Israeli Musicians Bring Hope to Jews Worldwide
Music has a remarkable ability to connect and uplift. A simple melody and heartfelt lyrics can open hearts and bring people together. With every strum of a guitar, harmony of voices, and shared rhythm, music becomes a powerful force for healing.
Now, a convoy of Israeli musicians is on a mission to change the world for the better through song, The Times of Israel reports. Since October 7, 2023, they’ve brought healing to those who need it the most in Israel and beyond.
Healing Through Music
A troupe of musicians known as HaShayara (The Convoy), a project from Dror Israel, an educational movement of Educators’ Communities around the country, is helping people through sound.
“It’s not a performance — it’s a convoy, a connective experience,” explains Gilad Perry, one of the Hashayara organizers and director of International Partnerships and Collaborations at Dror Israel, the educational arm of Noar HaOved, to The Times of Israel.
The organization knew that those who had survived the Hamas terrorist attack of October 7 needed ways to heal, and music was one method. So Perry and around 20 fellow musicians packed their instruments into cars and made their way around Israel, visiting evacuees, soldiers, and reservists all over the country. Hashayara has brought its musical journey to over 180 audiences, according to The Jerusalem Post. Their performances are interactive, and audience members participate through singing along.
“In October 2023, we realized as part of our mission, we have a responsibility to bring music, healing, and connection wherever it is needed,” Perry tells The Jerusalem Post. Since then, the group has continued to share their transformative experience with communities in need. Perry reflects on “meeting thousands” and watching people “laughing, crying, and letting go.”
A Global Mission
The group has also made it a priority to share their musical and healing experience not only in Israel, but also with the global Jewish community amid antisemitism. “We realized that the Jewish community in the United States is going through very challenging times and that our responsibility is not just for those within Israel. We are needed there as well,” Perry says.
“We did things like create mashups — “Let It Be” with “Lu Y’hi” and “I’ve Got Sunshine” with “Keren Shemesh,” he adds. The US shows also included special songs, including a moving Hebrew adaptation of John Denver’s song “Country Roads.” The song contains emotional lyrics by Noa Hubara from Kibbutz Sufa, in memory of her husband, Ido Hubara, who was killed on October 7 while defending their home.
Israeli Musicians Bring Hope to Jews Worldwide | A troupe of Israeli musicians is bringing healing to communities in Israel and the US through music.
Hashayara has two more shows scheduled in the US in October. The group also plans to create music and healing programs for residents going back to their homes in northern and southern Israel. “It’s important for our show to be a journey during the very hard times that we are experiencing — and address October 7, loss, the hostages, and other issues in Israeli society,” says Perry.
Through hope, solidarity, and togetherness, the troupe is helping people heal — one song at a time. Their journey reminds us that even in the face of adversity, music’s ability to connect can spark meaningful change.
