If you’re curious about the current mood in Israel, one of the best ways to get a feel for it is by listening to its music. In the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attacks, Israeli artists have poured their hearts into songs that have quickly gone viral, both within the country and beyond.
These tracks, by some of Israel’s top singers, are not only powerful melodies but capture the nation’s spirit, emotions and resilience.
The songs cover various themes such as hope, despair, responsibility, victory and unity. From defiant anthems to soulful ballads, let’s take a closer look at the music that’s defining this moment in Israel’s history.
Listen to this playlist on Spotify.
“Am Yisrael Chai” (The Nation of Israel Lives) by Eyal Golan
Considered by many to be the anthem of Israeli society during the war, this song by Eyal Golan — one of Israel’s greatest singers — is a call for unity and faith in God, and a reminder of the eternal nature of the nation of Israel. “Because the eternal people never fear / even when it’s hard to see / we’re all together, no one here is alone,” Golan sings. Read the full lyrics here.
“Giborei Al” (Superheroes) by Hatikva 6
This song celebrates the people of Israel as a nation of everyday superheroes. While Israelis might appear as ordinary individuals, whether they are students, teachers, lawyers, electricians, models or musicians. However, those same people are also serving in the IDF, prepared to defend their country at all times.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s in the middle of life or the middle of a game of golf. Everyone will leave everything in a second,” Hatikva 6 sings.
“Zeh Aleinu” (It’s On Us) by Subliminal, Hatzel and Raviv Kaner
This hip-hop song is performed by two of Israel’s “OG” rappers along with pop singer Raviv Kaner. The song, more militaristic in nature, calls for unity, the destruction of Hamas and defending Israel for future generations, affirming “we will not forget, we will not forgive, this is on us.” Read the full lyrics here.
“Hashir Shel Noam” (Noam’s Song) by Maor Ashkenazi and Noam Cohen
This song is not an easy listen and the music video is equally difficult to watch (viewer discretion is advised). This is the only song on the list written by a survivor of the Oct. 7 massacre. Noam shares his harrowing story of survival at the Nova party in vivid detail. Read the full lyrics here.
“Moledet” (Homeland) by Hanan Ben Ari
Within a few weeks of Oct. 7, Hanan Ben Ari, one of Israel’s most popular artists, released this emotional song in which he directly addresses the land of Israel, saying that “even on the edge of the abyss, even in the middle of hell, you are heaven.”
Ben Ari wrote that “this song is dedicated to my nation, the most beautiful nation in the world. Don’t watch the news, don’t tweet on Twitter. Go out to the streets and look. Am Yisrael Chai, remember?” Read the lyrics here.
“Charbu Darbu” (Swords and Strikes) by Ness Ve Stilla
This viral militaristic hip-hop hit promises to rain fire on Israel’s enemies, capturing the emotions felt by many Israeli youth during the Israel-Hamas war. Along with being considered a war anthem by many, the song also made international headlines when it was wrongfully accused of endorsing genocide (in reference to Amalek). This biblical reference captures the rage that many Israelis felt in the aftermath of Oct. 7 toward Hamas. Read the lyrics here.
“Choref 23” (The Winter of 23) by Odeya
This song, whose title is inspired by the classic Yom Kippur War song “Choref 73,” tells the tale of the winter of 2023. Immediately after Oct. 7, comparisons were made between the “conceptzia” — a mindset of overconfidence within Israel leading up to the Yom Kippur War — and a similar climate of division and arrogance in Israel before Oct. 7. Read the full lyrics here.
“Am Echad” (One Nation) by Ariel Zurayev
This powerful song of hope aims to unite the nation in the aftermath of Oct. 7. The song went viral throughout Israel and the Jewish world. “Enough with the division, enough with the hatred…This is the time to love, to spread hope…Because we are all brothers, not only in war / The people of Israel are a family.” Read the lyrics here.
Read more: 6 up-and-coming Israeli artists to follow in 2024
Originally Published Feb 22, 2024 11:05AM EST
