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Published On: Apr 19, 2005 10:17 PM
Total entries in this category:
Published On: Apr 19, 2005 10:17 PM
Sad passing of Israeli Music and dance icon, Naomi Shemer z''l
We dance to so many of her songs!
Tonight at Hora we paid special tribute to the composer of Od Lo Ahavti Dai and
many other dances
.
Here's her obituary from the Jerusalem Post, June
27:
Last song for Naomi Shemer
David Rudge
Jun. 27, 2004
Composer, songwriter and Israel Prize winner Naomi Shemer was laid to rest on Sunday evening in the small cemetery of Kvutzat Kinneret on the western shore of Lake Kinneret as the lowering sun was reflected on the Golan Heights opposite.
It was a fitting time and resting place for Shemer who was born and raised on the kibbutz and many of whose songs, which came to symbolize the hopes, aspirations ad mood of a nation, were inspired by the landscape, nature and sights in the region.
And it seemed that a large portion of the nation, headed by President Moshe Katsav and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, renowned artists and entertainers and ordinary citizens, felt the need to pay their last respects to the diva of Hebrew song.
Yet friends and relatives maintained that Shemer shunned titles such as that of the "Nation's Songwriter" attributed to her in some of the Hebrew press following her death on Saturday at the age of 74 after a debilitating illness.
She was, right up to the end, an optimistic and modest person and these aspects of her personality dictated the format of the funeral.
Shemer requested that she be buried in the tiny cemetery that serves both Kibbutz and Moshava Kinneret and the specific time, just before sunset. She asked for no eulogies and for no standing in state so that people could pay their respects in front of her coffin.
She did, however, ask her friend Dudu Elharar to sing three of her songs, "Eucalyptus Grove," "Noah" "To Sing is to be like the Jordan River," and "The Hills of the Golan Heights."
The latter was written by the poet Rachel, who is also buried in the small cemetery along with many of Israel's pioneers, and Shemer provided the musical score.
It was similar to one of her latter works, translating the words of Walt Whitman poem in honor of assassinated US President Abraham Lincoln and composing the music for "Oh Captain, My Captain" in memory of murdered Prime Minister Yizhak Rabin.
Elharar told reporters prior to the ceremony that he did not know if he would be up to the task, if he would remember all the words and not mix them up in the emotional atmosphere.
He was not alone in singing, however, and received the support of the hundreds of politicians, senior military personnel past and present, entertainers, friends, relatives, members of Kibbutz Kinneret, the moshava, and other communities in the region and people, ordinary people, from all over the country - representing a true cross-section of the population.
The politicians, from all the main parties, stood in the crowd alongside one another and those from the world of entertainment.
Education Minister Limor Livnat was among those who joined in the singing along with Labor MKs Amram Mitzna and Matan Vilnai and such celebrities as Yehoram Gaon, Ehud Manor, Topol, Rivka Michaeli, Yatzpan, Miri Aloni, Ariel Zilber, Saraleh Sharon and a host of others.
It was a very moving ceremony given the setting and the effervescent and emotional personality of Shemer herself as expressed in the lyrics and scores of her music generally and the songs she chose specifically.
Despite the late afternoon heat that is as much a characteristic of the area as the glistening and often changing hues of Lake Kinneret itself, the crowd of mourners stood respectfully around the grave prior to the funeral and many did not leave until long after the ceremony.
Even afterwards, there were the those, such as Aloni, who could not go until they had given their rendition of at least one of Shemer's songs, many of which have become firm favorites in the hearts as well as the minds of millions of Israelis.
"Jerusalem of Gold," performed so eloquently over the years by Shuli Natan who was among the mourners at the funeral, stands out as one of Shemer's crowning musical achievements that was written just before the outbreak of the 1967 Six Day War, as well as "Lu Yehi," which was composed during the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
There were many, many others including one in which she apparently foresaw her own death: "Atzuv Lamut Be'emtza Tamuz."
Shemer was born in Tamuz, 1930, on Kibbutz Kinneret to two of the community's original founders, members of what was known as the Vilna group, Meir and Rivka Sapir.
Meir's parents lived in a house, outside the security fence of the fledgling kibbutz with its cowshed (built first) and just three apartment buildings.
Their home, almost tiny by today's standards, would have been considered a "villa" at the time. They were granted permission for the house because they were a very large family.
The building has been restored and, at the request of Shemer's mother, Rivka, has been turned into a music center for members of the kibbutz and neighboring communities.
Naomi Shemer donated her first piano to the kibbutz and it now stands in pride of place in what would have been the living room of her grandparents' home. On Sunday it was adorned with photographs of her parents, grandparents and alongside it, with a single memorial candle, a photograph of Shemer herself.
Kibbutz secretary Niv Laish said they intended to turn the building and one of the nearby original homes into a living museum to commemorate and perpetuate the memory of Shemer and the heritage of Hebrew song.
Laish told the "Jerusalem Post" that the children on the kibbutz devoted morning studies to the Shemer, her songs and love of the land as expressed in her lyrics, that everyone had grown up with in the country and Kibbutz Kinneret and the nearby moshava in particular.
It was not easy for the young Shemer, however, to realize her inbred talents and achieve her musical goals, according to Laish and his mother, Ziva, who was born just four years after Shemer and shared some of her trials and tribulations.
The driving force behind the Zionist-socialist movement at the time was to work and defend the land and all efforts were put into those goals. A young woman with musicial ambitions was considered something of an aberration.
Her mother insisted that Naomi be allowed to study music at a conservatoire in were no less than three general assemblies of the kibbutz secretariat to discuss the matter.
It was only after an emotive plea by the wife of Shaul Avi Gur whose 17 year-old son was killed in the War of Independence that it was agreed that Shemer could study music.
"She got up from mouring specially in order to tell the members at the assembly to let the young woman study music because she had the talent," Laish told the "Post."
He noted that many of Shemer's songs were inspired by her early years on the kibbutz and what she witnessed around her, as well as the driving force behind the pioneering spirit of those days to work the work, create a State and defend it at all cost - aspirations and emotions that are as pertinent today as they were then.
Ziva Laish recalled their joint days in the army and how Naomi did not fit the then IDF norms and how Rivka had asked her to look after her daughter for those very reasons.
On returning to the kibbutz, Naom Shemer took charge of music lessons, helped pupils in other studies and also wrote songs, primarily for children, as well as the scores. Many of those original songs were submitted to Yaffa Yarkoni who recorded an album.
It was the beginning of a career for Shemer, who subsequently left the kibbutz for Tel Aviv, that was to span decades and in the process bring help, hope and inspiration to millions of Israelis.
"The music center here is a result of the last will and testament of Naomi's mother, Rivka. We hope, in the future, it will become a heritage center for Naomi and Hebrew song," said Yael Zur, one of those responsible for preserving the house from where Lake Kinneret can still be seen through the now mature trees, as well as the Eucalyptus Grove at the entrance to the kibbutz.
May her memory be blessed.
Update July 14: Last Sunday Josh at the Israel Hour devoted his hour show in Naomi Shemer's memory. You can listen to so much of her music at this link. Enjoy. And the day after her death, Meir Weingarten from jmintheam.org had a much longer tribute which you can listen to here. Both shows require Real Player installed.
Last song for Naomi Shemer
David Rudge
Jun. 27, 2004
Composer, songwriter and Israel Prize winner Naomi Shemer was laid to rest on Sunday evening in the small cemetery of Kvutzat Kinneret on the western shore of Lake Kinneret as the lowering sun was reflected on the Golan Heights opposite.
It was a fitting time and resting place for Shemer who was born and raised on the kibbutz and many of whose songs, which came to symbolize the hopes, aspirations ad mood of a nation, were inspired by the landscape, nature and sights in the region.
And it seemed that a large portion of the nation, headed by President Moshe Katsav and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, renowned artists and entertainers and ordinary citizens, felt the need to pay their last respects to the diva of Hebrew song.
Yet friends and relatives maintained that Shemer shunned titles such as that of the "Nation's Songwriter" attributed to her in some of the Hebrew press following her death on Saturday at the age of 74 after a debilitating illness.
She was, right up to the end, an optimistic and modest person and these aspects of her personality dictated the format of the funeral.
Shemer requested that she be buried in the tiny cemetery that serves both Kibbutz and Moshava Kinneret and the specific time, just before sunset. She asked for no eulogies and for no standing in state so that people could pay their respects in front of her coffin.
She did, however, ask her friend Dudu Elharar to sing three of her songs, "Eucalyptus Grove," "Noah" "To Sing is to be like the Jordan River," and "The Hills of the Golan Heights."
The latter was written by the poet Rachel, who is also buried in the small cemetery along with many of Israel's pioneers, and Shemer provided the musical score.
It was similar to one of her latter works, translating the words of Walt Whitman poem in honor of assassinated US President Abraham Lincoln and composing the music for "Oh Captain, My Captain" in memory of murdered Prime Minister Yizhak Rabin.
Elharar told reporters prior to the ceremony that he did not know if he would be up to the task, if he would remember all the words and not mix them up in the emotional atmosphere.
He was not alone in singing, however, and received the support of the hundreds of politicians, senior military personnel past and present, entertainers, friends, relatives, members of Kibbutz Kinneret, the moshava, and other communities in the region and people, ordinary people, from all over the country - representing a true cross-section of the population.
The politicians, from all the main parties, stood in the crowd alongside one another and those from the world of entertainment.
Education Minister Limor Livnat was among those who joined in the singing along with Labor MKs Amram Mitzna and Matan Vilnai and such celebrities as Yehoram Gaon, Ehud Manor, Topol, Rivka Michaeli, Yatzpan, Miri Aloni, Ariel Zilber, Saraleh Sharon and a host of others.
It was a very moving ceremony given the setting and the effervescent and emotional personality of Shemer herself as expressed in the lyrics and scores of her music generally and the songs she chose specifically.
Despite the late afternoon heat that is as much a characteristic of the area as the glistening and often changing hues of Lake Kinneret itself, the crowd of mourners stood respectfully around the grave prior to the funeral and many did not leave until long after the ceremony.
Even afterwards, there were the those, such as Aloni, who could not go until they had given their rendition of at least one of Shemer's songs, many of which have become firm favorites in the hearts as well as the minds of millions of Israelis.
"Jerusalem of Gold," performed so eloquently over the years by Shuli Natan who was among the mourners at the funeral, stands out as one of Shemer's crowning musical achievements that was written just before the outbreak of the 1967 Six Day War, as well as "Lu Yehi," which was composed during the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
There were many, many others including one in which she apparently foresaw her own death: "Atzuv Lamut Be'emtza Tamuz."
Shemer was born in Tamuz, 1930, on Kibbutz Kinneret to two of the community's original founders, members of what was known as the Vilna group, Meir and Rivka Sapir.
Meir's parents lived in a house, outside the security fence of the fledgling kibbutz with its cowshed (built first) and just three apartment buildings.
Their home, almost tiny by today's standards, would have been considered a "villa" at the time. They were granted permission for the house because they were a very large family.
The building has been restored and, at the request of Shemer's mother, Rivka, has been turned into a music center for members of the kibbutz and neighboring communities.
Naomi Shemer donated her first piano to the kibbutz and it now stands in pride of place in what would have been the living room of her grandparents' home. On Sunday it was adorned with photographs of her parents, grandparents and alongside it, with a single memorial candle, a photograph of Shemer herself.
Kibbutz secretary Niv Laish said they intended to turn the building and one of the nearby original homes into a living museum to commemorate and perpetuate the memory of Shemer and the heritage of Hebrew song.
Laish told the "Jerusalem Post" that the children on the kibbutz devoted morning studies to the Shemer, her songs and love of the land as expressed in her lyrics, that everyone had grown up with in the country and Kibbutz Kinneret and the nearby moshava in particular.
It was not easy for the young Shemer, however, to realize her inbred talents and achieve her musical goals, according to Laish and his mother, Ziva, who was born just four years after Shemer and shared some of her trials and tribulations.
The driving force behind the Zionist-socialist movement at the time was to work and defend the land and all efforts were put into those goals. A young woman with musicial ambitions was considered something of an aberration.
Her mother insisted that Naomi be allowed to study music at a conservatoire in were no less than three general assemblies of the kibbutz secretariat to discuss the matter.
It was only after an emotive plea by the wife of Shaul Avi Gur whose 17 year-old son was killed in the War of Independence that it was agreed that Shemer could study music.
"She got up from mouring specially in order to tell the members at the assembly to let the young woman study music because she had the talent," Laish told the "Post."
He noted that many of Shemer's songs were inspired by her early years on the kibbutz and what she witnessed around her, as well as the driving force behind the pioneering spirit of those days to work the work, create a State and defend it at all cost - aspirations and emotions that are as pertinent today as they were then.
Ziva Laish recalled their joint days in the army and how Naomi did not fit the then IDF norms and how Rivka had asked her to look after her daughter for those very reasons.
On returning to the kibbutz, Naom Shemer took charge of music lessons, helped pupils in other studies and also wrote songs, primarily for children, as well as the scores. Many of those original songs were submitted to Yaffa Yarkoni who recorded an album.
It was the beginning of a career for Shemer, who subsequently left the kibbutz for Tel Aviv, that was to span decades and in the process bring help, hope and inspiration to millions of Israelis.
"The music center here is a result of the last will and testament of Naomi's mother, Rivka. We hope, in the future, it will become a heritage center for Naomi and Hebrew song," said Yael Zur, one of those responsible for preserving the house from where Lake Kinneret can still be seen through the now mature trees, as well as the Eucalyptus Grove at the entrance to the kibbutz.
May her memory be blessed.
Update July 14: Last Sunday Josh at the Israel Hour devoted his hour show in Naomi Shemer's memory. You can listen to so much of her music at this link. Enjoy. And the day after her death, Meir Weingarten from jmintheam.org had a much longer tribute which you can listen to here. Both shows require Real Player installed.
Posted: Mon - June 28, 2004 at 12:04 AM |