WATCH: Israeli Eurovision contestant dons tefillin before first semifinal

Israel’s Noam Bettan put on tefillin before taking the stage for the first semifinal of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna on Tuesday night, according to the Kan News public broadcaster.

Tefillin, or phylacteries, are black leather boxes containing parchment scrolls inscribed with Torah verses, traditionally worn by Jewish men during weekday morning prayers.

Bettan qualified for the grand final, set to take place on Saturday night, after earning enough points to advance.

The anti-Israel protests in the arena were “really, really loud, but I focused on the performance,” Bettan said after leaving the stage. “I searched with my eyes for the Israeli flags in the crowd. That strengthened me.”