2005 Most-Played Songs

ACUM has released the songs played most often on Israeli radio in 2005:

#3..."L'sham" by Miri Messika

#2..."Mima'amakim" by Idan Raichel

And #1...

"Hasheket She'nishar" by Shiri Maimon

High-Profile Splits

Just in time for Valentine's Day...

Think Israeli celebrities are immune from the very public romantic break-ups that are all-too-common in the US? Think again. Maya Buskila and Ninette Tayeb are the latest casualties.

It's a wonder Rami and Rita have lasted so long...

Jpost.com: Celebrity Grapevine

The Lady in Green

You're a superstar Israeli singer with hundreds of thousands of fans...and then the government hands you a uniform. What happens next? Just ask Roni.

(Can she make it as a soldier? I dunno, but she'll certainly do a nice job distracting the enemy...)

Jpost.com: From superstar to soldier

Shoshana Damari

I was sad to learn of the passing of Israeli music pioneer Shoshana Damari. As you'll read in today's Jerusalem Post article (link below), Damari recently reached a whole new generation of fans by collaborating with Idan Raichel. She left an incredible mark on Israeli music and will be missed.

Jpost.com: Cultural icon Shoshana Damari dies

Ninette Tayeb...and Kelly Clarkson???

It had been previously reported that Kelly Clarkson would be coming to Israel this summer to perform. Now, Reshet Gimmel reports that there's talk of the winner of "American Idol's" first season to record a duet with the winner of "Kochav Nolad's" first season!

Cool concept...but I wonder - is Kelly running around the world to perform with the winners of all the "Idol" knockoffs out there?

Stay tuned for more details as they develop.