I’m sitting on a patch of grass in the Ra’anana amphitheater with a volunteer from the center. We’re waiting for the opening band to finish their set, and give the spotlight over to Ivri Lider.
As one of Israel’s most accomplished musicians, Ivri Lider has written the soundtracks to some of my favorite Israeli movies, including Yossi and Jagger, The Bubble, and Walk on Water. In my first two years of college, I’d seen Idan Raichel twice at Berklee. Before Wednesday, I never thought I’d get a free ticket to see Ivri Lider live in Israel.
Located in Ra’anana, the concert was held at the city amphitheater. The concert was held to raise money for children with special needs in Israel. Many Israeli musicians performed, but seeing Ivri Lider was the highlight of my evening. The first few notes to “Mary is a Broad” has barely been played when the crowd began to cheer wildly.
My supervisor had gotten twenty free tickets from a friend to give out to soldiers and volunteers. The tickets themselves, however, were located in the glove compartment of her friend’s car outside Ra’anana. Naturally, I volunteered to go pick them up for everyone.
In my experience, the buses at the Central Bus Station are very prompt. At the same time, being on time for your bus does not guarantee you a seat. As I got in line for the 5:35 bus to Ra’anana Junction Terminal, it occured to me that there were twenty people behind me and at least twenty people in front of me. The bus suddenly looked too small, like it might sink to the floor if enough people got on. The driver punched my ticket, and looking ahead of me, I saw only taken seats. My best option was to sit on the steps of the middle doorway of the bus. This proved to be no easy task. The frequent, abrupt halts of the bus in the Jerusalem rush hour left me holding on to the handbar of the doorway for almost the entire ride. An hour and a half later, I jumped off the bus and headed toward Ahuza street.
I was twenty minutes late, and worried that my supervisor’s friend would drive away if I didn’t get there soon. I called him for the third time to let him know I was coming. “Hi, it’s Lena from the center again, I’m almost there, and I’m really sorry you’ve been waiting – ” To my relief, he responded with a drawn out “Be-se–der,” with no indication that he was completely out of patience. I made it to the Delek station, and he waved me over to the passenger window. “Here, I brought twenty,” he smiled. I thanked him again for waiting, and he drove off to Tel Aviv. Following his directions, I took a right at the station and kept walking until I saw a park entrance on a small hill. After finding the amphitheater, I settled on a bench outside the entrance to wait for the others. People arrived one by one, and eventually we made our way inside for the show. As I snapped a few pictures of the stage lights, my friend asks if this is my first Israeli concert. I nod, but explain that I’d seen Idan Raichel in the states. “Wow,” she said, “I saw them last year in Jerusalem. They were great.”
On my list of things to do next time I visit Israel, way at the top is an Idan Raichel concert, preferably in Jerusalem, followed by another live performance of Ivri Lider.