Can followers of Islam and Judaism live together in peace? Fans of acclaimed Israeli composer, producer and performer Shye Ben Tzur are likely to give a resounding ‘Yes!’ and this is possible via a special kind of music.

The Hebrew Qawwali singer performed at the EarthSync festival in the capital of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu on May 30. Dabbling with tunes set to Hebrew and Urdu lyrics along with Rajasthani musicians and Israeli artists, he created a unique musical experience  of a very unusual kind.

Qawwali is a form of Sufi devotional music popular in South Asia where there is a strong Muslim presence. Sufism is acknowledged as the mystical dimension of Islam that teaches followers to fully embrace God’s ‘divine presence’ in this life.

Shye Ben Tzur, however, would rather not be caught up in labels.

“I am neither a Qawwal nor a Sufi. I draw lots of inspiration from Qawwali music but that does now qualify me to be a Qawwal,” Shye told this writer. “You can at best call me a Hebrew music composer.”

Though he can speak Hindustani, the singer  is more comfortable in his mother tongue and thus composes his music in Hebrew.

“I am translating Urdu poetry into Hebrew and composing music for it. My ancient language lends itself so beautifully to Sufi songs…,” he said.

Shye began his musical career as a rock musician in Israel when he formed his first band ‘Sword of Damocles’. “I had been composing music quite early in life but deep inside remained hungry for the right kind of inspiration,” he said.

Attending a concert years before by Indian classical instrumentalist Hari Prasad Chaurasia and tabla (a type of percussion instrument) player Zakir Hussain left a deep impression on Shye. Soon after that, he visited India to “discover an ocean of traditional musical form being practiced all over the country”.

His quest brought him face to face with the “sacred and meaningful” qawwali music.

“I also discovered here the beauty of Islam and was amazed to see so much beauty and healing touch also existing in Islam,” he added.

For the past several years now, Shye has performed several times in Israel, including the World Music Festival in 2004 where Rajasthani folk artists, qawwali singers, and Israeli artists all came together to bind Judaism and Islam in a joyful celebration.

“Emotionally, music is all about unity and it transcends all barriers,” he said.

In India, he has also performed at the prestigious international Sufi music festival in New Delhi, the Jahan-e-Khusrau, and in several other cities in the country. The response, he said, is tremendous.

Shye has been living in India for over a decade now. He has dedicated himself to work on a cross-cultural platform to bridge the divergent faiths of Judaism and Islam. He sings in Hebrew, but his words are of Islamic Sufi tradition. He has set to tune many insightful Urdu poems written by famous Sufi saints of India.

The singer’s first effort to promote his brand of music was ‘Heeyam’ (Supreme Love). In this album, he has succeeded in bringing his own ancient culture alive with the Islamic Sufi tradition of India. Involving musicians from various ethnic and religious backgrounds, the album shares the vision of unity of mankind through music.

The May 30 concert opened with Shye doing a flute recital and followed by songs from his latest album ‘Shosan’. The audience got hooked to the drum beats reminiscent of traditional north Indian wedding music. The Rajasthani musicians, with their thick moustaches and colorful turbans, created an electrifying atmosphere.

Since most of the songs were in Hebrew, Shye took the time to explain in English the meaning of the songs. He said it was about the conversation between the devotee and the Divine, a devotee’s total surrender to the Divine’s will and the profound love for the Divine.

The performers’ heterogeneity was striking. There was Spanish guitarist Fernando Perez, Israeli bassist Eyel Mazig and drummer Ran Lev Ari. They were accompanied  by Rajasthani folk musicians. Undoubtedly, this is a clear example of how music in its different forms can cross political and religious boundaries and create a cross-cultural synthesis based on the unity of mankind.

Shye Ben Tzur has unwittingly become the symbol of cultural harmony. The EarthSync, a Chennai-based music label, is also known for supporting such kinds of music aimed at nurturing unique world music