Forget about “The Voice.” Call these “The Voices” — 150 to 200 of them coming together every month to belt out classic Israeli tunes during a rousing singalong.
The lyrics are projected on a big screen, but no one really needs them. Everyone knows the words to the oldies by heart — they grew up listening to and singing those songs.
This group of Israelis, most of whom immigrated to the United States years ago, is keeping a tradition alive. It’s called shira betzibur, or, in English, public singing.
“We miss Israel and miss the songs,” said Shaul Barkan, 67, a senior vice president of a high-tech company in Northridge. “We enjoy seeing how much fun people are having during these evenings. It’s a great joy.”
Barkan and his wife, Nitzan, 65, started the singing club 23 years ago.
, and now, Valley Beth Shalom in Encino.</p>
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“We were hoping to attract the younger generation of Israelis who live here, but unfortunately, they don’t connect to these songs, and we mainly have an older crowd, 55 and up,” Shaul said.</p>
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“I do understand it though,” added Nitzan, a retired Hebrew teacher. “We were raised on those songs, listened to them on the radio growing up, sang them in schools. They [younger people] are not familiar with them. We wanted to pass our tradition to the second and third generation here, but unfortunately, it didn’t work out. But we enjoy it a lot.”</p>
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The singalong tradition is rooted in the first years of Israel and is still very popular these days, in cities and <em>kibbutzim</em>. </p>
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“It became very popular because back then there weren’t many sources of entertainment in Israel, and singing together was free, fun and easy, and so it stuck,” Shaul explained.</p>
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The couple was born and raised in Kibbutz Kinneret, located southwest of the Sea of Galilee and home to the late Naomi Shemer, one of Israel’s leading songwriters (“Yerushalayim Shel Zahav”). She was also Nitzan’s cousin and Shaul’s music teacher.</p>
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“We will always call the kibbutz our home, even though we live here for over 30 years,” Shaul said. “Our connection to Israel is very strong.”</p>
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The Barkans, parents of three adult children and grandparents of five, spend many hours choosing their songs. Each evening has its own theme: holiday songs, Israel’s Independence Day, tunes by popular composers such as Haim Hefer. They compile photos to be screened along with the lyrics, too.</p>
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