Many artists took part Monday evening in a tribute concert for Alon Ohel at Hangar 11 in Tel Aviv, but one especially emotional moment came during Ohel’s solo performance of “Yesh Li Sikui” (“I Have a Chance”) by singer-songwriter Eviatar Banai.
Banai was absent due to illness, and Ohel dedicated the song to Eli Sharabi, who spent a significant period alongside him in captivity in Hamas tunnels. “Eli, can you believe it? Where were we, and where are we now?” Ohel said, addressing Sharabi as he sat at the piano. “Who would have believed that I’d be on this stage and you’d be sitting in the audience? It’s crazy. I’m so moved by this moment. Completely surreal.”
Alon Ohel sings
(Video: Omer Tessel)
“In some way, you really saved me with your approach to life,” Ohel said, drawing the crowd into another stormy round of applause.
“I remember our moment, right at the very beginning. We didn’t know each other. We were in the tunnels. We had backgammon or improvised cards. We played and laughed a bit, joked around, and you mentioned my mother’s name, Idit, and at that moment I fell apart. I couldn’t handle it,” he said.
“The longing just broke me in an instant. I went aside and cried uncontrollably. A longing that never ends. You let me fall apart, and then you came over to me and told me: ‘Alon, you have to pull yourself together. You have to disconnect. This can’t work like this. You fell apart, you broke, and now you take yourself in hand. You’re a big kid. We have one goal: to return to our families no matter what. It’s allowed to break, but we’re not allowed to lose hope.’”
“I remember that after a year and a half of continuous togetherness, when you were literally tied to my legs, you left and I stayed behind and began the journey alone. I kept going with the mantras you drilled into me: ‘Be mentally strong and optimistic,’ and I added being calm in spirit. This is my opportunity to say thank you.”
The concert, titled “Alon Ohel Playing for Life,” featured many artists, including Alon Eder, Shlomi Shaban, Gal Toren, Guy Levy and Guy Mazig. All proceeds were dedicated to the rehabilitation fund for the former captive.