'I couldn't stop the tears': Eden Golan in tribute to the hostages before Eurovision

Eden came with good energy but couldn't stop the excitement when her song "Hurricane" was played, and the whole audience joined her in singing.

  The instinct is to think that Eden Golan should give big speeches, defend us, but in fact the opposite is true (photo credit: REUVEN CASTRO)
The instinct is to think that Eden Golan should give big speeches, defend us, but in fact the opposite is true
(photo credit: REUVEN CASTRO)

Every year, in April, the official Israeli Eurovision Amateur Club gathers to celebrate the event and wish the Israeli representative of that year a safe journey.

The annual event took place on Friday morning at the Centro Club in Tel Aviv. The ceremony opened with a moment of silence for the victims of October 7 and a call to return the hostages in Gaza, when a banner of their photos was placed on the stage throughout the event.

The first to take the stage was the singer Ilanit, the first singer to represent Israel in the competition 50 years ago, in 1973.

She was followed by Mei Finegold, who represented Israel a decade ago in 2014. When she was asked what she thought of those who were against Israel in the competition, she answered - "Those who hate will hate and die. Those who love will differ and have a long life."

Eden Golan's time

Then came the moment everyone was waiting for: the appearance of this year's act, Eden Golan, on the stage.

 Eden Golan, winner of the reality show ''The Next Star to the Eurovision'' during the final of the show on February 6, 2024.  (credit: KOKO/FLASH90)
Eden Golan, winner of the reality show ''The Next Star to the Eurovision'' during the final of the show on February 6, 2024. (credit: KOKO/FLASH90)

Eden came with good energy but couldn't stop the excitement when her song "Hurricane" was played, and the whole audience joined her in singing.

At the end of the song, she thanked the audience and explained how important and exciting it is to represent Israel this year when she said, "Our song sits deep in my heart, I found myself in its words. I want to make people feel something."

When asked if she had heard the other contestants' songs, she answered yes and "If you put everything that happens in the political section aside, I really like the Swiss song, but I think I have a really good song and even the best in this year's competition."

Also performing at the event was Israeli drag queen Kimberly Swann who performed "My Heart" - a song that Golan sang during her time on the Rising Star competition. Joining Swann onstage was Ziv Abud, the fiancée of the abducted Elia Cohen, wearing a yellow dress with chains and pictures of the hostages, and held a sign that said "My fiancée is kidnapped in Gaza." Eden joined the other two in the performance.

Eden admitted that she didn't know this performance was going to happen. "I couldn't hold back the tears, it's a subject I still can't digest to this day." She turned to Abud and told her "It's amazing to see you standing here, with all this  strength and I really want to put that on the stage and make our voice heard as a country to show everyone that we are here and that we must bring everyone home and no one will break us.


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"We are here together, we are all a huge family. I feel everyone's support and love so much and I really feel that the whole country is with me and that is something that I will never forget," Golan added. "This year pierces so deeply into my heart and it is a huge privilege to be at Eurovision in such a year."