The Sounds of Israel

The first Festival for a Shekel took place in 2001. Sha’anan Street, the lead

singer* for Israel’s number one hip-hop group, Hadag Nachash, thought of the

idea. He heard about kids who didn’t have the money to see Hadag Nachash at

a summer festival. He wanted everyone to be able to enjoy the music.

The festival also gives talented teens who live in small towns a chance to

perform. These teens write and play their own music. Famous Israeli musicians

travel to the small towns to work with them once a week for a year. The teens

perform in the festival together with the popular bands and famous musicians.

In this way people hear about them.

One teenage musician says, “I want everyone to know what a good musician I

am. I want the chance to have a music career and become famous. Festival for a