Now I see. It means he is an inseparable part of the Israeli life, not only of its culture, where he belongs by all means, and it is shown in the official and non-official pages dealing with the Israeli culture. People love him. People may not like him, but they can't help feeling related to Arik whatever sort of a relation it is. A lot of people in Israel call him the best, the fav, the fab and what not - from editor of the official Mining Guide for Israeli Culture to a kibbutz girl. Israeli folks abroad. Recalling Ha-Aretz, suffering from a deep nostalgy for it... But it's not only in Israel or for Israeli people. Look at this one, from USA, who got hooked back in 70th... This one from Finland - just a short visit, and that was it. And that one from Australia... This single bilingial (Russian/English) studying Hebrew now just to be able to sing along with Arik "Ze karov, karov"... One of his songs has become an anthem of a Jewish Zionist Education, while in one of his movies, he gives a killing, satirical picture of the real situation with Aliya - immigration to Israel - the unofficial insight, as true as it is hilarious. For some, he is a symbol of Israeli song, and even those who prefer different styles still mention Arik in their publications. One swears by him when talkin' about Zionism, the other - when explaining why Tora quiz has never succeded in Israel... Why, of course, because of Arik's jokes!!! Some people are making their homepages dedicated to Arik, some just are writing to mailing lists and discussion forums, trying to get to know him better or to find his albums, lyrics to his songs... And, mind you, it's only on the Net... There are so much more to it than this, of course. It's only a kind of importance indicator. The voice of Israel. The image of Israel. The soul
of Israel. The one who makes me believe there are still human beings
as they were meant to be. Singer, writer, actor.
|
("Joshev ba San-Francisko al' ha Maim")
Arik Einstein longing for the Kinneret is certainly an expression
of Zionism/Judaism, for that is the basis for the emotional
insistence on a Jewish state on the Kinneret, and not on
Lake Victoria. Yes, every nation has feelings of love and
pride in its homeland. Among Jews, that is called
Zionism/Judaism.
Walter Ruby (Xenoret@aol.com)
My Israel is Arik Einstein and Shalom Hanoch and a warmth, genuiness
and openess I have never experienced anywhere
else.
I love speaking Hebrew, I love Arik Einstein and Shalom
Hanoch, and Tel Aviv nightlife and humus and ful and
the way Haifa sits atop the Carmel, and hiking through
the orange groves between Rehovoth and Ramle, and
the Wadi Kelt (part of the Land of Israel which I
would cede to the Palestinian state with the proviso
of me and all Israelis being able to still go and
hike there) and Banyas and Tel Hai, and the
Kinneret--well you get the idea.
In his Net-published "TWO STATES, ONE COMMON LAND "
Walter says:
"...Good old Eretz Yisrael--the Eretz Yisrael
of Arik Einstein as well as of
Naomi Shemer..."