Coming from Israel’s identity as a nation of immigrants, traditional and modern dance in Israel has been influenced by different ethnic groups throughout Israel’s existence. In Biblical times, such as the time of King David, dancing is referred to repeatedly. As a result, the use of dancing to express emotion became an essential part of Judaic and, therefore, Israeli culture. For example, when European immigrant Jews exchanged their urban lives for more rural, farming lifestyles in Palestine in the 1920’s, dancers were barefoot and wore lose, flowing clothing, and there were many leaping and running movements in the dances. Thus, the dances reflected the joy of returning to the land.
One song and dance that illustrates well the use of dance in the expression of feeling is Yerushalayim Shel Zahav, or Jerusalem of Gold. Performed at the Israeli Music Festival on May 15, 1967, just before the Six Day War, the first three stanzas express the beauty of Israel. After the war the stanza with the words “We have returned to the cisterns/to the market and the market place/A ram’s horn calls out on the Temple Mount/in the Old City”, reflective of the liberation of the Old City of Jerusalem. There is a beautiful dance that accompanies the song, which can be viewed here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyoLaN5ACms
Also, a transliteration and translation of the song can be viewed here:
http://hebrewsongs.com/?song=yerushalayimshelzahav
Additional sources:
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