"I Was Informed of a Terrible Disaster, Many Dead, and the Show Had to Stop"

Pleased to Meet You

"Itzik Dadya, 29, engaged, singer, living in New York."

A Distant Memory I Won't Forget

"When I was six, we lived in a building on the first floor, and my late grandparents lived on the fifth floor. One Passover, I wanted to visit them, and on my way up, just before reaching their floor, I bent over the railing in the stairwell. I lost my grip and started to fall. Somehow, during the fall, I managed to grab onto the second-floor railing and emerged unscathed. When I got home and told my parents what happened, they didn't believe it. Only after a neighbor who witnessed it told them did they realize the magnitude of the miracle. This story stays with me every day, as the distance between being and not being was just a few meters."

Important Principle I Won't Forget

"Someone who speaks negatively about others will also speak negatively about you. This is a good opportunity to address this topic. We're in a very sensitive time for the unity of the people of Israel, and I think the most important thing is to guard our speech. Don't bear grudges. Don't speak ill of anyone, and keep away from those who do. Even if someone hurt us, it's very important to forgive and strengthen unconditional love."

A Mitzvah I Fulfilled and Won't Forget

"While in the U.S., I visited a girl suffering from anorexia, and her condition was very severe. I spoke with her and said that if she followed the doctors' and psychologists' advice and gained weight, I would give her a pair of tickets to my launch show. I secured sponsors who agreed to cover the flight and associated costs. She agreed, and that settled it.

"A few months passed, and I forgot about it. Suddenly, at the show, I see a large delegation bringing a girl in a wheelchair, and it touched me deeply. During the performance, I was updated on who it was, and I immediately recalled the story. Those moments on stage brought me joy and satisfaction for having brought happiness to a sick person and having taken away her worry for a time."

A Jewish Figure I Won't Forget

"The late Rabbi Ovadia Yosef. I, in my smallness, appreciate many things in him, but am especially amazed by his efforts to make halacha accessible and understandable to all."

A Moment of Divine Presence I Won't Forget

"Hashem is present in my life every single moment, and my tongue and mind cannot imagine a moment without Him. All creation shows His wonderful glory and the Creator's path."

A Miracle I Experienced and Won't Forget

"When I was ten, I fell again, from the fifth floor to the second floor, and my life was saved. People saw it live, and they simply couldn't believe their eyes. To this day, I thank Hashem for giving me my life as a gift."

A Moment of Happiness I Won't Forget

"We are 12 siblings, *baruch Hashem*, and there's nothing in the world that makes me happier than my family. The friction and sense of togetherness with all my brothers, sisters, and nieces, the Shabbats and holidays we're together, that's true happiness for me. My dear mother always makes sure to gather everyone, and our unity is her life's mission. I'll never trade this family life."

A Song I Won't Forget

"There are many songs that touch me deeply, and one of them is 'Choosing Correctly' by Amir Dadon. Usually, songs touch me and then fade, but this song especially grabbed me, and it has been a long-standing part of my artistic repertoire."

A Difficult Event I Won't Forget

"Two years ago, I performed in Meron on Lag B'Omer, during the Hilula of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, and suddenly, in the middle of the performance, I was told to stop singing. I was informed that a terrible disaster occurred, many were dead, and the show had to stop. It took me a long time to process what happened there. It was a very difficult event for me."

A Prayer I Won't Forget

"The prayers I prayed with my grandfather, Chananias, of blessed memory. He had a rare voice, and those prayers will always be with me."

A Holiday I Won't Forget

"Passover is my favorite holiday. All year, I perform worldwide, but on Passover and Sukkot, there's no amount of money in the world that would take me away from home. Every year, the temptation is immense, but Passover is stronger than all the money in the world. One year during the pandemic, I was in isolation and spent the Passover Seder alone in my apartment, as well as Shabbat and the second holiday, and that was a very challenging experience. Being alone on a holiday that symbolizes togetherness more than anything."

A Longing I Won't Forget

"I am 29, almost 30, and I think I will miss my twenties."

Sight I Won't Forget

"During my military service, I was at the Mauthausen camp, and I saw things there I will not forget. It's hard to believe what so many of our people went through there, and what a privilege it is for us to live in the Land of Israel. Of course, we will not forget what happened there, nor forgive, and I pray many times for the people of Israel to live in peace and tranquility."

A Funny Moment I Won't Forget

"At one event I attended as a member of the Rabbinical Band, the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, then-Chief of Staff Benny Gantz, and many other VIPs were present. During the speeches, we, the band members, were seated backstage, tired and hungry from the effort of singing. We started wandering around the area, and to our surprise, we suddenly found a side room with a table set with refreshments. We were hungry, as I mentioned, and nothing was left by the time we left. Later, it turned out that this was meant for the Prime Minister... I won't say what happened afterward. In any case, I hope the Prime Minister wasn't left hungry for too long."

A Dream I Haven’t Realized and Won't Forget

"I have a dream to travel to space, and I hope it will happen one day. But regarding the really important things, I genuinely want to build a faithful home in Israel. Thank God, I am engaged, so *baruch Hashem*, we are on our way there."