N.Y. Times: Idan Raichel disc among 'most notable albums'

to Glasgow or any where else in the GRATE british Isles I hope!!!!!!!!!

Vino, my purpose wasn't to start a "falafel war", but rather to use it as an illustration of something rather more serious. There is a mindset in Israel which goes something like "what is jewish is exclusively ours, and what is non-jewish is shared". Therefore when something is referred to as being "jewish", there is an assumption of exclusivity and a denial of the other. This applies as much to buildings and land, as it does to cultural heritage. The point here is that one way for Israel to submerge the Arab identity of Palestine is to claim jewish title to aspects of palestinian heritage, including food & music, to the exclusion of the palestinians themselves.

For one noodles or modern spaghetti, were first prepared in China. Now to your Falafel, if you take time to read in the bible about Jacob, Isaw and the lentil soup, you will notice that there is no first and second, both people were eating the same available condiments. I only wish that the competitions between Israelis and Palestinians will only concentrate on food. My people(Jewish MEterns) and your people were cooking "Malukhia" 100 years ago, all indications its from the time of the bible, people just changed the spices. If you make an effort to find things in common, rather of where we differ, you will find that probably if you go back in centuries we lived in the same tents. If you have doubt look at the family names: Haddad, Hassan, Zatlawi, Hasin, El mughrabi, and all the names with EL. That is shocking isn't? If only religion will leave us alone.

Just what IS Jewish food anyway? Bagels and lox, chopped liver etc. were 'stolen' from the East Europeans.

"..no but [spaghetti] belongs to italian jews just as much as it belongs to italian non-jews. just like falafel belongs to middle eastern jews just as much as it belongs to middle eastern arabs..." I've never seen spaghetti being referred to as 'partially jewish', but have often seen falafel and hummus unashamedly referred to as 'israeli' or 'jewish' food.

As for stealing cultural and relgiious traditions, we have to go no further than the lifting and plagarizing of the old testament, into the Koran. Give it a break buddy, you are not very bright. Now keep your head down, and we all hope that your brothers do not blow your head off. Interestingly one of your friends burns, after his terrible crash, is being treated using Israeli technology and patents. We have become adept at treating burn patients after having experinced your beloved heroes gruesome and horrific tactics. Now your friends have exported their means of fighting to Iraq and Britain. You must be delighted with their home-grown creativity. Good for you.

As for music, the Arab jews who came from Morocco to Iraq, were accomplished musicians in the Arab lands. it is difficult to say where a chop comes, it is hard to say who was the first to put a set of notes together for the first time. Is folk music mixed with electric guitars Jewish? because it was invented by Robert Zimmerman (Bob Dylan) or has it just fit into what we call American music. Raichel's music is lovely stuff, quite soothing, magically rooted in a distinct mix of cultures both traditional and modern. A friend of mine sings on it as well, I will not mention her name. Instead of being an idiot, give it a listen, I have no problem listening to Khalid or Nusrat. Or is your hate and frustration that much more powerful than your capability to love and respect? Give it a listen, you will be pleasantly surprised.

no but it belongs to italian jews just as much as it belongs to italian non-jews. just like falafel belongs to middle eastern jews just as much as it belongs to middle eastern arabs. the fact that the majority of the israeli population has taken to love falafel more than probably any other country and that israelis (not just jews) probably make the best falafel the world doesn't have anything to do with it, but i thought i ought to mention it :)

"...Mizrachi Jews lived for generations in places like Syria and Iraq and Yemen - and they are as entitled to claim these instruments as their heritage as they can claim falafel...." ummmmm...so, by your logic, spaghetti is jewish because generations of jews lived in Italy.

Ofcourse im sure your aware that there is actually an Arab singer in the Idan Raichel Project...although perhaps she was kidnapped?!

The British are in no way pathologically obsessed with Israel... whether you like it or not, Idan Raichel is Israeli and the music he creates is Israeli and his Ethiopian influences are not Arab. His Ethiopian colleagues are Israeli. Maybe you should listen to his music, his beautiful words and stop attacking Jews at every chance you get. Tell me the part about driving us into the sea again, brit4palestine??

Brit4Palestine You show extreme ignorance, in addition to obvious prejudice. Mizrachi Jews lived for generations in places like Syria and Iraq and Yemen - and they are as entitled to claim these instruments as their heritage as they can claim falafel. Silence is perhaps the best alternative when not knowing what you're talking about.

yoni lets say he stole from peter gabriel and that he makes his Ethiopian singers work for under pay scale. maybe we can throw in how condescending he is, with the dreadlocks and the shmatta on his head...if you will it, you can make it happen!!

Yonatan, so as not to disappoint you, and to keep you wallowing in your 'everyone hates us' mentality, here is an attack: the use by Israeli artists of Arabic instruments (oud, qanoon etc) and musical styles, and the attempt to present these as 'jewish instruments' playing 'jewish music' is cultural theft and deception. This follows nicely in the tradition of other (failed) attempts at cultural theft - notably of Falafel and Hummus. Do you feel better now?

is what many Talkbackers are now thinking.