The unthinkable happened on the morning of Oct. 7, 2023, when Yuval Raphael was among the many young people celebrating at the Nova music festival in southern Israel near the border with the Gaza Strip. She survived the horrific Hamas-led massacre by hiding for hours under a pile of dead bodies in a roadside bomb shelter, pretending to be dead. Groups of terrorists fired inside the shelter where she hid, making sure that all the Israelis were indeed dead. Wounded but alive, Raphael had shrapnel in her head and leg:
“Trapped and fearing for my life, I witnessed unspeakable horrors—friends and strangers alike were injured and killed in front of my eyes. When the bodies of those murdered fell on us, I understood that hiding under them was the only way I could survive the nightmare.”
This Nova survivor, now 24, found the strength to overcome her nightmare through singing. Capturing the hearts of her fellow Israelis, she was selected to represent Israel at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. Raphael embraced “music as one of the strongest ingredients in my healing process. I want to tell them the story of the country, of what I went through, of what others went through. I want to tell the story of standing strong.”
Eurovision is one of the most-watched events throughout the world. Last year’s 37-nation competition had more viewers than the Super Bowl.
The 25-year-old singer surprised audiences worldwide when her Oct. 7 tribute song, “New Day Will Rise,” won the competition’s public vote. She finished second in the competition overall. Many countries that are often in the news for attacks against Jews and anti-Israel activist rallies gave the singer high scores. Israel received first-place votes from 12 nations, including Australia, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Just days after the competition, the French and British governments threatened to sanction Israel over its Gaza policies. Spain’s prime minister demanded a review of the votes because he could not understand how Israel received so much support and again called for Israel to be expelled from the contest.
Raphael’s experience in Basel, Switzerland, was another trial of her bravery and resilience as she faced threats and antagonism wherever she went. She was confronted at the opening parade by a man making a threatening, throat-slitting gesture amid a sea of Palestinian flags. Protesters burned the American and Israeli flags at an illegal demonstration, and two British activists attempted to storm the stage during her final performance.
Choosing to spread joy over hate, a thrilled Raphael stated: “We’re going to celebrate! We’re going to celebrate, and we’re going to breathe. I feel like we’ve won at life. I’ll be grateful for this situation every day of my life. I’ll be grateful for our nation every day of my life. All I wanted to do was bring honor and pride to this country, to make them proud, to give them a small second of peace amid all the madness.”
Overcoming trauma: ‘Make people understand without words’
Andrei Kozlov also uses art to help him heal from the physical and psychological abuse he suffered while in Hamas captivity. The Israeli Defense Forces rescued him after 246 days. The 27-year-old Russian Israeli used a pencil and notepad to sketch in Gaza: “They had moved us to another place and already taken off our chains. I started to draw something from my imagination, my interpretation of my experience. I drew about how I would feel when I would be set free.”
Now, Kozlov paints “to show what happened and have people understand it without words. There are thousands of survivors from Oct. 7, and some of them haven’t been able to move forward. I’m thankful and grateful that I got out of there, but I’m not stuck on it. By accident, I became a symbol of hope. I have a second chance. I need to use it.” His artwork is being exhibited in New York City.
50,000 supporters marched on May 18: ‘Israelis are not alone’
Kozlov was one of six former hostages who participated in New York City’s Israel Day parade. American Ruby Chen, whose son, Itay Chen, is believed to be dead and his body still held by Hamas: “I am glad to be here seeing the support of tens of thousands who stand behind the hostage families, which include four U.S. citizens.” Iran-backed Hamas terrorists still hold 58 hostages captive; at least 34 are dead, including the four Americans.
The annual Israel Day event began in 1965. This year’s theme was “Hatikvah” (Hebrew for “The Hope”) and the name of Israel’s national anthem. The theme was echoed by Israel’s supporters. Daniel Rother of Teaneck, N.J., said that “as Jews, we always have hope. We must have hope that the remaining hostages will be returned soon to their families. We must hope that the world will understand that Israel genuinely desires to live in peace. We must have hope that tomorrow will be different.” High school student Leah Barzideh added that “seeing all of these people unite, and show so much joy and love for Israel, was truly special.”
Ofir Akunis, the Israeli consul general in New York, said that “the Israel parade is a clear expression of the enormous support from all Jewish communities and a very large segment of the American public for our country. It is also the definitive response to all the terror supporters in the city. While they burn American and Israeli flags, we proudly wave them.”
NYPD counterterror and intelligence teams secured the parade. The next day, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced the creation of the New York City-Israel Economic Council that will “strengthen economic ties, promote innovation, create jobs and strengthen the unbreakable bond between our two governments.”
Points to consider:
- Jewish resilience and Israeli vibrancy prevail amid ongoing trauma.
The spirit of the Jewish people and the vibrancy of Israeli life continue even after the horrific attacks of Oct. 7. Rabbi Raphael Shore rightly stated that “Jewish greatness shines through even in the darkest of times.” Despite facing unimaginable trauma, some Israeli survivors are thriving by sharing their painful experiences through activism, singing and painting—and refusing to take life for granted. The strong worldwide Jewish community and the vibrant State of Israel continue to succeed, demonstrating an extraordinary ability to overcome adversity and look towards the future with strength and determination.
- Israel receives support around the world.
The Eurovision Song Contest, with contestants from 37 countries and viewed by millions around the world, allows the public to vote for their favorite performers. This year’s vote demonstrates far more support for Israel and Israelis than headlines would make us believe. Despite constant images of opposition to Israel and a vocal minority, which is a real and consistent threat, the Jewish state has defenders around the world that support its existence and spirit. This includes solidarity rallies, security cooperation and diplomatic ties. Israel’s singer received strong support from the Dutch, Spanish and British—countries often in the news for attacks against Jews and opposition to Israeli policies.
- It’s time for all of us to rise above the hateful vocal minority.
A small, but loud group of activists, politicians and journalists aggressively promote biased narratives and outright falsehoods about Israel, often using inflammatory rhetoric. This dangerous trend seeks to undermine Israel’s legitimacy and too often leads to incitement of hatred against Jews. These voices must be called out for their baseless lies to ensure a more informed and just understanding of Israel and the Jewish people.
- Hope and peace are foundations of the Israeli spirit.
While Israelis live with the daily reality of ongoing conflicts—Hamas holding hostages, the Houthis firing missiles into Israel and Iran’s unquenchable thirst for nuclear weapons—the pursuit of a lasting regional peace remains a goal for the vast majority. Israelis desire a secure and peaceful future for themselves, their children and their neighbors. Israel’s persistent resilience and efforts to normalize relations with Muslim countries through the Abraham Accords prove that Israelis want a peaceful region for all faiths, ethnicities and nationalities.