Ophir Elhayani: "If I Didn’t Have Faith in Hashem, Myself, and My Songs, I Wouldn't Do This"

"I was born into a religious and very musical family in Be'er Sheva, and music entered my life at a very young age," says Ophir Elhayani, 29, a resident of Netivot, married and a father of one, singer, and musician. "My dad was a singer and a poet, which greatly influenced me. I have childhood photos where I'm a baby holding a microphone. At the age of eight, I started learning to play the piano, and later on, I also learned guitar and built a small studio at home that gradually expanded and grew. As a child, I performed at school ceremonies and private events, and at age 16, I joined the Be'er Sheva youth band. It was a mixed band; we performed in Israel and abroad, and during that time, I was very exposed to the secular world. I lived that life for two years, and thanks to Hashem, at age 18, a big change occurred."

"By the end of 12th grade, I felt I wanted to make a spiritual change. I didn’t know where I stood religiously and spiritually, I was torn between worlds, and being in the middle was hard for me. Day by day, I felt more and more that I lacked meaning in life, a real and deep purpose that was worth living for. I lived in two worlds and knew I had to choose one of them. After deep contemplation, I decided to strengthen my dedication to Torah and mitzvot, so I left the band I was performing with and much of the environment I was in until then. I felt that in the secular world, there are pleasures, but they are very fleeting. There is nothing deep that lasts. This thought also reflected in the songs I wrote then. Truth holds a big place for me, and I felt I didn't understand it. Where is it? What is this truth? I felt a great emptiness."

(Photo: Nadav Meitelberg)

Many describe the feelings you talked about, but a significant number do nothing about them.

"For me, it was burning inside, so I decided to start learning at the Hesder Yeshiva in Sderot. I strengthened my connection, and the yeshiva saved my spiritual world and connected me to Hashem in a deep and wonderful way. At first, I was afraid to go to yeshiva; I thought it was overwhelming for me, but thanks to Hashem, a good friend convinced me, and I went with it. At the yeshiva, I found a lot of meaning in life, and I understood that there are much deeper layers in the world than I had known until then. I understood there is an ancient and good path that we are obliged to walk, and it's highly beneficial for us."

How did your close environment react to your choice to attend a yeshiva?

"It wasn't always easy. After a short, meaningful period at the yeshiva, I enlisted in the field intelligence corps. I served for three years, eagerly awaiting the moment I could return to the yeshiva. After the army, many of my friends went on long trips around the world, but I returned to the yeshiva a few days after discharge and continued studying. Some friends laughed at me, saying there's no way I could make it, but thanks to Hashem, I succeeded even though it wasn't easy."

Elhayani says that his investment in yeshiva studies and the spiritual change he underwent influenced his writing: "Before I became stronger in faith, I mainly wrote banal love songs, and since then, I mainly write songs about life, truth, and serving Hashem in the world. I get a lot of inspiration from learning Torah, and my songs are about things related to serving Hashem, and thanks to that, I believe many people can connect with them."

"During my yeshiva studies, I started working on my material and recording it. I studied at the yeshiva for two years after the army, and on the day I finished my studies, I released my first song. Shortly before discharge, I recorded a cover of a song by Ishay Ribo, which gained traction online and reached him. As a result, he called me and said he really liked the performance. He also posted it on his page and invited me to perform with him at several shows. This gave me validation that I’m good and can succeed. Thanks to Hashem, afterward, I started performing and collaborating with other artists and with my band. The last tour I did with the band was successful, and it gave me the strength to continue."

Can't Do Otherwise

"After I released my first song, I was eager for more. I continued working on the album and increased my performance pace. I knew the road would be long and hard, but I had no doubt it would happen. Gradually, more and more people started recognizing me, and after 'One,' the second song I released, which was also the first I produced myself, recognition grew even further. The song received great reception, and I planned to go on a concert tour, but the pandemic postponed all my plans."

With Idan Amedi (Photo: Nadav Meitelberg)

"At 25, I got married and moved to Netivot, which motivated me to step up, release more songs, and perform more. I performed in several places, including with Ishay Ribo, Akiva, Yonatan Razel, Shuli Rand, Idan Amedi, Amir Benayoun, and the East and West Orchestra, and about two months ago, I released my first album, which is essentially my journey up to today."

With Yonatan Razel (Photo: Nadav Meitelberg)

Speaking of journeys, you seem to be working hard, putting out songs, investing, and waiting for the big break.

"Inside, I am really waiting for it and dreaming about it. I do what I can, pray, and strive. So far, thank God, I've managed to make a living solely from music. I perform and also produce my songs and those of others. However, there are tough times too. If I didn’t have strong faith in Hashem, myself, and my songs, I wouldn’t be doing this. There are days of ups and downs, and it can be a bit complex sometimes. I try to stay positive, and thank God, good things are happening. There are amazing feedbacks and a diverse audience that gathers and goes along with me all the way. It excites me to know that people listen and love, come to shows, and send moving messages."

"Making music is not a regular occupation. Often, there's instability, and you need to be strong and not break. The truth is, I also feel that I can't do anything else. It's my heart. I've always said that I don't choose music; rather, it chose me. It's part of me. My motto is to always make progress, even if it's small. The main thing is not to stop, definitely not to go backward. Writing new songs, performing as much as possible, creating interesting collaborations, and I believe there will be good surprises soon."

I presume that along the way, there were those who advised you to take shortcuts and go for reality TV.

"Yes, that came up quite a lot. There were many offers, and I almost joined one of the shows, but in the end, I realized that's not me. I understood I was here to make a journey with my songs, without shortcuts. My goal is not to be famous for the sake of fame. Maybe once that was my goal, but today I want people to love my songs and for them to do them good. I believe a person needs to do good in the world, and often that good is the talent I received, and that's what I need to work with. When I look at myself, I believe this is what I have to give to the world. When people respond to songs and say they bring them closer to Hashem, make them happy or move them, I genuinely feel I'm fulfilling my mission. And of course, I pray to Hashem that I can fulfill my mission for many more days and years in the most powerful and significant way possible."