to, 92 Friday, September 9, 1983

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to all

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

Israeli Songwriter Naomi Shemer
Enjoys 20-Year Musical Career

our friends

By JANET MENDELSOHN
MOSHE

and relatives

World Zionist Press Service

FELINA & WOLF GOLD
& FAMILY

The emotional strains of
Naomi Shemer's
"Jerusalem of Gold" were
: first heard in an Israeli song
festival in May 1967. Weeks
later the song was in the
hearts of soldiers called up

111.115}751W711111111111

May the doming year be
one filled with health, .
happiness and
prosperity for all our
friends and family.

to battle in the Six-Day I tried to capture that in my
War. And within days, the music."
-Although war and con-
song's prophecy had come
true as Jerusalem's holy flict are often the subject of
places were redeemed and her songs, a longing for
the city was reunited in the peace is always evident. She
most dramatic victory of the grew up under the shadow
Six-Day War.
of Syrian bunkers in the
Israeli songwriter Naomi Golan Heights, describing
Shemer's personal vision of the persistence of the
a spiritual and physical re- settlers down in the Jordan
turn to a "Jerusalem ofgold, Valley in her moving song
of copper and of light" is "The Eucalyptus Grove,"
practically as well known as one of the tens of classics
the national anthem. And associated with her name.
Ms. Shemer herself is
In her popular folk '
legendary in the Israeli song "Machar" (tomor-
music scene.
row), she still dreams of
A prolific producer of peace -- "Tomorrow, if
songs, she was awarded the not today / Tomorrow

MULTI-CARE MEDICAL SERVICES
& SUPPLY, INC.

MANUEL & RUTH & ROBBIE FELDSTEIN

To All Our
Relatives
and Friends,
Our wish for a
year filled with
happiness,
health and prosperity

ROSA & JULIUS SCHAUMBERG

To All Our
Relatives
and Friends,
Our wish for a
year filled with
happiness,
health and prosperity

LOUIS & MADELON SELIGMAN
MELISSA & ADRIANNE

-

•

,,,,,,,

BERNIE GREENBERG
& FAMILY

May the coming year be
one filled with health,
happiness and
prosperity for all our
friends and family.

NORMAN, JASON & JEREMY SAMSON

DONALD & SHARON STERN

To All Our
Relatives
and Friends,
Our wish for a
year filled with
happiness,
- health and prosperity

A Very Happy and Healthy
New Year to All Our Friends
and Family

Musician Naomi Shemer, left, receives the Israel
Prize from former President Yitzhak Navon in a
ceremony in the Jerusalem Theater. Pictured with
them are Education Minister Zevulun Hammer to the
left of Navon and Teddy Kollek, mayor of Jerusalem,
center.

Israel Prize this year on Is-
rael Independence Day, "for
her contribution in the field
of music" 16 years after her
song on Jerusalem made its
debut.
For over 20 years,
dark-haired Naoifti
Shemer's songs have cap-
tured the emotions of the
country and attracted
wide audiences. She has
recently appeared with
popular Sephardi singer
Yehoram Gaon, well
known for his Ladino
songs. Usually she ap-
pears alone, playing the
piano and singing her
melodies.
Born in Kvutsat Kinneret,
a kibutz on the banks of the
Sea of Galilee, in 1930, Ms.
Shemer played piano from
childhood. She studied as a
concert pianist in Tel Aviv
and Jerusalem music
academies, later returning
to the kibutz where she
taught music and wrote her
earliest songs. With the
Bible as her text and the Sea
of Galilee as her inspira-
tion, she wrote songs using
a 4,000-year-old language
to bring her modern Israel
to life.'
"My generation was one
with a national story," re-
minisces Ms. Shemer, who
is today a protagonist of set-
tlement in Judea and
Samaria and opposed leav-
ing Yamit. Eighteen years
old when the state was
founded, her early songs re-
flect the excitement of the
pioneering era in Israel. "It
was an optimistic time, and

perhaps we will set sail /
From the shores of Eilat
to the Ivory Coast. / And
on the old destroyers /
Oranges will be loaded."
Although her music is in-
ternational, the Hebrew
language does limit her
audiences. This doesn't
bother a musician who says
that she views the country
as a family — her family.
"When I write I have in
mind this community with
whom I can share my lineS
and perhaps something in
betwen the lines," she says.
And Israelis repond eagerly
to her message.
With hundreds of songs to
her credit, Shemer has
enjoyed an enviable career,
but she shows no signs of
slowing down or resting on
her laurels. "In my field you
can be active as long as you
want," she says. "It is not a
horse race, and as long as
you do your own thing hon-
estly and don't repeat your-
self, you can succeed."

Poison Control

REHOVOT — Dr. Shlomo
Margel of Weiznia.nn Insti-
tute has patented medical
submicroscopic polymeric
plastic beads which are
smaller than even 'the
smallest bacteria and are
touted as powerful tools for
studying fundamental
biologic and biochemical
processes.
They show great promise
in the world of emergency
medicine as they can help
rid the body of mercury a'nd
other acute poisons.

To All Our
Relatives
and Friends,
Our wish for a
year filled with
happiness,
health and prosperity

ANN & LEONARD GOODMAN

To All Our
_Relatives
and Friends,
Our wish for a
year filled with
happiness,
health and prosperity

EDITH & ISADORE KOLODNEY

Al

To All Our
Relatives
and Friends,
Our wish for a
year filled with
happiness,
health and prosperity

PETER & CLARA WEISBERG

•- ■