Jacob's Ladder (music festival)
Jacob's Ladder is a folk music festival that takes place twice a year in northern Israel.
The festival includes both professional and amateur artists of the genre from Israel and abroad, and is strongly identified with the native English-speaking community of Israel (also known as "Anglos"). Although the festival's official language remains English, over the years more and more non-Anglo Israelis have taken part in the event.
The festival has been nicknamed the "Israeli Woodstock Festival" due to the specific types of musical acts, the easy-going and mellow atmosphere and the particular crowd.
History
The festival first took place in Mahanayim in 1978, as part of a monthly folk club in an old stone building in the kibbutz. The club was founded by three kibbutz members and immigrants from England - Menachem Vinegrad, Morris Cohen and Yigal Sela - and featured solely acoustic performances from young artists from the Galilee region and guests from abroad. As described on their website, "The club, the first of its kind north of Tel Aviv, attracted young people and wandering folk singers from all over the Galilee. The long-haired, would-be flower children sat cheerfully squashed together on wooden benches and beer crates. The lack of electricity posed no problem as kerosene lanterns illuminated the stone hall and amplification was frowned upon by the hard core folkies. Menachem and Morris would travel south to search for new musicians in pubs and clubs. Among those who came to perform at Jacob's Ladder in the early days were Shay Tochner (The Taverners / Emerald) and Ehud Natan, who later formed an Irish Band which Menachem aptly named The Black Velvet Band."[1]
Since the festival's beginning, Menachem and Yehudit Vinograd have been running the festival, with help from their children and many volunteers. Nowadays it attracts approximately 3,000 participants, has 6 stages and includes other activities: a crafts fair, a food fair, a story-telling tent, activities for children, swimming, yoga, tai chi and drum circles.[2]
Chronology
- 1978-1986: The festival took place in Kibbutz Machanayim
- 1987-1992: The festival took place in Hurshat Tal, due to the rising number of participants. It was during this period that artists from abroad started participating.
- 1993-1994: The festival took place in Gan HaShlosha National Park (also known as Sachne).
- 1995: The festival took place in Haon on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee.
- 1996-1997: The festival took place in Gan HaShlosha National Park again.
- 1998-1999: The festival returned to Haon.
- 2000-2002: The festival took place in Karei Deshe, on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee.
- 2003–present: The festival moved to Ginosar, also on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, and has taken place there ever since.
- 2004–present: a mini-festival has been added for the month of December, for a smaller audience.
Festival Performers
From Israel
Many of the Israeli performers in Jacob's Ladder come from the Irish music genre, but not exclusively. The past performers include:
- David Broza
- Shlomo Bar
- Shay Tochner
- Geva Alon
- Ehud Natan
- The Black Velvet Band
- HaPundakaim
- Emerald
- Irish Creme
- Blue
- The Canaanites
- Yonatan Miller
- Julian Chagrin
- Evergreen
- Jane Bordeaux
From abroad
- Oige
- Tom Paxton
- Saul Brody
- Work o' The Weavers
- Woody Mann
- Banjo Dan
- Dr. Banjo Peter Wernik
- The Abrams Brothers
- Spuyten Duyvil