Jewish Music Quiz

Jewish music today extends well beyond the synagogue, to the concert halls of Israel, the Klezmer revival, and the reggae of Matisyahu. How much do you know about Jewish music?

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Question 1. Which composition by George Gershwin is a fusion of European classical music with pop, jazz, and blues?
 Porgy and Bess
 Rhapsody in Blue
 The Jazz Singer
 Cuban Overture

 

Question 2. Which of these is an example of song in the Bible?
 Abraham singing to God as he attempted to sacrifice Isaac
 Moses and Miriam leading the people in song after the exodus from Egypt
 The Israelites singing their complaints to God in the desert
 All of these

 

Question 3. Which Jews were the first to incorporate organs and other instruments into their liturgical practice?
 Hasidic Jews
 Sephardic Jews
 Reform Jews
 Conservative Jews

 

Question 4. What is the Hebrew name for the melodies to which traditional prayers are chanted?
 Nusah
 Shaharit
 Trope
 Shiriyah

 

Question 5. What factor has contributed to the development of a rich tradition of classical music in Israel?
 A government policy to fund "Western" music, as opposed to "Eastern" music
 The belief that classical music could instil Zionist values
 The popularity of the Eurovision competition
 The immigration of European musicians to Israel

 

Question 6. Which song, written by Naomi Shemer, is most often associated with the Six-Day War?
 Shir L'Shalom
 Ammunition Hill
 Hora He'achuzut
 Jerusalem of Gold

 

Question 7. Hava Nagila began as:
 A Hasidic melody in Eastern Europe
 A folk melody from the Zionist movement
 A revolution song sung by the Jews in concentration camps
 A biblical melody sung by the priests in the Temple

 

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