Awake Zion
Encyclopedia
Awake Zion is a 2005 documentary
by Monica Haim that documents a connection between Jews and Rastafarians
. Rasta is a religious movement that came out of Jamaica
. The followers accept Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia
as God incarnate, grow their hair in dreadlocks
and smoke cannabis
for religious purposes. Jews trace their history back to the Holy Land of Israel
and look to the Torah
for instruction. Although Jews and Rastas appear different, both claim figures from the Old Testament
as their forefathers, both send a message of truth and love to their followers, both speak of Zion
, both have integrated their beliefs into their lifestyles and Rastafarians even claim to be descended from the children of Israel. Haim, who relates to and enjoys both cultures, raises the question, “if we're both identifying with the same things, are we not then identifying with one another?”
to Jamaica
to Israel
, to interview Rastafarians and Rabbi
s whose explanations of themselves sound strikingly similar.
In Awake Zion music is the link between the two cultures, and it was at a reggae
concert that Haim, a young Jewish woman, first saw a connection between Jews and Rastas. “I distinctly remember sitting on a hilltop in the Pacific Northwest
surrounded by smiles and dreadlocks and sweat and sun,” Haim says, “the bass from the sound system echoing in my solar plexus while small gentle breezes swept past me leaving aural trails of hemp and lavender
.”
At one point, Haim interviews Super Dane, an African American
DJ that's part of the reggae scene in Brooklyn
who is shocked by Matisyahu
—a Hasidic reggae artist from White Plains
NY. “It blew my mind,” Super Dane exclaims, “because I pass Jewish people every day and I thought they couldn't relate to my life. I thought they couldn't listen to my music.”
The documentary raises shocking and controversial questions, that undermine a traditional approach to the Old Testament. “Did King Solomon have dreadlocks too?” Haim asks a rasta. He smiles slowly and nods—of course he did. Haim then turns to the Old Testament and finds that in Numbers
6:5 it's written of Nazirites, “all the days of his vow of Nazirite
ship there shall no razor come upon his head.” Later a rasta says, “the first plant to grow on King Solomon's grave was herb,” and in Ezekiel
34:29 it is written, regarding King Solomon, “I will raise up for them a plant of renown.”
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
by Monica Haim that documents a connection between Jews and Rastafarians
Rastafari movement
The Rastafari movement or Rasta is a new religious movement that arose in the 1930s in Jamaica, which at the time was a country with a predominantly Christian culture where 98% of the people were the black descendants of slaves. Its adherents worship Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia , as God...
. Rasta is a religious movement that came out of Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. The followers accept Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia
Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia
Haile Selassie I , born Tafari Makonnen, was Ethiopia's regent from 1916 to 1930 and Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974...
as God incarnate, grow their hair in dreadlocks
Dreadlocks
Dreadlocks, also called locks, a ras, dreads, "rasta" or Jata , are matted coils of hair. Dreadlocks are usually intentionally formed; because of the variety of different hair textures, various methods are used to encourage the formation of locks such as backcombing...
and smoke cannabis
Cannabis (drug)
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among many other names, refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish word marihuana...
for religious purposes. Jews trace their history back to the Holy Land of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and look to the Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
for instruction. Although Jews and Rastas appear different, both claim figures from the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
as their forefathers, both send a message of truth and love to their followers, both speak of Zion
Zion
Zion is a place name often used as a synonym for Jerusalem. The word is first found in Samuel II, 5:7 dating to c.630-540 BCE...
, both have integrated their beliefs into their lifestyles and Rastafarians even claim to be descended from the children of Israel. Haim, who relates to and enjoys both cultures, raises the question, “if we're both identifying with the same things, are we not then identifying with one another?”
Summary
In Awake Zion Monica Haim travels from ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
to Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, to interview Rastafarians and Rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
s whose explanations of themselves sound strikingly similar.
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
concert that Haim, a young Jewish woman, first saw a connection between Jews and Rastas. “I distinctly remember sitting on a hilltop in the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
surrounded by smiles and dreadlocks and sweat and sun,” Haim says, “the bass from the sound system echoing in my solar plexus while small gentle breezes swept past me leaving aural trails of hemp and lavender
Lavender
The lavenders are a genus of 39 species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. An Old World genus, distributed from Macaronesia across Africa, the Mediterranean, South-West Asia, Arabia, Western Iran and South-East India...
.”
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
DJ that's part of the reggae scene in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
who is shocked by Matisyahu
Matisyahu
Matthew Paul Miller , better known by his Hebrew name and stage name Matisyahu, is an American Hasidic Jewish reggae and alternative rock musician....
—a Hasidic reggae artist from White Plains
White Plains, New York
White Plains is a city and the county seat of Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located in south-central Westchester, about east of the Hudson River and northwest of Long Island Sound...
NY. “It blew my mind,” Super Dane exclaims, “because I pass Jewish people every day and I thought they couldn't relate to my life. I thought they couldn't listen to my music.”
Book of Numbers
The Book of Numbers is the fourth book of the Hebrew Bible, and the fourth of five books of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch....
6:5 it's written of Nazirites, “all the days of his vow of Nazirite
Nazirite
In the Hebrew Bible, a nazirite or nazarite, , refers to one who voluntarily took a vow described in . The term "nazirite" comes from the Hebrew word nazir meaning "consecrated" or "separated"...
ship there shall no razor come upon his head.” Later a rasta says, “the first plant to grow on King Solomon's grave was herb,” and in Ezekiel
Ezekiel
Ezekiel , "God will strengthen" , is the central protagonist of the Book of Ezekiel in the Hebrew Bible. In Judaism, Christianity and Islam, Ezekiel is acknowledged as a Hebrew prophet...
34:29 it is written, regarding King Solomon, “I will raise up for them a plant of renown.”
Response
Most reviews of Awake Zion point to the documentary's social conscience, in trying to bridge a gap between two seemingly different cultures. Instead of being overly scholarly, Haim is said to have adapted a "gently irreverent" tone, which is full of enthusiasm and amusement.See also
- ReggaeReggaeReggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
- MatisyahuMatisyahuMatthew Paul Miller , better known by his Hebrew name and stage name Matisyahu, is an American Hasidic Jewish reggae and alternative rock musician....
- History of the Jews in JamaicaHistory of the Jews in Jamaica-Modern times:By religious bloodlines and not practicing of the Jewish faith, it is estimated that nearly 424,000 Jamaicans have Sephardi Jewish ancestry, due to the Spanish Inquisition.-Notable people:*Monty Alexander - Jazz Pianist...
- History of the Jews in MoroccoHistory of the Jews in MoroccoMoroccan Jews constitute an ancient community. Before the founding of Israel in 1948, there were about 250,000 to 350,000 Jews in the country, but fewer than 7,000 or so remain.-Under the Romans:...
- History of the Jews in South Africa