What do July 4, Kurdish culture, Israeli music and wallcovering have in common?
The first three represent a cultural heritage and there is a wallcovering that can capture the essence of each.
July 4. We have just celebrated Memorial Day, a day of remembrance and we are now leading up to July 4, a day of celebration of freedom and national identity. There are foods and songs that we have come to associate with the American Independence Day–Sousa marches and picnics with checkered tablecloths. The wallcoverings below speak to the All-American spirit.
Kurdish Culture. On a recent journey I was fortunate to have the chance to visit a village established by a group of Kurdish immigrants who had settled in the north of Israel close to Beit Shean. The Kurdish center of Yardena is primarily an agricultural community but it it also a place where visitors can learn about Kurdish culture, taste Kurdish foods and even try on typical Kurdish clothing.
Israeli Music. Recently, Cleveland was fortunate to welcome two Israeli musicians who were in the USA on a nationwide tour. Lior Balavie and his former guitar instructor, Shimon Alchiani, delighted a sell out crowd at Bodega on Coventry with popular Israeli and Middle Eastern tunes. Some of Lior’s authentic musical instruments took a side trip to Hawaii, courtesy of United Airlines, and as a result he had to improvise. But what great improvisation! Lior and Shimon had the crowd on its feet and dancing in the aisles. Lior’s father was Kurdish and some of this familial heritage is evident in the way Lior interprets a song and makes even simple melodies sound exotic.
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Mela
