A command center has been established by the National Emergency Authority to send Israeli musicians and other artists to perform around the country for those who have been forced to flee their homes.
These artists are entertaining guests at some of the weddings that are taking place in spite of everything, as well as in the hotels that are housing evacuees from the South, and at hospitals. At the same time, Israeli musicians are mourning the loss of some of their colleagues.
Musicians performing this week, sometimes at scheduled performances and sometimes in impromptu singalongs, included Ivri Lider, Ran Danker, and Elai Botner. Israeli entertainers’ social media alternated between clips of them performing and photos of them attending their colleagues’ and friends’ funerals. Talent agencies that generally use their social media to promote their clients’ achievements instead notified followers of funerals and memorial services.
How are musicians helping out Israel in a time of war?
The office of Culture and Sport Minister Miki Zohar announced earlier this week that it has allocated NIS 15 million to finance performances and cultural and sporting events. These will include small exercise groups for evacuees and the distribution of sporting equipment. In a sign of the sad times, this command center is giving out activity kits for children in bomb shelters, and digital entertainment and sports content will be made available online soon.
Singer Ivri Lider’s technical producer, Aviv Baram, was killed on Saturday defending his home in Kfar Aza. Lider posted a eulogy on Instagram for his producer and friend, who worked with many Israeli artists, saying, “There are no words to describe such difficult feelings, no heart that can withstand such a break.” He said he had been working with Baram for 10 years and “I was proud to call him my friend.”
Lider performed his hit song, “Bo (Come),” a cover of the song by Rita, at a hospital, in front of medical personnel and police, as well as songs for patients in the wards. The song seemed more meaningful than ever, with its lyrics that say,
“You are allowed to cry sometimes / When something breaks inside you / Tell me a little about the moments of fear / It’s much easier to be afraid together.”
Danker sang as he donated blood at the Tel Hashomer hospital, and also performed the Arik Einstein song “I Have Love and It Will Win” for a group of evacuees at a special center.
In addition, he appeared on a program run by the army music radio station, Galgalatz, and performed songs requested by listeners. Galgalatz is presenting live performances by artists every day at https://glz.co.il/%D7%92%D7%9C%D7%92%D7%9C%D7%A6
Actress and television presenter Rotem Sela and Assi Azar, a television writer and personality, met up with a group of children from the South in Herod’s Hotel in Tel Aviv to entertain them.
A number of children’s theater performances and television channels have been made available for free, as families wait for online school programming to start up next week.
The Orna Porat Children’s Theater has made several of its plays available online via this link https://www.porat-theater.co.il
Most of the plays are about an hour long and are in Hebrew, and all feature wonderful music. They are for very young children up to tweens – adults will enjoy them, too – and include Treasure Island, The King and I, and Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
The performers are wonderful actors and singers and your kids may recognize some of their voices if they have seen movies dubbed into Hebrew.
The satellite networks in Israel, Hot, Cellcom TV, and Yes, are making special children’s content free for subscribers on VOD, so check their websites to find out what has just become available. Offerings include movies such as The Lego Ninjago Movie, and series such as SpongeBob, Fireman Sam, all the Nickelodeon content, and lots more. KAN and Keshet are also featuring children’s programming.