Why Should I Take It to Heart

Born in Tel Aviv, Arieh Leib Einstein (known as Arik Einstein) is considered one of the most influential and popular musicians in Israeli history, a pioneer of Israeli rock and a beloved figure in the national imagination. Einstein began his career in the 1950s as a singer in the Naḥal Brigade army band, a group known for producing some of the country’s top musical talent. A prolific songwriter and artist, Einstein’s fifty-year career encompassed some five hundred original songs, at least thirty-four individual albums, and numerous collaborations with a variety of Israel’s most prominent musicians. In addition to music, Einstein played a leading role in the Israeli classic film Sallaḥ Shabati and performed as a member of the famed comedy troupe the Lool Gang.

Shalom Hanoch is a considered a pioneering figure in Israeli rock music. Born on Kibbutz Mishmarot, Hanoch displayed a talent for music across genres at an early age. His career began in the Israeli military as a member of the Naḥal Brigade army band. After demobilization, Hanoch became part of the Tel Aviv music scene, where he met future Israeli rock legend Arik Einstein, with whom he would collaborate frequently. Hanoch remained a singular force in the development of Israeli rock during the 1970s and 1980s. Taking a darker, heavier, and more musically complex turn, Hanoch’s music responded directly to the personal and political tragedies of the era and held its place as particularly popular and influential.