AMPLIFYING YOUTH VOICES
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the mic is more powerful.
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the mic is more powerful.
ABOUT US
HEARTBEAT is an international community of musicians, educators, and students using music to build mutual understanding and transform conflict. Founded in 2007 under a grant from Fulbright and MTV, Heartbeats programs seek to empower Israeli and Palestinian youth musicians by creating opportunities and spaces for young musicians from opposing sides to work together, hear each other, and amplify their voices to influence the world around them. Fear, violence, ignorance and a pervasive lack of trust define the political and cultural reality of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Most Israelis and Palestinians have only encountered the other side through televised reports of extremist violence or calculating politicians. As violence intensifies in this small corner of the world, people retreat to their side, and are too often unable to trust in the humanity of the other. To break the status quo of separation and violence and to build a future of peace, security, justice, and freedom for all, people on both sides must know the other; they must communicate and understand each others needs, fears, hopes and shared humanity. People on both sides must be shown tools of change more effective than violence. Music has an amazing ability to connect people, build trust and inspire hope in the darkest of places. Modern, popular music has long been the voice of change all around the world and a powerful means for youth expression and non-violent action. By bringing together young Jewish and Arab musicians and strengthening their voices, we are working to build a global culture of trust, compassion, and respect.Why Heartbeat?Many organizations have formed with the goal of building understanding and peace between Israelis and Palestinians. Many of these organizations focus their efforts on youth, as they will be the inheritors of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the leaders of tomorrow - hopefully better equipped to solve the conflict. Some of these organizations have utilized specific mediums in bringing together Israeli and Palestinian youth, including basketball, soccer, creative writing, theater, film, photography and music. Until Heartbeat, Jewish-Arab youth music programs exclusively used classical music as the medium for communication and exchange. While a number of popular adult music ensembles featuring Jews and Arabs playing together have existed for years, before Heartbeat, there has never been an organized effort to bring together Jewish and Arab youth musicians through modern, popular music, that youth are often most connected to.In the past 15 years, at most 5% of the Israeli and Palestinian communities have participated in a dialogue program of any kind. To create change, to build true Peace, far more people have to connect with each other and transform their perceived enemy into a partner for peace. Unlike other mediums for dialogue, a song can easily be spread across the masses, far beyond the room where it was created. While political and social barriers make most opportunities for face-to-face dialogue, communication, and trust-building difficult, music knows no boundaries.
PROGRAMS
HEARTBEAT PROGRAMS
HEARTBEAT ALL-STAR BANDThroughout the school year, a select group of Israeli and Palestinian youth musicians (ages 14-18) meet every other week to explore and create music together. By engaging throughout the year, students deepen their mutual-understanding, build trust, and have access to numerous opportunities to amplify their voices; spreading trust across the wider community through concerts, recordings, and music videos.-------------------HEARTBEAT - WBC OPEN MIC SERIESOnce a month Jerusalem area musicians, poets, rappers, are invited to "HEAR AND BE HEARD" in Heartbeat's Open Mic Series at the Willy Brandt Center Red Lounge in Jerusalem. All are welcome.-------------------HEARTBEAT SUMMER RECORDING SESSIONSIn August 2010 Heartbeat youth musicians spent two weeks working with Heartbeat director, Aaron Shneyer, to complete Heartbeat's second full-length album, to be released in late 2010.-------------------Sept 1, 2010HEARTBEAT RAMADAN IFTAR AND ROSH HASHANA CELEBRATIONNew and old Heartbeat participants and staff gathered to celebrate the holidays and enjoy a jam session together.-------------------HEARTBEAT and The WBC Willy Brandt Center present:THE HIP HOP HUDNAJERUSALEM-BERLIN HIP HOP XCHANGEIn May and June 2010 sixteen Israeli, Palestinian and German youth musician, rappers, and poets (ages 16-21) took part in a one of a kind exploration of the past, present and future. Living and creating music together for one week in Jerusalem and one week in Berlin, participants of the project explored Hip-Hop and other urban art forms as tools for youth empowerment and social change.Their week in Jerusalem culminated with two special performances, at the Yellow Submarine on May 26th, and at Rogatka, in Tel Aviv on May 27th.The group recorded a full album of original music, set to be released in late 2010.Numeorus pro artists joined the group and performed alongside the Heartbeat crew, including: FIVA (aka Nina Sonnenberg) from Munich, Germany, DJ Phekt of Vienna, Austria, and local artists: ONILI, GTOWN, Saz, Sagol 59, O.U.T.LAWZ, TootArd, and Aaron Salam Odara.The program was implemented by the Willy Brandt Center Jerusalem and Heartbeat Jerusalem, in cooperation with the Foundation for Remembrance, Responsibility and Future. www.willybrandtcenter.orgwww.heartbeatjerusalem.org--------------------------SEEDS OF PEACE- HEARTBEAT PROGRAMThroughout 2009 Heartbeat led a music-dialogue exchange between 10 Israeli and Palestinian members of Seeds of Peace. These young musicians came from Ramallah, Haifa, Ashqelon, Hebron, Qadima, Be’er Sheva, and Bethlehem to launch a six-month program to explore the power of music and their own voices to create change. Facing incredible challenges due to the Gaza War, the group continued to work on their music, meeting separately at times and together whenever possible. The students' original compositions speak about the dark realities of war, the desire for freedom, safety and independence, and their visions for a better future. The songs were produced by Heartbeat Director, Aaron Shneyer and Heartbeat Board Member, Mark Smulian, a platinum record selling music producer and leader of WhiteFlag, an Israeli-Palestinian street fusion band. Their album, "Tomorrow is Coming," will be released in 2010 by Seeds of Peace. -------------HEARTBEAT: The BeginningHeartbeat was born in 2007 when Fulbright and MTVu selected Aaron Shneyer, as an inaugural recipient of the Fulbright-MTVu grant “to explore the power of music to build mutual understanding.” Heartbeat: Jerusalem began by bringing together 12 Israeli and Palestinian high school students for a weekly musical encounter. By listening, playing and writing music together, the students learned about each other’s communities, histories, political views, identities, and hopes and developed new tools for self-expression and social change. On September 21, 2008, the UN’s International Day of Peace, the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem sponsored Heartbeat Jerusalem’s debut concert, which was attended by 300 Israelis, Palestinians and internationals at the Jerusalem YMCA Theater.In 2009 Heartbeat began offering its youth empowerment and dialogue through music programs to other Israeli and Palestinian youth organizations, such as The Sulha Peace Project, and Seeds of Peace.
MEDIA
VIDEOSHeartbeat: Jerusalem Concert - September 21, 20085 videosNYTimes Jerusalem Journal: Teen concerts combat animosity between Arab and Jewish youth in Jerusalem amid recent violence. (2008)more on the way...ARTICLES:Maan News (Palestine) : US Fulbrighter promotes peace through music with Palestinian-Israeli bandJerusalem Post (Israel) : On Stage in HarmonyCommon Ground News Agency: Jerusalem Youth Use Music to Break Down WallsIsraelity: Listening to a HeartbeatAP: MTV Teaches Peace Around the World Israel21c: When Music is the Food of Peace
HEARTBEAT BEGINNINGS
heartbeat june 2010
daffy duck
touring jerusalem
bboy and don bassa
bugs bunny
diar
dekel screams sometimes
diar in the studio
dana and fadi
hipjlem-23
hipjlem-13
KHALAS | ENOUGH - by Heartbeat
Click here for more photos from
the Willy Brandt Center +
Heartbeat HipHop Hudna
in Jerusalem and Berlin, 2010
CONTACT
Contact Us
HEARTBEAT: JERUSALEMTelephone:+ 972 54 556 7001 JERUSALEM+ 13018025070 WASHINGTON, DCe-mail:info_heartbeatjerusalem.orgDirector, Aaron Shneyer:aaron_heartbeatjerusalem.org
JOIN US
the mic is more powerful.
CONTRIBUTIONSWe rely on your support. We are currently in the process of establishing HEARTBEAT as an independent 501c3, non-profit organization in the USA. In the United States, tax-deductible contributions to Heartbeat can be sent to our ubrella organization by clicking on the PayPal link to the left or by mailing checks to:HEARTBEAT - Am Kolel Peace Fund19520 Darnestown Rd.Beallsville, MD 20839Phone: 301 349 2799ART THE CHANGEIf you or someone you know is an artist, musician, web designer, graphic designer, film-maker, journalist, PR agent, chef, poet, dancer, grant-writer, etc. and would like to volunteer some time and energy please contact us: info_heartbeatjerusalem.orgMUSIC INDUSTRY SUPPORT - Providing Incentives to Come TogetherWE are continually looking for new opportunities to offer our students. One of the most challenging aspects of this project is helping our musicians combat the societal pressures they face in coming together. Creating music with the enemy goes against the tide. Many interested musicians simply do not take the risk of being ostracized from their community and damaging their music careers. In order to bring the most talented musicians together we need to offer incentives that override any fear or hesitation they might have. Opportunities such as live performances, collaborations with famous artists, TV spots, radio interviews, travel opportunities and recording time can provide tremendous incentive to Israeli and Palestinian musicians who would like to come together, but often feel forced to set other priorities. Such opportunities also have a profound ability to influence public opinion and build trust among the masses. The worldwide music industry holds a severely untapped power to move people, bring them together and help them inspire millions to create change. If you can help please contact Heartbeat Executive Director, Aaron Shneyer at aaron_heartbeatjerusalem.org
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Photos by Maya Hasson and Hamifal
All Rights Reserved (c) HEARTBEAT: JERUSALEM 2010
