Review: Jericho's Echo

Jericho's Echo, a documentary about the punk scene in Israel, isn't so much all about the actual punk music, but how Israel's punk rock bands view society. The film offers a glimpse at the sights, sounds, and points of view that those of us not in Israel would never get to see. While I don't view a ton of documentaries, I wanted to see this film for two reasons: first, to get an idea of how Israeli punk rock music compares to the same music here in the U.S.; and second, to find out more about the actual politics of the musicians, and how their political beliefs influenced their music.

We're introduced to a bevy of Israeli punk bands, including Useless ID, Chaos Rabak, Punkache, Va'adat Kishut and Retribution (among others). For me, Useless ID and Retribution were the two groups that most resonated with me; Useless ID was featured quite a bit throughout, and Retribution's politics were the polar opposite of the other bands featured. Retribution represented themselves as "right-wing hardcore," and referred to other musicians in the same scene as "left-wing." Director Liz Nord made a point of keeping the film about the bands' beliefs and commentary, without ignoring the music itself. Throughout the film, Nord had music playing in the background while interviews were being done and interspersed snippets of concert footage here and there.

Most of the bands were anti-military, while not necessarily being anti-establishment in their commentaries about society. If you're not familiar with Israel, the country has a mandatory active military service requirement for those over 17 years of age (unless you are deemed not to have to serve), which means that men (and women) in combat roles serve for three full years, and women in non-combat roles serve for two. A few of the individuals featured are not quite 18 yet, some are over 18 and are currently between time in military jail for not reporting, and others - including the members of Retribution - have already served in the Israeli army. That last fact is one of the things that hit me the hardest in this film: the one group which calls itself right-wing hardcore is made up of people who have gone through military service. It's impossible to know if there is a nature vs. nurture situation going on here, and whether or not the guys from Retribution had some of the same views about government and responsibility to the military process before their eighteenth birthdays.

Suicide bombings on the streets of Israel's cities are a topic broached in one segment, with a sense of acceptance coming slightly across from a few of those who spoke about it. One group specifically mentioned that while parents of young Israelis sometimes tell their sons and daughters not to go out and see their friends or go to shows after a bombing takes place, they weren't abiding by that at all, and wouldn't let the bombings affect their lives in that way. This isn't to say there was complacency with regard to the attacks, as we see and hear genuine concern during a discussion of one band's second singer being killed by a suicide bomber and the voiceover on footage of another band's concert, where their "biggest fan" was videotaped just days before dying in a similar incident. There isn't much blame thrown around towards the Palestinian people;  there was a more focus on how the "people" on both sides aren't into what their governments are saying and doing.

Unfortunately, here in the States, we're only privy to bombing aftermaths and statements from government officials. We don't get to hear the opinions from the average citizen who lives and breathes with these situations every day. Nord managed to harness a group of people who, for the most part, shrug off what the government is telling them and make songs to capture what they are seeing and feeling, letting the music be their broadcast method.

Jericho's Echo left a few key impressions on me. Israel is a nation where a good portion of the 18-21 year olds are serving in the military, and not out on the streets except for weekends or holy days, which is completely foreign to me. More importantly, I learned that even half a planet away in a small country in the Middle East, the concepts, sounds, and music of the punk rock scene are almost identical to what we have here in the United States. This just goes to show that, even with punk rock, our similarities are as interesting as our differences.