The Idan Raichel Project: A Multicultural Revolution

I haven't ever thought I would write about a musical group but after following the Idan Raiche Project for over ten years, it's time. It's time to let you know all of the good this project has done, it's time to let you know how much impact this group has had on modern Israeli culture, and the impact they've had on my personal life. This is the story of a grass roots multicultural revolution.

The Idan Raichel Project was founded by Idan Raichel, a piano songwriter, accordion player and acclaimed producer. Idan however does not take all of the credit, he always puts the spotlight on the amazing talent that he brings together. With over 100 musicians, singers & collaborations over the years, The Idan Raichel Project has created some brilliant musical compositions and created a culture in it of it's own, in Israel and around the world.

What's unique about The Idan Raichel Project is that they collaborate with talented musicians from a diverse range of ethnicity and countries of origin. Examples include, Israel, Sudan, Ethiopia, Germany, France, Brazil, Mali, the USA & more. The music itself is in many different languages such as Hebrew, Arabic, Somalian, Portuguese, German and the list goes on...

The music is amazing and it reaches deep into the soul, in most songs there are over ten musical instruments with perfect ensemble. The sound is soothing but not boring, eclectic and inspiring. As a teenager I was easily able to grow accustomed to the sound, my preferred genre in music was classic rock but The Idan Rachel Project opened up a world of music and talent that I had no idea existed; int the modern day.

As a group their mission is to change the status quo and create a culture around unity that celebrates different cultures and musical sounds from around the world. Besides Idan, two of the lead singers are Maya Avraham, an Israeli who's parents are Yemenite & Egyptian, Cabra Casay of Ethiopian descent who was born in a refugee camp in Sudan, and immigrated to Israel at a young age and many more singers with diverse backgrounds. Each musician has their own story and expresses a unique message through their sound.

What I love about the group is that they celebrate the diverse cultures of Israel. There are so many forgotten demographics and it's a breath of fresh air to see how they are able to merge the different cultures and create such a unique sound. No matter where you are from, there is a song for you, and as a listener I was introduced to music from around the world that spoke to me.

The movement they've created has impacted my life significantly, when I meet someone from Nigeria or Ethiopia I automatically have a song I can share with them. The beautiful thing is that you can go from a song in Arabic to a song in German to a song in Spanish, and seamlessly connect with people from around the world. The music has truly expanded the sociological commonalities between millions of people.

I have countless stories of getting into an Uber with a guy from West Africa and sharing a song, meeting people who speak Spanish and sharing a beautiful song with them, or walking into a Deli and having something to share with the Yemenite guy behind the counter. I've met over 30 people who speak Amharic, and who would have even thought to ask!?

Big thanks to Idan Raichel for creating this amazing dynamic and to all of the singers, songwriters and musicians who are taking part in making Israel and the great wide wide world, that much more beautiful.