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Music

Sacred sells for Israeli musicians

July 2, 2009 15:40
David D’Or, a leading secular musician, released a popular album of prayers after saying kaddish for his father

By

Nathan Jeffay,

Nathan Jeffay

2 min read

Given that she is one of Israel’s most popular musicians, Etti Ankri’s latest album may seem a little esoteric: it consists entirely of poems by the 12th-century philosopher, Rabbi Yehuda Halevy.

But Ms Ankri is not taking a gamble. In mainstream Israeli music today, sacred means sales.

Last year, a collection of songs based on the teachings of the 18th- and 19th-century Chasidic master Rabbi Nachman of Breslev reached gold album status, with buyers across the religious spectrum.

Shuli Rand, the artist behind the album, is a ba’al teshuvah who had already found religion when he came onto the music scene, while Ms Ankri became religious when she was already a star, back in 2001.