In this episode of “Song of Hope,” musician Yagel Haroush – who specializes in the Iranian bowed string instrument kamancheh – delivers a soul-stirring performance that captures the complex emotional landscape of Israel in the aftermath of the October 7 attacks. Through his rendition of the classic Od Yom Yavo (“Another Day Will Come”), Haroush offers both personal reflection and artistic healing.

Yagel Haroush is a multifaceted Israeli musician, composer, and poet who serves as head of the “Kulana” Middle Eastern Music School in Yeruham and is the founder of the “House of Study for Maqam and Piyyut”. His work explores the deep connections between Jewish poetics, music, and mysticism, making him uniquely positioned to address Israel’s current moment through song.

Haroush’s choice to perform Od Yom Yavo carries deep significance. The classic song, whose lyrics were written by kibbutznik poet, lyricist, journalist, playwright, and author Yoram Taharlev (1938–2022) – considered one of the key architects of Israeli identity and ethos – and famously performed by Israel’s greatest Mizrahi singer Zohar Argov (1955–1987) represents “curiosity of encounter, rather than collision, within the Israeli society between different types of Israeliness.” Haroush speaks of music as a space that enables these vital connections across Israel’s diverse communities.

In the episode, the musician shares extraordinary musical and human encounters he experienced after October 7, including performing for soldiers moments before they entered Gaza, with bombs and helicopters flying overhead. He also recounts performing at a shiva for a fallen soldier.

Haroush thoughtfully explores music’s varied roles in post-October 7 Israel: while some audiences need uplifting songs, others require music that helps them mourn and cry – they need lament. Music plays a crucial role in the grieving process, he notes, possessing the unique ability to return a person to their place.

Through his heartfelt performance and reflections, Haroush demonstrates how music serves as both bridge and balm in times of national trauma.