There's a certain look to a widow who's in her mid-twenties, whose husband was killed in Gaza in January.  Eyes swollen with tears, yet with steely determination at the same time.  A certain vulnerability on her still very young face, and a face that seems too old for her age, all at the same time.  An image of pain and of unspeakable sadness, but not asking for pity.  Was it just me, or was it clear that even in the midst of her unbearable burden, she knew full well that she - like the young husband who was taken from her far too early - is part of something much larger than she is?  Is that why, looking at her, I had a sense ...

As a reviewer on Amazon.com says, "After a reconnection with his Jewish religious roots. Meir Banai has released an album of songs with the lyrics taken from classic Jewish sources. Guests on this album are Ehud Banai, Yonatan Razel, and Amir Benayoun."

From hasifria.com.au: Two of the biggest stars over the last 30 years in Israel are Shlomo Artzi and Shalom Hanoch.  The two of them for the first time ever teamed up in the summer of 2005 to play a few concerts in the amphitheatre in the ancient city of Cesaria, on the Mediterranean coast of Israel.  A must for all Israeli music collections!

The son of an Israeli/British businessman and a folk singer, David Broza was born in the city of Haifa, Israel, and was raised and educated in England and Spain.   He began playing guitar in cafes to earn extra money, and was eventually offered a record deal. Since he still hoped to attend the Rhode Island School of Design, he declined; he later recorded a tape to promote his live shows.  He now releases CDs in three languages: Hebrew, English, and Spanish.  "HaMeitav" is a collection of the best of Broza's music.

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 ...

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.

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 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' 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, 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.