South Wind, the 16 member Eilat singing troupe that has been going strong for 30 years, has just returned from a trip to Sopron in Hungary and Piestany, Slovakia. They went as the Eilat representatives in the twin city project that was initiated 2 years ago, and this is the first time a delegation representing Eilat has traveled abroad.
Photos and story courtesy of Benny Gamlieli
The troupe’s trip was extremely successful. In Sopron, they gave a performance for the local people together with local dancers and musicians as an opening for a 3 day Wine Festival. The performance was outdoors and, despite the pouring rain, it did not hamper the festive spirit of the audience of around 300 that stayed and watched even demanding an encore of Havenu Shalom Aleichem at the end.
In Sopron, they stayed with local families. Dalit Mohar Erhlich, a singer with South Wind for 5 years said, " It was wonderful to see their culture and the simplicity of their daily lives, if only for a few days."
In Piestany, the troupe gave the 2 performances that had been planned but, afterwards at a barbecue dinner held in the troupes' honor there were also a couple of spontaneous outburts of song with local dancers and musicians joining in. A good time was had by all even with the problem of the language barrier. The singing and bonhomie were the unifying factors, contributing to a happy, congenial atmosphere amid Israelis and locals alike.
Eilat seeks to have connections with cities that have similar characteristics to its own. Sopron and Piestany, like Eilat, are small towns with small populations (Sopron: 53.000 and Piestany 30.000). Sopron is a medieval town and Piestany dates back to prehistoric times, just as Eilat dates back to the times of King Solomon. Sopron is situated on the Austrian border just as Eilat sits on the Jordanian and Egyptian borders. Piestany is a spa town that thrives on tourism, like Eilat.
Photos and story courtesy of Benny Gamlieli
Performance of chorus South Wind from Eilat, Israel in sister city Piešťany, Slovakia. (amateur video)
