Hadag Nahash - 'The Number Song' Quiz

Answer: Eel

Hadag Nahash was formed in 1996 in Jerusalem. The band's style is predominantly hip-hop, although they do experiment with other styles, including jazz and ska. Band leader Sha'anan Streett and his five band members have toured the US and performed in Adam Sandler's film "You Don't Mess with the Zohan". (some of the information for this question came from Wikipedia.)

Answer: The number of countries between the Jordan River and the sea

Hadag Nahash begin their count with the number one, the number of "countries between the Jordan and the sea". The reference, of course, is to Israel. Israel lies between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean, and is about fourteen kilometers wide at its narrowest point, near the resort city of Netanya.

Answer: The number of countries that will be here one day

Hadag Nahash take a very matter-of-fact attitude towards the creation of a Palestinian state next to Israel.

Answer: An army unit that combines combat duty with volunteer work

"Nahal" is an acronym that stands for "fighting, pioneering, youth". In its original format, soldiers combined their regular military service with volunteer service in one of Israel's new agriculture settlements, usually a kibbutz or a moshav. My husband, who did his military service in Nahal in the early seventies, helped establish a moshav in the Jordan valley. Agricultural settlements no longer occupy the important place they once did in Israeli society, and present-day Nahal soldiers do their volunteer work in towns and cities throughout Israel. Our son, for instance, is serving with Nahal, and will spend a year of his military service teaching under-privileged children in the Negev.

Answer: A city bus ticket

The largest bus company in Israel, Egged, is actually a cooperative, with the drivers owning shares in the company. Egged operates the municipal buses in Jerusalem, where Hadag Nahash is based. The central bus station in Jerusalem is located near the western entrance to the city. It was rebuilt in 2001, and designed to give the feeling of an airport!

Answer: 1977

President Anwar Sadat of Egypt made his unprecedented visit to Israel in November, 1977 at the invitation of Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin. Addressing the Israeli Knesset (Parliament), Sadat declared, "I have chosen to set aside all precedents and traditions known by warring countries."

Answer: Yasser Arafat

Hadag Nahash describe the tumultuous period that formed their political outlook. Following Sadat's famous visit to Jerusalem, US President Jimmy Carter invited both Sadat and Begin to the presidential retreat at Camp David. In this pastoral atmosphere and with Carter's prodding, Israel and Egypt were able to come to the peace agreement known as the "Camp David Accords".

The formal ceremony, during which the peace treaty was signed, was held on the White House lawn, with Carter flanked on either side by Sadat and Begin. Yasser Arafat signed a peace treaty with Yitzhak Rabin, during the presidency of Bill Clinton.

Answer: Football - Beitar Jerusalem

Mamillian played for Beitar Jerusalem, the legendary football (soccer) team. Like everything else in Israel, sports clubs are connected to political parties. Beitar is connected to the right-wing Revisionist party founded by Vladimir Jabotinsky. Nevertheless, Jerusalemites of all ilk love Beitar, and proudly wear the team colors of black and yellow.

Answer: Terrorist attacks

Israelis have always been subject to terrorist attacks, but these intensified greatly during the years 2001 to 2007, during which 1,172 Israelis lost their lives and 8,341 were injured due to terrorism. Many Israeli narrowly missed these attacks, leaving a cafe or shopping center only to hear that awful "boom" a few minutes later.

Answer: What's happening?

The phrase Hadag Nahash uses is "Ma Hamatzav?" which literally means "what's the situation" or "what's the condition", but is used as one uses "what's happening?' in US slang. "Ten" is a colloquial answer, meaning "great" or "wonderful", which is a good description of their song!