Alicia Keys bares her heart and soul for Tel Aviv

[oberliner]

With two very special guest stars and a finale worthy of its July 4 timing, Alicia Keys rocked the Nokia Stadium in Tel Aviv on Thursday night with a show bursting with energy, class and her trademark soul.

Keys, pop’s piano princess whose soulful R&B tunes have earned her 14 Grammys over a decade-long career, opened her sold-out show with “Karma,” but only after greeting the crowd with a “Ma Kore, Tel Aviv?” Light on choreography but heavy on charisma, the show, part of her Set the World on Fire Tour, included beloved hits like “Fallin’” and “Unbreakable,” as well as lesser-known, newer fare like “Brand New Me” and “Tears Always Win.”

Concert-goers had been told a special guest would be joining Keys on stage, and roared with delight when Idan Raichel, the wildly popular Israeli world-music maven, joined her on stage for a one-song mash-up of her “Fallin’” with his chart-busting hit “Mi’ma’amakim.”

Later on in the show, another special guest graced the stage – Keys’ two-year-old son Egypt, whom she personally serenaded with her hit single “No One.”

http://www.timesofisrael.com/alicia-keys-bares-her-heart-and-soul-for-tel-aviv/

[Scootaloo]

1. "Music should unify audiences, not separate them"

Well, it's a nice sentiment and one I do agree with. But Alicia Keys isn't exactly the Wyld Stallyns...



And thus I doubt her performance had anything to do with unifying people, one way or another.

[msongs]

2. shoulda had the recent winner of arab idol on with her...in solidarity nt

[azurnoir]

3. Did she tour South Tel Aviv?

or was it a White Night ?

http://972mag.com/white-night-in-tel-aviv-jewish-girls-dont-go-with-blacks/75198/

[oberliner]

4. White Night festivals

The White Nights are a kind of all-night arts festival held in many cities in the summer. The original festival is the White Nights Festival held in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The white nights is the name given in areas of high latitude to the weeks around the summer solstice in June during which sunsets are late, sunrises are early and darkness is never complete. In Saint Petersburg, the Sun does not set until after 10 p.m., and the twilight lasts almost all night.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Night_festivals

The one in Tel Aviv is the last Thursday in June. Alicia Keys hadn't arrived in Israel until several days later. It's mostly outdoor street parties, local bands and djs.

[azurnoir]

5. Once again did she tour South Tel Aviv? let's look at more from the article I posted a link to

Racial tension in south Tel Aviv is not a new phenomenon, generally taking the form of xenophobic marches, protests and anti-refugee demonstrations. Although the number of protests and participants seems to have diminished, there is a new, developing trend. As of late, there appears to be an increase of smaller, more individualistic attacks against refugees in the south of the city.

As the research I have been working on focuses on the issues of crime in south Tel Aviv, I believe it is safe to say that these incidents are increasing in frequency. Researching this topic has brought me in contact with many people who have suffered from racist attacks (both verbal and physical), but on the evening of June 27th, I became part of my own research.

A group of friends – six of us in total, one happened to be African – went out to partake in the “White Night” festivities taking place throughout the city. The start to the evening was wonderful, with hundreds of people walking around, live music and lots of cheer – people all around were laughing and enjoying themselves. After a few hours, we began to walk back through the busy streets and decided to head south on one of Tel Aviv’s major thoroughfares, Alenby. It was then that our night took a very dark turn.

As we made our way back to south Tel Aviv, two young men wearing matching black security uniforms and yarmulkes approached us. They first asked, “Is the kushi with you?” (Kushi is a derogative Hebrew term for black person.)

http://972mag.com/white-night-in-tel-aviv-jewish-girls-dont-go-with-blacks/75198/

[oberliner]

6. Israel has double the percentage of inter-racial couples as the United States

Of course, there are racists in both countries, and, of course, 972mag will do their best to highlight the ones in Israel.

Maybe they can interview Yityish Aynaw?

[azurnoir]

7. weren't there adverts against intermarriage in Israel started in 2009

The Israeli government has launched a television and Internet advertising campaign urging Israelis to inform on Jewish friends and relatives abroad who may be in danger of marrying non-Jews.

The advertisements, employing what the Israeli media described as "scare tactics," are designed to stop assimilation through intermarriage among young Diaspora Jews by encouraging their move to Israel.

The campaign, which cost $800,000, was created in response to reports that half of all Jews outside Israel marry non-Jews. It is just one of several initiatives by the Israeli state and private organizations to try to increase the size of Israel's Jewish population.

http://www.alternet.org/story/142478/israeli_government_ads_warn_against_marrying_non-jews