Yuval Raphael Meets Herzog Before Representing Israel at Eurovision

In an emotional send-off, Israel’s Eurovision representative Yuval Raphael met with President Isaac Herzog on Monday, just before her departure to Basel, Switzerland, where she will perform on the world stage at the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest.

Raphael, 24, from Ra’anana, is not just a rising musical star she is also a survivor of the October 7 Nova Music Festival massacre, a national tragedy that claimed the lives of hundreds. She survived by hiding in a mobile shelter, an experience that has deeply shaped her journey to this moment.

“We are all with you,” President Herzog told her. “You have a wonderful personality, your story is incredible, and every time I hear the song, my heart swells with pride.” Herzog emphasized that Raphael carries more than just a song to Eurovision: “When you step on that stage, remember that you will be in the hearts of every Israeli home, of the entire Jewish people in the Diaspora, and especially in the hearts of the pure and grieving families of the Nova tragedy, of that horrific massacre.”

Raphael will perform “New Day Will Rise,” a song penned by acclaimed Israeli songwriter Keren Peles. The title alone reflects a message of hope and resilience qualities that have defined Raphael’s journey from the fields of sorrow to the Eurovision spotlight.

“On the one hand, I’m arriving and working as someone who wants to win and is doing everything with that goal,” said Raphael, “but on the other hand, I can’t help but feel that just being there is already a victory, that I have the privilege to do this.”

Her story has already resonated powerfully across Israel. According to recent reports, she will be accompanied to Switzerland by fellow Nova survivors, though they are not officially part of the delegation. Their presence, however, underscores the symbolic importance of this performance a tribute to life, resilience, and national pride.

This year, Raphael isn’t just representing Israel with her voice she is doing so with her story, her courage, and her unwavering spirit. Her presence on the Eurovision stage is a reminder to the world that from heartbreak, a new day can indeed rise.

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