Musica Mizrakhit, Israeli Rock and National Culture in Israel

The purpose of this article is to demonstrate briefly the power of thenationalistic world-view on music-making in Israel as an example of its power almost everywhere. Two major music cultures in Israel - musica mizrakhit and Israeli rock - are examined to show how the exclusion of the one produces motivation and demands for inclusion in the national culture, while the cosmopolitan nature of the other exposes it to pressures to become 'national'.