The current US–Israel war with Iran follows decades of political tension that has shaped the perception of relations between Israel and Iran.
Despite historical hostility, Berlin-based musicians from both countries are determined to demonstrate that cultural dialogue is still possible.
The musical group Sistangila was started by Babak Shafieian, an Iranian who moved to Germany as a young adult to study.
He started this project about 15 years ago when he decided to take a position against the anti-Semitic rhetoric promoted by Iran’s then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad – who was making international headlines by denying the Holocaust and threatening the destruction of the State of Israel.
“It does not reflect my stance on Israel and the Jewish people,” Shafiian told DW. “So I thought we, the Iranians and the Israelis, could create something together that would show that there is a sense of solidarity between our two peoples.”
Shafiian was inspired by his family’s musical background as well as Daniel Barenboim’s West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, in which Jewish and Palestinian musicians play classical music together.
To form the group, Shafiian first contacted Yuval Halpern, an Israeli musician and composer, who later became the group’s musical director.
Halpern remembers his initial reaction to Shafiian’s introductory email: “I was a little cautious at first, because Iranians usually don’t approach Israelis. And I thought he might be a terrorist or someone who wanted to kidnap me,” he told DW.
But after looking up Shafiian online, Halpern decided it was safe enough to meet a stranger at a hummus restaurant in Neukölln, Berlin’s most prominent district for Arab culture.
From there, he met more musicians from both his countries. “This is a project that could only happen in Berlin – not in Israel, not in Iran,” explains Halpern, who also sings in the band.
Persian and Jewish folk meet jazz and prog rock
Sistangila’s Israeli and Iranian musicians explore their musical heritages together, finding ways to merge traditions including elements of Persian classical music, Jewish chant and klezmer tunes.
Halpern explains, “We found a lot of similarities in Sephardic music, which has more oriental sounds, like Arabic keys.” But each musician brings his own influence to the mix: “Our guitarist likes heavy metal, I come from classical music, and we have jazz musicians,” said the Israeli musician.
The group’s name also combines the two cultures: “Sistan” refers to the Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchistan, while “Nagila” refers to the famous Jewish song, “Hava Nagila”.
A political statement through music
Amid the complex geopolitical situation in the Middle East, each member of the group has “their own political opinions”, said band manager Babak Shafiian. “It’s very diverse in that regard,” he said. “There are always discussions, but fortunately, in general, we are on the same page regarding the friendship of the Israeli and Iranian peoples.”
Halpern said, “People ask us if this is a political project. And actually, our content is not political.” “We don’t sing against any regime or for any country, or say, ‘Is Israel or Iran better?’ This is not the focus of the project. We make music together. We want to create something beautiful together. And that’s the peace project.”
He said that of course, it was a political project and a statement of Israelis and Iranians working together. He said, “That’s why this project is so important, to show that the people are not the problem. It’s the government and the politicians.”
Responding to the US-Israeli war with Iran, Shafiian hopes that the Iranian people will not be forgotten. “Now it could be even more dangerous for them if they are left alone with the regime,” he said. He can only hope that it “will also be the last.”
Sistangila’s founders see their musical project as one of many artistic, political and social initiatives currently working to build stronger ties between the Iranian and Israeli peoples.
He said, “Sistangila shows a perspective for the future – and hopefully for the near future – that Iranians and Israelis can be friends.” “And the two countries can become friends and develop comprehensive relations.”
Edited by: Brenda Haas