OWN CORRESPONDENT
Photographer Joffe Berkowitz
The supporting act was The Gat Brothers, Arie and Gil from Jerusalem, who were originally secular musos in secular Eilat. Today, although sporting long beards and peyos, they still play the music of the ‘60s, notably the compositions of other nice Jewish boys like Bob Dylan and Simon and Garfunkel. Somehow, they manage to invoke Jewish messages from these iconic classics.
Fourteen-year-old South African singing sensation Shmuli Brill was on the bill too and his duet with Benny brought the house down.
“Thank you Sydenham Shul!” was a refrain heard throughout the nights as concert-goers acknowledged that attracting overseas artists to South Africa in light of the country’s plunging exchange rates, has become more and more difficult. Somehow Sydenham Shul managed to pull it off and Johannesburgers were treated to a rare musical treat.
The shows were endorsed by the Embassy of Israel in South Africa and by the SAZF as they were the only official commemorations of the upcoming 40th anniversary of the amazing “Rescue at Entebbe” back in July 1976. A short video especially produced for the occasion was screened and the artists dedicated songs to this important milestone event.
