"I composed ... a song — which I had never sung till then, with an idea, and words, and rhymes — because my heart was with me and in my mouth.” ( S Y Agnon, 'With My Heart')
Yesterday, I posted an item showing how the events at the Rototom Sunsplash Festival in Spain involving Matisyahu, the ex-Chassid rapper, bore an uncanny resemblance to historic anti-Jewish riots in the same area.
On Sunday of this past week Matisyahu, the US Jewish rap artist performed at the Rototom Sunsplash Festival in Benicassim, Spain amid heckling and jeering by pro-Palestinians in the audience. Earlier, he had been barred from performing – then re-invited – because of the international storm caused by pressure from Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions activists for him - an ex-Chassid - to publicly back a Palestinian state.
What many fans do not realise is the enormous political and historical irony in this story as in August 1391 almost to the date of this year’s Sunsplash, 400 Jewish citizens of Barcelona werewere massacred by rioting anti-Jewish mobs.
Indeed, the events of last week were a near echo of what happened 624 years ago when the local authorities tried to protect the Jewish community against the attacks which had been instigated mostly by Castilians who had previously taken part in pogroms in Seville and Valencia.
Meanwhile, as this year’s festival attracted 250,000 people from 73 countries, including 16,000 youngsters aged under 12 years, two facts are now clear:
The BDS movement is not just anti-Israel. It is quite nakedly antisemitic.
Its failure at Benicassim is a severe dent in its campaign to persuade the next generation of music lovers to join its cause.
Matis, who went on to defy his enemies by singing his songJerusalem at Sunsplash, also issued this statement:
"The festival organisers contacted me because they were getting pressure from the BDS movement. They wanted me to write a letter, or make a video, stating my positions on Zionism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to pacify the BDS people. I support peace and compassion for all people. My music speaks for itself, and I do not insert politics into my music. Music has the power to transcend the intellect, ideas, and politics, and it can unite people in the process. The festival kept insisting that I clarify my personal views; which felt like clear pressure to agree with the BDS political agenda. Honestly it was appalling and offensive, that as the one publicly Jewish-American artist scheduled for the festival they were trying to coerce me into political statements. Were any of the other artists scheduled to perform asked to make political statements in order to perform? No artist deserves to be put in such a situation simply to perform his or her art. Regardless of race, creed, country, cultural background, etc, my goal is to play music for all people. As musicians that is what we seek. – Blessed love, Matis".
I conclude with the lyrics from Jerusalem*:
Jerusalem, if I forget you Fire not gonna come from me tongue Jerusalem, if I forget you Let my right hand forget what it’s supposed to do
In the ancient days, we will return with no delay Picking up the bounty and the spoils on our way We’ve been traveling from state to state And them don’t understand what they say
Three thousand years with no place to be And they want me to give up my milk and honey Don’t you see its not about the land or the sea Not the country but the dwelling of his majesty
Jerusalem, if I forget you Fire not gonna come from me tongue Jerusalem, if I forget you Let my right hand forget what it’s supposed to do
Jerusalem, if I forget you Fire not gonna come from me tongue Jerusalem, if I forget you Let my right hand forget what it’s supposed to do
Rebuild the temple and the crown of glory Years gone by, about sixty Burn in the oven in this century And the gas tried to choke but it couldn’t choke me
I will not lie down, I will not fall asleep And they come overseas, yes they’re trying to be free Erase the demons out of our memory Change your name and your identity
Afraid of the past and our dark history Why is everybody always chasing we Cut off the roots of your family tree Don't you see that's not the way to be
Jerusalem, if I forget you Fire not gonna come from me tongue Jerusalem, if I forget you Let my right hand forget what it’s supposed to do
Jerusalem, if I forget you Fire not gonna come from me tongue Jerusalem, if I forget you Let my right hand forget what it’s supposed to do
Caught up in these ways and the worlds gone crazy Don’t you know its just a phase, case of the Simon says If I forget the truth then my words wont penetrate Babylon burning in the place, can’t see through dark haze
Chop down all of them dirty ways That’s the price that you pay for selling lies to the youth No way, not okay, oh no way, not okay, hey Ain't no one gonna break my stride, ain't no one gonna pull me down Oh no, I got to keep on moving, stay alive
Jerusalem, if I forget you Fire not gonna come from me tongue Jerusalem, if I forget you Let my right hand forget what it’s supposed to do
Jerusalem, if I forget you Fire not gonna come from me tongue Jerusalem, if I forget you Let my right hand forget what it’s supposed to do, Jerusalem
Jerusalem, if I forget you Fire not gonna come from me tongue Jerusalem, if I forget you Let my right hand forget what it’s supposed to do
Jerusalem, if I forget you Fire not gonna come from me tongue Jerusalem, if I forget you Let my right hand forget what it’s supposed to do
* Jerusalem is track #8 on the album Youthand was co-written by Ivan Corraliza, Jimmy Douglass, Matthew Wilder, Gregory Prestopino and Matthew Miller.
