How Music Brought Me Closer to Israel

In the years leading up to October 7, I became a little bit closer to Judaism. As the conflict intensified, I did more research, trying to find out what exactly was happening in Israel. And the result was my hardening commitment to Judaism. For the first time in my life, I had found a community, and an identity.

Then, after October 7, I suddenly felt afraid. I have been afraid before, to be Jewish, but never like this. So I needed a way to feel closer to Israel, to my identity, while staying in Oregon, where I have family who needs me.

What I found was music. I’ve never loved music before. Sure, a few songs have nostalgia for me, but most American pop music I absolutely hate. But then I stumbled upon music from Israel. Particularly Noa Kirel.

Noa, for those who don’t know, is an Israeli pop star; she’s Ashkenazi Jewish, like me, but also pushes the boundaries of tradition and pop music. At the MVA awards a few years back, she wore an outfit with Kanye West’s face plastered over it. This was a bizarre choice, but I found it to be a creative retaliation to the antisemitic hate he has spewed online for several years. (Taylor Swift reportedly loved the outfit as well.)

I fell in love with Noa’s music, and soon discovered other Israeli music as well. My favorites have been Omer Adam, Odeya Azoulay, Mia Suliman, and Ness ve Stilla. The music somehow reminds me of my heritage, even though I have never set foot within 5,000 miles of Israel.

And for those of you wondering, no, I could not understand the lyrics at first. At the time of October 7, I spoke very little Hebrew. I had played around on Duolingo at first, but I was puzzled by the alphabet and never got very far. My mother was once fluent, but after leaving the Orthodox community, marrying a non-practicing man of partial Christian English descent, and having children, she lost much of her language skills.

But the meaning for me was not in the words, but in the music itself. For Noa Kirel, it was her attitude. For Omer Adam, it was his emotion and the traditional instruments. For Mia Suliman, it was her voice, which, even in her saddest songs, sounds ridiculously cheerful. For Odeya, it is her emotion. And for Ness ve Stilla, it is Stilla’s confrontational style and Ness’s confidence.

I have learned to understand more of the lyrics, but the music itself is what I truly love. These artists are my family. We might be 30th to 40th cousins, which to me is just crazy. I consider all Jews my distant relatives, which, according to my research, is more true than I expected.

Traditional Mizrahi music, and modern Israeli Pop, is a key part of my identity as a modern Jewish woman. It has helped me get through this war. But there is another genre worth mentioning: Goa psytrance.

At the Supernova Festival in Re’im in 2023, various Israeli DJs (e.g. Astral Projection, Astrix) performed for the crowd. Only, hundreds of attendees were massacred on the morning of October 7, midway through the gathering. This event is one of the most well-known massacres on October 7, although it should be noted, every part of October 7 was unmeasurably horrific.

The music from the Nova Festival is, to me, a way to keep in touch with the victims of October 7, and my Israeli 2nd, 3rd, and even 40th, cousins who experienced this trauma firsthand.

I chose music to preserve my identity, because, unlike most methods, I don’t have to move across the world. Here in America, I have lots of relatives on my father’s side, who I’ve grown up with, and some younger cousins who I’ve been a friend to for their entire lives. Meanwhile, my relatives in Israel have never met me, and I don’t know them very well. So, for the time being, I can’t move to Israel, as it would mean abandoning my family here.

Of course, I hope to someday make it to Israel. I don’t know when that will be, but I am sure it will be amazing. Until next time,

Chai.