Israel’s Eurovision representative, 24-year-old Yuval Raphael, captured hearts around the world at the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland. Her entry, “New Day Will Rise,” earned her second place in the competition overall, and first place among public voters.
Raphael’s journey to Eurovision began on October 7. On October 7, 2023, Raphael was attending the Nova Music festival in southern Israel when Hamas militants launched a brutal attack on the event. She survived by playing dead and hiding under a pile of bodies in a tiny bomb shelter for hours. Only she and 10 others survived from the 40 people who had gone into the shelter with her.
Prior to this traumatic experience, however, Raphael had already established a career as a singer. She won Israel’s national selection show, HaKokhav HaBa, in 2024. Fluent in Hebrew, English, and French, Raphael combined her life experiences with her music as seen in her Eurovision song.
“New Day Will Rise” resonated deeply with Zionist viewers who saw her as a symbol of peace during times of war. Wrapped in the Israeli flag during the contest, Raphael expressed pride and victory, though she emphasized that true victory for Israel meant the safe return of the 58 hostages still in Gaza.
However, her participation stirred up serious controversy. Protests erupted during the contest, and many audience members were waving Palestinian flags and chanting slogans against Israel. Some former Eurovision artists criticized the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) for allowing Israel to compete, claiming that it “normalized” the war. Still, the EBU stated that Eurovision remains a strictly non-political event focused on unity and music. Despite these difficulties, Raphael handled the situation with humility and grace. She acknowledged this year’s winner, Austria’s JJ, for his talent and hard work over the course of the competition. Her story is not only about music, but rather exists as a tale of resistance and perseverance in the face of violence and hate. Yuval Raphael’s voice has given millions around the world a glimpse of the strength and peace of the Jewish people.
