So, after months of correspondence and becoming pretty good friends via e-mail, Ofer’s article finally got published at Stylus on Monday. I worked right up to the mark: in fact, between finishing the piece, bouncing around to Morrissey in amongst a throng of baying Mancunians and punching numbers into a machine for The Man, it’s been a hectic few days.

All that came to a head on Monday night, when I travelled to Manchester to sit upstairs in a Palestinian-run kebab shop with members of Jews For Justice For Palestinians and the Olive Co-op, as well as interested British activists and of course, Ofer himself.

Ofer thanked me for writing the piece (of which, a printed copy was handed round to the group), and I would like to thank Ofer in return for his complimentary copy of his new album with the Newlife Community, Wind, Spirit, for being such a patient and helpful subject, and above all, for being a such a great character.

Ofer played solo acoustic versions of songs from Alternative (surely you’ve ordered a copy now?), Cohen classic “Story Of Isaac” and some further, heated discussion of the points raised by people like him.

He travelled light: a change of clothes in his guitar case, a brief case of CDs (along with toothpaste, toothbrush and electric razor) and a trolley with a tiny amp and microphone attached. All of this enabled maximum flexibility; including an impromptu “gig” in the kebab shop itself (perhaps not the best place to bring culture), and some mid-afternoon busking in central Manchester.

Israeli-jazz-flamenco-folk-protest-singing-showmanship-humour-activism is the new rock n’ roll. Mos def.