Taalas, Pamela Grace B.

Lesson No.1/Grade 8
Zooming In on Israels Songs

Objectives: At the end of the class, the students should be able to:
1. Identify the characteristics of music of Israel through activities.
2. Experience the music of Israel through dance and song.
3. Value the contribution of Israel music to other countries through a reaction paper.

II. Content
a) Theme: Zooming In on Israels Songs
b) Concept: Historical Background of Israel,
Musical Background of Israel
c) Context: Zum Gali Gali
Hatikvah
Nigun Atin
d) Audio-Visual Aids: Laptop, Whiteboard marker, Eraser, Speaker, Projector
e) Other Materials:
f) Reference: The 21st Century MAPEH in Action
http://www.science.co.il/Israel-history.php
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRCIB9xFNmA (Nigun Atin)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrCJs3Ci81A (Zum Gali Gali)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DPqNHkm1bM (Hatikvah)

III. Pre-requisite:
1. The students should have a little background about Israel.
2. The students know the simple ostinato rhythms.

IV. Instructional Procedures

Teachers Activity
I. Introduction
Good afternoon, class! How are you today?

Students Activity
Good afternoon teacher. Were fine.

I am Teacher Pamela, and I will be your music

teacher for two meetings. I hope that we can get

along with each other during our time together. I
expect you to listen to our discussion and
participate in all activities.
But before we go any further, shall we all stand
and let us pray.
(Teacher praying)
Amen!
You may now take your seats.

(Students stand and pray)

(Students take their seats)

II. Motivation
We will do a short activity today. But first please
listen to me.
(Teacher singing Zum Gali Gali
Zum gali gali gali, zum gali gali zum (2x)
Hechalutz le maan avodah, avodah le maan
hechalutz (2x)
Zum gali gali gali, zum gali gali zum (2x)
(Repeat 2 more times for the students to be able to
know the song)
Okay, now, please repeat after me.
(Teacher teaches the song by rote)
Zum gali gali gali, zum gali gali zum (2x)
Hechalutz le maan avodah, avodah le maan
hechalutz (2x)
Zum gali gali gali, zum gali gali zum (2x)

Zum gali gali gali, zum gali gali zum (2x)

Hechalutz le maan avodah, avodah le
maan hechalutz (2x)
Zum gali gali gali, zum gali gali zum (2x)

Now that you know the song, let us add some

rhythmic ostinatos. I will divide you into three
groups and each group will do the rhythmic
ostinato that I will give to you.
(Teacher divides them into three groups)
(After grouping them, teacher teaches them the
rhythmic ostinatos by group)

(Students are noisy because of the

groupings)

Okay, now that you all know. Let us all stand and
let us first sing the song only without the rhythmic
ostinatos. And after we finish the song, we will
repeat it again and we will add the rhythmic
ostinatos one group everytime. Just look at me so
that I can tell you when to enter for the ostinatos.
(Teacher sings together with students)
(After one round, add the rhythmic ostinatos)
(Teacher signals each group when to enter)
Thank you students for participating. You may
now take your seats.

(Students stand up)

(Students sing together with the teacher)

(Adds rhythmic ostinatos, one group
every time)

(Students take their seats)

III. Lesson Proper

Did you know that the song we just sung is an
Israeli folk song?
Zum Gali Gali is a traditional song relating to the
formation of the State of Israel, originating
sometime around its creation in 1948. It has a fast
tempo with wide melodic line. It is usually sung
with accompaniment and its a repetitive chant.
So, do you know where Israel is?
Thank you, Sam. I was expecting that. I am a
teacher, and I expect that kind of jokes.
Okay, please be quiet.
But before we study more about the music of
Israel, we will first we will study the history and
origin of Israel.
The people of Israel (also called the "Jewish
People") trace their origin to Abraham, who
established the belief that there is only one God,

Sam: In the map, teacher!

(Students are laughing)

the creator of the universe. Abraham, his son

Yitshak (Isaac), and grandson Jacob (Israel), are
referred to as the patriarchs of the Israelites. All
three patriarchs lived in the Land of Canaan, that
later came to be known as the Land of Israel.
They and their wives are buried in the Ma'arat
HaMachpela, the Tomb of the Patriarchs,
in Hebron (Genesis Chapter 23).
The name Israel derives from the name given to
Jacob (Genesis 32:29). His 12 sons were the
kernels of 12 tribes that later developed into the
Jewish nation. The name Jew derives from
Yehuda (Judah) one of the 12 sons of Jacob
(Reuben, Shimon, Levi, Yehuda, Dan, Naphtali,
Gad, Asher, Yisachar, Zevulun, Yosef, Binyamin)
(Exodus 1:1). So, the names Israel, Israeli or
Jewish refer to people of the same origin.
(Students are listening)
Hatikva is the national anthem of Israel. The title
of the national anthem, HATIKVA, means "The
Hope." It was written by Naftali Herz Imber
(1856-1909), who moved to Palestine in 1882
from Galicia. The melody was arranged by
Samuel Cohen, an immigrant from Moldavia,
from a musical theme in Smetana's "Moldau" that
is partly based on a Scandinavian folk song.
Hatikva expresses the hope of the Jewish
people,that they would someday return to the land
of their forefathers as prophesied in the Hebrew
Bible. The Jewish people were exiled from Israel
in 70 C.E. by the Roman army led by Titus who
destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem. During the
two thousand years of exile, the Jewish people
said special daily prayers for return to Israel while
facing the East in the direction of Jerusalem. They
celebrated the holidays according to Hebrew
seasons and calendar. Zion is synonymous with
Israel and Jerusalem.
Let us hear their national anthem.
(Plays the music and show the lyrics on screen)
Kol od balevav pnimah

Nefesh Yehudi homiyah

Ulfaatey mizrach kadimah
Ayin ltzion tzofiyah
Od lo avdah tikvatenu
Hatikvah bat shnot alpayim
Lhiyot am chofshi bartzenu
Eretz Tzion vYerushalayim

English Translation
As long as deep in my heart
The soul of a Jew yearns,
And forward to the East
To Zion, an eye looks
Our hope will not be lost,
The hope of two thousand years,
To be a free nation in our land,
The land of Zion and Jerusalem.

(Shows the Flag of Israel)

The flag of The State of Israel includes two blue
stripes on white background with a Shield (Star)
of David (in Hebrew: Magen David) in the center.
This design was first displayed in Rishon-LeZion
in 1885 and was also used at the First Zionist
Congress in 1897 (Encyclopaedia Judaica, 1971).

(Some students are becoming noisy)

It was inspired by the tallit (the prayer shawl with

blue stripes worn by Jews during prayer) as a
symbol. The Star of David is a common symbol
of the People of Israel from Biblical times. The
flag was adopted officially on October 28, 1948
(25 Tishre, 5709) by the Speaker of the
Provisional Council of State.
Now, lets go to the music of Israel.
Elements of Music in Israel
Rhythm. Complicated metric system and
modes of Middle East.
Harmony or texture is heterophonic and
highly ornamented.
Melody is a complex modal system.
Timbre is throaty, glutteral voice.
Form is improvisatory.

(Students are noisy)

Israels music is heavily influenced by its

neighboring countries. It combines both their
ethnic, western, and eastern music. It is composed
of two major forces. Zionist movement which
encouraged the creation and dissemination of
Israeli folk music; and Political struggle against
Facisim which led many European-born
musicians to flee to the holy land.
Two Divisions of Jewish Music (Vocal
Music of Israel)
Devotional
Music for Synagogue Worship Included in this category is the art of the
Cantor (in Hebrew: Hazan), who utilizes
specific modes and melodies, and the art
of Biblical cantillation, with its ancient
tradition of neumes and modal chanting.
Other Religious Music - Melodies
utilized to heighten devotional fervour,
especially the melodies of the Hassidim;
also, religious poetry, sung in
the Synagogue or at home.
One of the main features of Devotional

(Students are becoming noisy, especially

at the back)

Music, especially when utilized in

Synagogue ritual on the Sabbath and
other holy days, is that it is almost
entirely Vocal. Though today, in certain
Jewish denominations, accompanying
instruments such as the Organ are utilized
in worship, the emphasis on
congregational song and the art of
the Hazan has always been, and still is,
paramount.
The one salient exception to this is an
instrument called the Shofar, a ram's
horn which is sounded on the High
Holidays(the Jewish New Year and Day
of Atonement - Rosh Hashana and Yom
Kippur, respectively), as a special call to
prayer and repentance.
Secular, uses instrumental and vocal
music. Music were used for the passage
event. Mostly uses rhythmic and popular
romantic text.
Influence from Russia and Middle East
Russia - The folk tunes and their musical styles.
And also, the minor keys.
Middle East - the sound of local Arab music.
Oriental music traditions, pop and rock from
Greek, melismatic ornamentation, nasal, modal
swinging and homophonic texture.

(Students copy what the teacher is doing)

The music of Israel reflects its mood, history,

dreams, and aspirations. Its melody and lyrics
enter deep into the soul of people.

(Everybody dances)

Other musical characteristics of the music of

Israel are:
The use of minor keys
Dance rhythms have strong off beats and
asymmetric meters
Lyrics relate to the Israeli experience

Distinctive vocal style

So for our last activity this afternoon, I will teach
you an easy Israeli dance. Shall we all stand, and
follow what I will do.
(Teacher teaches the steps)

(Students get their music notebooks)

Okay, now that you know the steps, lets do it all

together.
(Everybody dances)
(Song: Nigun Atin)
IV. Conclusion
Israel is the country where our Father of Faith
came from. It the land that God has blessed and
also a source of learning to us through their songs,
the way they worshipped, and the way they lived
their life.
Genesis 32:28. And he said, Thy name shall be no
more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou
power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
Now, before we end our class, we will have a
short quiz. Please get your music notebooks.
1. It is an Israeli folk song usually sung with
accompaniment and it is a repetitive chant.
a. Zum Gali Gali
b. Nigun Atin
c. Haktivah
2. It is the national anthem of Israel.
a. Nigun Atin
b. Hatikvah
c. Zum Gali Gali
3. Give 2 influences that came from Middle East.
4. It is a division of Jewish Music that mostly uses
rhythmic and popular romantic text.
5. A movement which encouraged the creation

Goodbye teacher!

and dissemination of Israeli folk music.

Please pass your music notebooks.

Thank you students, and see you next meeting.
Goodbye!

V. Self-Assessment
1. Did I reach my objectives?
2. Did my students learn through the teaching method I had?
3. Do I need to give more examples and explain them more?