Model U.N. is taking us to a place that many people know little about outside of what they’ve seen on TV. Israel is often in the headlines for political reasons, with the recent violence hitting very close to home for many with loved ones overseas. In times of turmoil it’s not always easy to focus on the positive or to remember the things that unite  us. However, we’re here to put the spotlight on a major positive: the best Israeli music on OurStage. Israel is known for various genres of both Jewish and secular music; klezmer (being one of the most culturally significant folk music), classical and, over the past few decades, quite a bit more in the jazz, rock and pop arenas. Read on to discover some of these great Israeli artists on OurStage.

Squid just so happens to be a past Grand Prize Winner on OurStage, picking up the top Music Finals slot for June 2008. Squid plays everything from acoustic to hard rock, soft indie rock ballads to raucous tunes with pounding drums. We’ve included their winning track “Junky” in our playlist. Squid notes that because of their location, they’ve been exposed to music from “Europe and the United States as well as the Middle East,” and that,  like many other Israeli bands, they write their lyrics in English to reach a wide audience. Check out their fanclub page for an awesome backstory on the name Squid.

This year Eatliz carried on the tradition of Israeli artists winning a Grand Prize in the month of June by knocking out the competition in Video Finals. “Attractive,” one of their truly fantastic award-winning videos, is a glimpse into an animated, surreal world where a tiny paper boat and angelic vocals will help you float away. Eatliz has received a huge amount of attention at home and abroad, including an MTV Artist Spot. No wonder they’ve been called “… a critical mass of talent bound to burst/explode overseas.” (~Yoav Bril of Time-Out Tel Aviv) Click to find out more about Eatliz and their free album download.

Deadwood may not have had an OurStage win yet, but if they keep pumping out tunes like “My Sleepy Town,” they’re well on their way. It’s hard rocking and easy to get hooked on, with vocals that vaguely remind us of Placebo’s Brian Molko with an accent. Deadwood’s members came together in 2005 after each playing in other projects. They continue to work on new material and we hope to hear more from them soon.

“Judge U” is a short and sweet yet powerfully rocking track from Sugar Plum Baby, a band whose members met up while studying at the Rimon School of Jazz and Contemporary Music in Israel. The band often plays with rhythms and layering in their music to create a powerful sound, accompanied by equally dynamic vocals that ring out strong and mighty even over their acoustic tracks.

The Noble Brats draw their inspiration from some pretty kickin’ grunge and alt-rock acts such as Pixies and Sonic Youth. These Tel Aviv rockers experienced a little accidental success early on: their first CD, meant to exist only as a record company demo, was so popular with listeners that the band ended up selling it at shows as an EP. When the Noble Brats aren’t rocking out on their home circuit, you might catch them touring the US, being showered with praise by large papers like the Jerusalem Post, and receiving some major nods such as being GarageBand’s “Track of the Day.”