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The Jew In You

18/05/2016A Jewish Monkeys Interview On Deutschlandradio Kultur
 

Your favourite Jewish Monkeys are back for a series of six shows in Germany. On this occasion the band sat down with journalist Miron Tenenberg for a five-minute feature on the band in general, Jewish humour and their 'Jewishness' in particular.

While the piece was recently aired in German, here is an interesting comment made by singer Gael Zaidner in English, when asked why Germany audiences seem more engaged in the Monkeys' artistic interaction with their Jewish roots than Israeli audiences? Here's what he had to say:

"In Israel you can say that our audience is much more Israeli than Jewish. It's a new kind of Jew. It's different, it's a different culture. So the music doesn't touch them as something from their past, it's something new and interesting. […] That's why the audience is more young people, hip people, open-minded people. The Jewish part of it is not the leading reason why they like it. […] They are there just for the music. […] In Germany it's a little different."

During the interview the Jewish Monkeys also revealed that they are currently working on a new album that will contain even more Yiddish material. So, whether you are in it for the music or the 'Jewishness' of it all, stay tuned. And if you understand German, feel free to relisten to the interview in the player above.

AUTHOR: Lev Nordstrom