fm.com: According to the Jewish tradition of the Middle Ages in Spain, it was common for Jews to meet outside the synagogue or house of study. Following holy prayer or study, they would create culture in the space between sacred and secular time. They would integrate spiritual search, their yearning for the “Shechina” (the divine presence) and for the return to Zion. These encounters in Spain, Egypt, Morocco and Yemen were called “Diwan”. The rich culture of “Diwan”, composed of song and “Piyut” (poetry and sacred prose) is a heritage that influences the soul, the creativity and the song of the people of Israel until this day. Diwan Project is an ensemble that performs traditional music and song in a free contemporary Israeli style, using original instruments from the Jewish Diaspora
Shotei Hanevuah – Mechapsim et Dorot
Shotei Hanevua, or “The Fools of Prophecy”, was an Israeli musical group selected as Israel’s “Band of the Year” in 2005. The band described its music as a fusion of dub reggae with hip-hop and dance music, with an eastern Mediterranean flavor. The band toured the United States in 2005, performing at major colleges and universities. The group broke up on August 12, 2007.
RECENTLY ADDED: Tel Aviv Short Stories / Shelley Goldman, Joanna Yehiel (2009)
In this centenary year for Tel Aviv, the first Hebrew speaking city, an anthology of English stories captures many facets of the city that many know infinitely less well than they do Jerusalem. The stories range in quality, and some of it’s a matter of taste, but for an English language window into the world of Tel Aviv that you’ve probably missed thus far, this charming book is a great place to get started.
Idan Raichel Project- Mima’amakim
Idan Raichel has a unique approach to music: he fuses electronic, Middle Eastern, Ethiopian, and traditional Hebrew music and texts together to create a sound that is all his own. To date he has released three studio albums and a Greatest Hits album. His first and fourth albums include musicians from various backgrounds, including Ethiopian Jews, Arabs, and South African singers, to name a few. His second album only has one guest singer, but is still an exemplary work of art. Raichel’s first two albums both reached 3x platinum, and his most recent album, Within My Walls, acheived gold status. Click here to visit his Website.
Shirat haTanach (Songs of the Bible)
‘Shirat haTanach’ is a five-disc collection of over one hundred biblically-inspired songs, released by the Israel Broadcasting Authority and Hatav Hashmini records. Assorted popular Israeli artists participated in the production of this album, which encompasses the varied history of Jewish Israeli music.
Shuli Rand – Good Point
Shuli Rand, the award-winning star of the movie “Ushpizin”, released his album “Good Point” in 2008. Rand’s music has a strong Jewish core blended with Israeli rock and other genres. The songs in this album are based on Rebbe Nachman’s teachings. Good Point reached gold certification this year.
Yonatan Raz’el – All in All
Yonatan Raz’el is an Orthodox singer whose music transcends all boundaries to reach out to people from all walks of life. His first album, All in All (or Sakh Hakol), was released in 2007. That same year, Raz’el was named Jewish Vocalist of the Year by YNet; his songs have been played on Army Radio here in Israel.
Waltz with Bashir (2009)
An Academy Award nominee, and the winner of numerous Israeli and international prizes, this is a mostly animated film that had Israel in its grip for some time. It addresses the long term memory of soldiers who fought in the first Lebanon War and are still dealing with the pain of the Sabra and Shatila massacres, for which Israel felt at least partially responsible. A masterful work of art. Watch it, and you’ll understand why many Israelis wondered whether it wasn’t actually fortunate that it didn’t win. Is this a movie that we have to receive even more international attention, Israelis wondered. See what you think.
Beaufort (2007)
This is the movie that brought the first Lebanon war to Israeli screens. There is simply no film that does a better job of explaining why Israelis have become war-weary, cynical about the utility of additional military expeditions. It’s not a terribly gory movie. But it’s tense, and sad. And a feeling of futility pervades. Watch this film, and you’ll never see the work of young Israeli soldiers in quite the same way.
Noodle (2007)
Miri, thirty-seven years old, is a twice-widowed, El Al flight attendant. She has her life carefully organized and moderated, until she discovered an abandoned Chinese boy whose foreign worker mother has been deported by Israel immigration authorities. Miri decides to reunite the family, and embarks on an amusing and touching journey. A lovely window into “normal” Israel people, and slice of Israeli life that we don’t often see in the world of film.
Dr. Daniel Gordis is Senior Vice President of the Shalem Center, where he is also a senior fellow. The author of numerous books on Jewish thought and currents in Israel...
The Jewish State must end, say its enemies, from intellectuals like Tony Judt to hate-filled demagogues like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Even average Israelis are wondering if they wouldn't be better off somewhere else. 
