From Kabuki Syndrome to Israel’s national stage, Adi Yehuda proves music knows no limits

When Adi Yehuda speaks about music, her eyes light up and her voice softens, as if each word is part of a melody. From her earliest school days, she sang at every ceremony, determined to share her voice. By age 14, she began formal vocal training, chasing a dream that once felt out of reach to be part of a musical group that could inspire and touch lives.

Yehuda was born with Kabuki Syndrome, a rare genetic condition that can affect facial features, muscle tone, speech, and motor skills, and may include heart, hearing, or immune system challenges. While there is no cure, early therapy can help individuals thrive. For Yehuda, it meant she was not drafted into the IDF a reality she accepted reluctantly.

Everything changed in 2021 when she discovered Special in Uniform (SIU), a program integrating young people with disabilities into meaningful IDF roles. Among its boldest initiatives was the creation of a military band composed entirely of musicians with special needs. After auditioning for SIU founder and band manager Ido Dekel, Yehuda’s dream took flight.

Within months, she joined a six-member band and soon found herself on one of Israel’s most prestigious stages: performing live at the national Independence Day ceremony on Mount Herzl in 2022. That performance was more than music it was a statement that inclusion is part of Israel’s national identity.

The same year, Jewish National Fund-USA (JNF-USA), a key SIU partner, invited the band to perform at its global conference, earning a standing ovation. “Adi’s journey reflects our vision of an inclusive and empowered Israel,” said JNF-USA President Deb Zaluda. Over the next years, Yehuda performed across the U.S., from community gatherings to major conferences, gaining confidence with each show.

After nearly four years and more than 400 performances, Yehuda stepped aside to make way for new talent, beginning a degree in Special Education. But this summer, Dekel called her back this time to join SIU’s professional team supporting its three active bands. Now she manages logistics, works with sound crews, and mentors young musicians, channeling her experience into guiding the next generation.

Lt.-Col. (Res.) Tiran Attia, SIU’s director, says Yehuda’s journey embodies the program’s mission: “Ability matters more than disability. Adi’s voice has inspired soldiers, civilians, and leaders worldwide. Her story proves that when you give someone the stage, they can move nations.”

For Yehuda, the music hasn’t stopped it’s simply taken on a new harmony, one that blends performance with purpose.

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