Yair Dalal - Activism and Cultural Heritage

Activism and Cultural Heritage

Among his many efforts to promote peace between Arabs and Israelis, Dalal has created a “Concert for Peace,” and written an album entitled “Inshallah Shalom,” which loosely translates to “God willing there shall be peace.” He has toured with a band of Palestinian musicians, but when the second intifada started, they were forbidden to travel together. The album they recorded features a cover of The Beatles “We Can Work it Out.” He also believes strongly in his passion for playing the oud. He curated the 2001 Oud Festival in Jerusalem, and says, “Oud music is a bonding factor… this is the music which Jews and Arabs grew up on together.” Because of his involvement with the Middle East and Arabs, Dalal was refused entry into the US after 9/11.

Dalal has also made many efforts to preserve the cultural heritage of Arab-Israeli music. He has been involved with the publication of archival recordings from Middle Eastern Jewish musicians who were popular in the 1950s, in an effort to preserve the genre. He also teaches workshops and advocates for education to bring various types of music to wider audiences. He feels a strong connection to the Bedouins and the desert itself, and attempts to promote the connection between the ancient desert people and modern Israelis and Palestinians.

As for his influences in music, he says, “When I play or when I compose, many things are in my head and in my spirit: the Jewish prayer from the Synagogue, the Iraqi maqam which was played in the Baghdad coffee shops by the Jews, and the folk songs that we have in Arabic. And also the desert, which is my favorite place.”