Latest news with #NovaMusicFestival
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
MUSIC ICON ART GARFUNKEL GIVES HISTORIC CONCERT IN TEL AVIV PERFORMING WITH SON ART GARFUNKEL JR BEFORE AN AUDIENCE OF TENS OF THOUSANDS AMIDST ROCKET FIRE
Hi-res photo link found HERE. NEW YORK, May 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In a moment of profound cultural significance, music icon Art Garfunkel took the stage last night in Tel Aviv's Ha'Yarkon Park before a cheering crowd of over 50,000, becoming the first international artist to perform in Israel since the devastating attack at the Nova Music Festival in October 2023. Garfunkel was joined by his son, Art Garfunkel Jr. Prior to Garfunkel and Garfunkel taking the stage air raid sirens were heard due to missile fire reportedly targeting the concert in Tel Aviv. The father and son duo proceeded with their performance against a backdrop of missile interceptions. The emotional appearance of the family pair performing at Neshef Rock as Garfunkel & Garfunkel, soared on timeless classics including Bridge Over Troubled Water, The Sound of Silence, and Mrs. Robinson, weaving a musical thread between generations, resilience, and hope. The family duo's most recent album, Garfunkel & Garfunkel Father and Son, is available worldwide from BMG. Art Garfunkel Jr. was reported by Rolling Stone as one of Germany's most successful artists and continues to extend his own audience. "I am happy to be here in Israel," the 83-year-old performer told tens of thousands of cheering fans. "If Israel is in danger, the entire world is in danger," Garfunkel told the audience. "We all must not allow fear to define or control us. I am here with my entire family. Music is my gift from God, and my son Art Jr. is carrying our torch of music forward." Adding to the emotional weight of the evening, Garfunkel also performed The Boxer alongside Israeli rocker Aviv Geffen, uniting two eras of musical expression in a rare collaboration. Art was accompanied by his wife of many years, Kathryn "Kim" Luce Garfunkel—who is currently launching a new design and licensing initiative—and their younger son, Beau. The Garfunkel family's presence underscored the personal nature of this landmark event. Notably, Garfunkel has largely stepped back from public appearances and media in recent years making this live concert from Israel a rare and powerful moment. Media Contact:Victoria Varelavv@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Carrberry Companies
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Hamas' ‘anti-Trump' secret revealed by ex-hostage with Kamala twist: ‘As soon as Trump was elected…'
Freed Israeli hostage Omer Shem Tov reveals Hamas wanted Kamala Harris as U.S. president-fearing Trump would act decisively to bring hostages home. In a CNN interview, Tov details his 505-day ordeal in Hamas captivity after being captured at the Nova Music Festival on October 7, 2023. He describes brutal conditions, starvation, and isolation in Gaza tunnels. Shockingly, his treatment improved after Trump's election-Hamas captors stopped spitting on and cursing him. Tov credits Trump for his release and says hostages have more faith in Trump than Netanyahu for their return. Don't miss this chilling testimony. Subscribe for more breaking news and exclusive interviews
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Hamas wanted Kamala Harris to be president, says freed Israeli hostage
Hamas wanted Kamala Harris to be president, a freed Israeli hostage has claimed. Omer Shem Tov, has said his captors had hoped the Democrat would win the election and credits Donald Trump for helping to secure his freedom. 'As soon as Donald Trump was elected, they understood that he wants to bring the hostages back home,' Mr Shem Tov told CNN. The Israeli national was released in February as part of a short-lived ceasefire after spending 505 days held captive following Hamas's Oct 7 attacks. Mr Shem Tov was abducted along with 43 other people on October 7 2023 as he danced with his friends at the Nova Music Festival in southern Israel. He spent much of his time in captivity in isolation in a tunnel beneath the Gaza strip, where he was starved. During his time in captivity, Mr Shem Tov said that he frequently spoke about politics with his Hamas jailers and that his treatment significantly improved after Mr Trump's election win. Hamas 'stopped cursing me, stopped spitting on me,' he told CNN. While held hostage, the Israeli man lost more than 50lb, after his daily food rations were reduced from two pittas and some cheese to a single biscuit. 'Starvation, it's an awful thing,' Mr Shem Tov previously told ABC. 'Seeing my bones, my shoulder bones, my rib cage, I can feel it. Eating a biscuit a day, calculating how to eat it throughout the day. 'Not a lot of people can imagine what true darkness is. If you're in a dark room you move your hand, you see shadows moving. I did not see those shadows. There were times I thought I went blind.' After Mr Trump's election victory, Mr Shem Tov said he started receiving more food again, enabling him to survive. Following his Feb 22 release, Mr Shem Tov and another hostage, Keith Siegel, met with Mr Trump and praised the president for bringing about their freedom. 'I am home because of his efforts,' Mr Siegel told CNN, before urging Mr Trump to free the remaining hostages. 'I believe that he wants to do this and it's important to him. He has told us that. I ask him to do whatever he can and to do it as soon as possible to get an agreement secured and to get them all back,' he added. On Wednesday, the US denied agreeing terms to a ceasefire deal despite claims by Hamas. Hamas released a statement saying that it had reached an agreement with US special envoy Steve Witkoff for a 'permanent ceasefire' in exchange for the release of 10 living Israeli hostages. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Ex-hostage: Fight for freedom of captives is ‘most Israeli, Jewish, human thing we can do'
Former hostage Eliya Cohen urged the public to continue fighting for those still held in Gaza, calling the mission 'the most Israeli, the most Jewish, and the most human thing we can do." On the 600th day since Hamas abducted 251 people from Israel, former hostage Eliya Cohen urged the public to continue fighting for those still held in Gaza, calling the mission 'the most Israeli, the most Jewish, and the most human thing we can do,' according to a statement released by the Israeli-American Council (IAC). Cohen, 26, was kidnapped from the Nova Music Festival on October 7, 2023, and was held in Gaza for 505 days before being released in February 2025. During the attack, Cohen and his fiancée, Ziv Abud, sought refuge in what later became known as the 'death shelter' near Kibbutz Re'im. Abud survived by hiding under the bodies of other victims for six hours. Cohen, meanwhile, was abducted, shot in the leg, and subjected to brutal conditions in Hamas's underground tunnels. Despite the trauma, Cohen reportedly performed kiddush before Shabbat and maintained a routine of prayer, even while in captivity, as revealed by messages passed on by released hostages. He was unaware that his fiancée had survived until he returned to Israel after his release, as part of a ceasefire agreement. 'I may be here, but part of me is still in Gaza,' Cohen said during the 'Israel United: Celebrating Israel at 77' mega event Tuesday night at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. 'You have united, together, to call for the release of the hostages. You told our stories. You stood up for us. For 505 days, you were fighting for me, while I was in the tunnels under Gaza. And since my release, I've been joining you in that fight. Because the hostages still need your help. It is possible to bring them home — just like I came home.' The event was organized by the IAC, Jewish Federation Los Angeles, the Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles, and StandWithUs. It marked 600 days since the October 7 Hamas massacre, which left more than 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals dead and 251 kidnapped. 'Today, we mark 600 days — 600 days that our brothers and sisters are in captivity. Six hundred days that Am Yisrael [the people of Israel] has not been able to heal. Six hundred days of pain and waiting. There are still 58 hostages. We cannot give up. We cannot lose hope,' Cohen said. He added, 'Independence is more than a date on the calendar — it's the ability to live freely. The fact that I survived, and that I am standing here before you tonight — that is a miracle. After 505 days in captivity, I know the true meaning of freedom.' Also speaking at the event was IAC CEO Elan Carr, the former US special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism. In the IAC statement, Carr described Israel's founding as a transformative moment in global history. 'May 1948 was a watershed moment for human history,' Carr said in the statement. 'Just as the Biblical Exodus from Egypt inspired America's founding and the US Civil Rights movement, the creation of Israel was history's greatest story of national self-determination. Israel has done more to elevate the human condition than almost any other country.' Other dignitaries in attendance included Israel's Consul-General in Los Angeles Israel Bachar, Congressman Brad Sherman, Jewish Federation Los Angeles President and CEO Rabbi Noah Farkas, StandWithUs CEO Roz Rothstein, and Australian media personality Erin Molan. The evening featured performances by Israeli singer Itay Levi and American actor and comedian Elon Gold. Levi brought Cohen onstage and dedicated a song to him and to all the remaining hostages. According to the IAC, the event aimed to celebrate Israel's 77th Independence Day while honoring the unity of the Jewish people and renewing the call for the release of all hostages.
Telegraph
3 days ago
- General
- Telegraph
Hamas wanted Kamala Harris to be president, says freed Israeli hostage
Hamas wanted Kamala Harris to be president, a freed Israeli hostage has claimed. Omer Shem Tov, has said his captors had hoped the Democrat would win the election and credits Donald Trump for helping to secure his freedom. 'As soon as Donald Trump was elected, they understood that he wants to bring the hostages back home,' Mr Shem Tov told CNN. The Israeli national was released in February as part of a short-lived ceasefire after spending 505 days held captive following Hamas's Oct 7 attacks. Mr Shem Tov was abducted along with 43 other people on October 7 2023 as he danced with his friends at the Nova Music Festival in southern Israel. He spent much of his time in captivity in isolation in a tunnel beneath the Gaza strip, where he was starved. During his time in captivity, Mr Shem Tov said that he frequently spoke about politics with his Hamas jailers and that his treatment significantly improved after Mr Trump's election win. Hamas 'stopped cursing me, stopped spitting on me,' he told CNN. While held hostage, the Israeli man lost more than 50lb, after his daily food rations were reduced from two pittas and some cheese to a single biscuit. 'Starvation, it's an awful thing,' Mr Shem Tov previously told ABC. 'Seeing my bones, my shoulder bones, my rib cage, I can feel it. Eating a biscuit a day, calculating how to eat it throughout the day. 'Not a lot of people can imagine what true darkness is. If you're in a dark room you move your hand, you see shadows moving. I did not see those shadows. There were times I thought I went blind.' More food received after Trump's win After Mr Trump's election victory, Mr Shem Tov said he started receiving more food again, enabling him to survive. Following his Feb 22 release, Mr Shem Tov and another hostage, Keith Siegel, met with Mr Trump and praised the president for bringing about their freedom. 'I am home because of his efforts,' Mr Siegel told CNN, before urging Mr Trump to free the remaining hostages. 'I believe that he wants to do this and it's important to him. He has told us that. I ask him to do whatever he can and to do it as soon as possible to get an agreement secured and to get them all back,' he added. On Wednesday, the US denied agreeing terms to a ceasefire deal despite claims by Hamas. Hamas released a statement saying that it had reached an agreement with US special envoy Steve Witkoff for a 'permanent ceasefire' in exchange for the release of 10 living Israeli hostages.
