Israeli Arab Christians - Azmi Bishara, Naim Ateek, Mira Awad, Amal Murkus, Salim Tuama, Anton Shammas, Rostam Bastuni, Nadia Hilou, Azmi Nassar (Paperback)

Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Azmi Bishara, Naim Ateek, Mira Awad, Amal Murkus, Salim Tuama, Anton Shammas, Rostam Bastuni, Nadia Hilou, Azmi Nassar, George Khoury, Ramiz Jaraisy. Excerpt: Amal Murkus (Arabic: ) is a Palestinian singer living in Israel . Murkus' music is considered pioneering, creating a post-modern music style in which different Mediterranean influences meet. Her first album Amal was released in 1998, and her second, Shauq in 2004. Her songs, which take inspiration from Palestinian folklore and traditional Arabic heritage, mingled with pop music elements, express her struggle against the marginalization and exclusion that Arab Palestinian culture faces. Early life Murkus was born and raised in the Palestinian town of Kafr Yasif in the Galilee, and has devoted her career to promoting Palestinian music and culture in Israel and abroad. Murkus has been performing since she was five years old. In 1979, she won first prize in the Israeli Arab children's song festival, and went on to graduate from the Institute for Stage Art in Tel Aviv in 1990. Musical career Murkus is a member of the counseling board of Free Muse, an organization against the censorship of art and music. She took an active part in its congress in Denmark in 2003. Amal is currently studying art as a tool for social change at Musrara College in Jerusalem . Murkus appears regularly on TV in various educational and cultural programs. She has also appeared in feature films and was nominated for the Israeli Oscar for her performance in Ali Nasar's movie The Milky Way . In 2003, Murkus won Best Actress at the Haifa Theatre Festival. Her extensive vocal range and abilities enable Murkus to sing in a wide variety of genres, ranging from traditional Arab roots to modern popular western styles. As a result, she has created some remarka...