"I Will Never Forget How One Night I Opened the Keyboard and Started Playing, Asking Hashem to Save Me from Loneliness"

"I was born into a classic Lithuanian family in Bnei Brak, and I am the eldest of nine siblings," says musician and creator Moshe Feld, married and father of four, living in Petah Tikva, as he tries to recall the first sparks of music entering his life. "We were a broad-minded family, and I started playing when I was eight. My mother came from a very musical home, her whole family played instruments, and I grew up right into music. I taught myself to play the piano we had at home and played it a lot.

"Over time, I developed my playing skills, and when I entered a small yeshiva, I played occasionally at the social events held there. Even in the higher yeshiva, I continued to play, and that was the real turning point for me in the world of music. At 16, I started playing as a keyboardist at events, and when I was 17 and a half, I sat one day with a guitar in yeshiva and wrote my first song called 'Wonder'. The lyrics are from Psalms, and the melody is mine. The verse I composed deals with the connection with Hashem even in your low places, and knowing that Hashem is always with you - even in those places. As a young man who experienced ups and downs, I really connected to these words, but the song lay in the drawer for a long time and was released 15 years after it was composed."

Lucky to Have You

"I was not a classic yeshiva boy," Moshe admits candidly. "I didn't always fit into the frameworks where I studied, and that's why I moved between several setup. During those years, I often felt very difficult feelings, but the music was always there for me. One of the most memorable moments from that time is the moment when the head of the big yeshiva I studied at said to me: 'Listen, you can't be here anymore. Find another place for yourself'. I tried to persuade him, but it didn't help. I moved to a yeshiva in Jerusalem and rented an apartment nearby. I took my keyboard with me to the apartment, and it was a very lonely time. All the friends I loved stayed at the previous yeshiva, and suddenly I found myself in a huge yeshiva where I didn't know anyone."

"Even in the apartment where I lived, I had no friends, and I will never forget how one night I opened the keyboard and started playing, asking Hashem to save me from this loneliness. Hashem heard my prayer, and three months later I got engaged. I started going on shidduch dates, and it happened very quickly. I didn't ask to marry, I didn't even dream of it, and I'm glad that's how Hashem orchestrated events."

How did your family handle what you were going through during those years?

"They were simply amazing. During the confusing period, which was very long, what held me together was my home. My parents have strong personalities, and the home really protected me. Even in the most complicated times, I always knew I had somewhere to return to. After the wedding, we moved to Petah Tikva, and I started serving in civilian service. Afterward, I worked in various jobs for young people and continued playing at events simultaneously. At some point, I decided to change direction and started working in high-tech. I studied software development and worked in the field for quite a few years, but the longing for creation did not leave me, and at some point, I realized that I really wanted to make music. That it was the right place for me. I parted ways with high-tech amicably and started writing songs in a professional and organized way.

"A short time later I released my first song, 'The Day Is Coming', a very musically complex song. I even know there are music schools that include it in their curriculum. I was surprised by the positive responses to the song, and it created a very unique musical identity card for me. Many people were excited about it because they are not used to hearing such music. I am very influenced by classical music and also mainstream Israeli music, and it creates a unique combination."

"I continued to release songs and at the same time wrote for other artists. One evening, I sat down to write a song for my friend Yeedle Werdyger. In a relatively short time, about half an hour, I had a ready song. It had never happened to me before. I called it 'That Day', played the song for my wife, and she said: 'There is no way you can give it to him, it's the best song you've written to date'."

"I sent the song to the musical producer I was working with at the time, Aharle Nachshoni, who also advised me not to give it away because it was very good. The truth is I didn’t really connect with it, and it’s very important for me to connect with the songs I release, but I released it anyway. The song was very successful and remains a significant milestone in my career to this day. It brought me to new places I didn’t know. With this song, I got to perform with big artists on big stages. Beyond that, the song was released at the beginning of COVID-19 and touched many people because it talks about a better future and hope. Many people were very down, and the song helped them cope with the scary and new situation imposed on them."

A Gift from Heaven

After the success of 'That Day', Moshe shares, he found it hard to continue releasing songs and entered a period he wasn’t fond of. "At first, I thought I was riding a positive wave, but just after the success of the song, I experienced a certain downfall. I had a creative block and couldn't write or compose anything. Maybe it resulted from the fear of what would come next and the fear of releasing something less successful. A few months later, I released 'Room for Mistakes', written before the crisis I encountered, and shortly after, there was a point where I said to myself: 'Well, maybe that's enough, maybe you've had enough. Why do you need this at all? It's only headaches and heartaches, self-criticism, go work a regular job, peace on Israel'."

We know the end of the story, which is that you didn't stop creating. What kept you in the field?

"A few days after these thoughts surrounded me, I received an email from a girl who wrote to me: 'Hello Moshe. I have a good friend who developed cancer. On the evening she arrived at the hospital and received the difficult news, she went down to the car, and the first song that played on the radio was 'That Day'. From that moment, that song accompanied her through the tough and long treatment period. This week she is finishing her last treatment and wants you very much to come and play it for her as a farewell from the hospital'."

"I was very moved by the request; I came and sang for her, and it was very significant for me. A few days later, I also heard from my friend that his mother lay in the hospital on her deathbed, and in the last days of her life, including the last day, she asked that my songs be played there, and that touched me deeply. Moreover, following this incident, I realized that even if I wanted to leave the music, I might not be able to because it is a kind of mission from heaven. Such a mission isn't something you just leave; you must fight for your mission a lot before leaving it, if at all. Since then and until today, the only thing that fuels me to write songs is not money or honor, but the knowledge that I succeed in moving, cheering, and inspiring people in various life situations who need strength, hope, and encouragement.

"Additionally, beyond the mission aspect and following the creative block I had, I realized I reached a stage that many artists go through in their journey. If, at first, I thought each song comes with inspiration and relatively easily, I learned that often there is no inspiration. That if you wait for it, sometimes you have to wait weeks, a month, or half a year, and nothing comes out. After this understanding, the next stage was realizing that you don't need to wait for inspiration, just work hard. Write and compose whatever comes out. With Hashem's blessing, I saw that following this way, doors opened, and I continued writing and releasing new songs that succeeded.

"For example, the last song I released is called 'Brothers'. I wrote it a year ago when there was a big social mess around the elections, and the song deals with the importance of the unity of the people of Israel. The song managed to reach a large audience, and it is also very relevant these days regarding the crisis related to the judicial reform. Additionally, due to the success of the songs, with Hashem's blessing, recently, I had the opportunity to work on a new big show with a new band, which started running a few weeks ago, along with my new songs that will be released soon. In this regard, I really pray to Hashem and try that the messages in my songs will be good and worthy towards the heavens and among the people who hear them. And if they succeed in strengthening people in faith and good spirits, I will know I have done my part."