Jewish Federation of Central NJ
For Immediate Release
PRESS RELEASE
Sderot Rock Band to Make US Debut on Yom Ha’atzmaut
“SdeRock” Headliner Oliel Project Expected to Draw Large Crowd in Support of Israeli Town
Scotch Plains, NJ, April 28, 2009-The Federation of Central NJ is proud to present the debut US performance of an authentic rock band from Sderot, Israel, The Oliel Project as part of their annual Yom Ha’atzmaut Israel Independence Day celebration. (Sderot is the Israeli city in the south of the country that is under a constant barrage of Hamas-fired kassam rockets from nearby Gaza.)
Descending from Israel’s music royalty, The Oliel Project is comprised of the sons of legendary Israeli-Moroccan musician Chaim Oliel. The senior Oliel is credited with transforming the notoriously impoverished southern city of Sderot into the country’s pre-eminent mecca for musical creativity. Considered by many a pioneer in the Israeli music scene, he is renowned for disseminating traditional Eastern culture across the country and beyond.
In a recent interview, he described the conditions which led him to develop his novel brand of creativity: "It goes without saying that the large distance from the center of the country had an affect on the music. We were not influenced by the styles of music in Tel Aviv. Since the local ma’abarot (transit camps in the 50s and 60s) were populated mainly by people from North Africa, our music stemmed from authentic roots… combined with Israeli music. There were no institutions, such as organized groups or cultural centers. With no other alternative available, we would hold our rehearsals in bomb shelters."
Indeed that is the climate in which The Oliel Project was born and in which it continues to thrive today, even under the constant barrage of missiles and bombs from nearby Hamas-controlled Gaza. Influenced by musical greats like Sting, Led Zeppelin and Jimmy Hendrix, The Oliel Project has an incredible knack for giving traditional Jewish and Israeli songs a unique and modern interpretation that is relevant in today’s international atmosphere. Like their father’s effort in the wildly successful group “Sefatayim” (Lips), the Oliel brothers Mati, Or and Niv, blend New World beats with their family’s Old World rhythms— to create what critics have called “ethnic-pop”.
Today, there is a sophisticated music center in Sderot, which nurtures new talent and boasts hundreds of youths among its members. A primary objective is to cultivate the authentic traditions of different sectors and to preserve and celebrate the unique heritages that comprise the cultural mosaic of the country.
The city of Sderot allocates annual funding to this effort and most recently has sponsored “SdeRock”, a celebration of Sderot’s homegrown talent that has spun its own air-raid-shelter-turned-music-club/recording studio. Coming out to hear The Oliel Project on Yom Ha’atzmaut 2009 would not just show support for a worthy Israeli band – it will demonstrate our community’s commitment to the safety and viability of Sderot and its inhabitants.
The concert will be held at the YM-YWHA of Union County, 501 Green Lane in Union, on Wednesday, April 29th and will be free for all participants as part of Federation’s annual Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration. Doors open 5:30 pm.
For more information, contact Adina Abramov, Director of Marketing & Communications, Federation of Central NJ [email protected] or Sael Abecassis, Israeli Shaliach (emissary) at 908-889-5335, extension 325.
The teenagers of Sderot, a city that often comes under Palestinian rocket attack from the nearby Gaza Strip,
find escape from the tension at SdeRock, an air-raid shelter turned music club and recording studio.
On Israeli radio, it is possible to hear more than half a dozen bands from the city,
whose population is only 25,000 – The Oliel Project, is pre-eminent among them.

