Yuval Raphael, Survivor of the Nova Massacre, Wins 2nd Place at Eurovision 2025
Yuval Raphael, a 24-year-old singer and survivor of the October 7 Nova music festival massacre, won the hearts of millions across Europe and the world when she brought Israel to a second place among 37 participating countries – and first in the public vote – at the 69th Eurovision Song Contest held in Basel, Switzerland. Her moving performance of “New Day Will Rise” stood as a powerful anthem of pain, resilience, and hope, resonating far beyond the competition.
Raphael’s personal story moved both the audience and viewers at home. On October 7, she survived one of the deadliest attacks in Israeli history by playing dead in a bomb shelter for eight harrowing hours, wounded by shrapnel and surrounded by death. Her journey from that unimaginable horror to the Eurovision stage was captured in her song, written especially for her by acclaimed Israeli artist Keren Peles. The performance was dedicated to those lost at the Nova festival, and it shone with dignity and quiet strength — values that the Amal Educational Network seeks to instill in its students every day.
In a nerve-wracking moment of tension and pride, just as Israel and Austria were revealed as the top two contenders for the win, air raid sirens echoed across central and coastal Israel following a missile launch from Yemen. As families across the country held their breath, waiting for the final announcement, the missile was intercepted by Israeli defense systems — and moments later, Austria was named the winner.
Austria’s JJ, a classically trained Austrian-Filipino singer, took home the Eurovision crown with the operatic pop anthem “Wasted Love”, a dramatic, shipwreck-themed performance that won the jury vote and captivated the continent. Israel received 297 points from the public – the highest of any contestant – but was placed 14th by the jury, securing an emotional and historic second-place finish.
Israel has long been one of the most prominent and successful participants in the Eurovision Song Contest. Since its debut in 1973, Israel has won the competition four times, placed second three times, and reached third place on at least three occasions. The country last hosted the contest in 2019 in Tel Aviv, following Netta Barzilai’s victory in 2018. Given the ongoing war and international tensions, some countries appealed to the EBU to ban Israel from participating this year in the same way that Russia’s participation was banned following its invasion to the Ukraine. However this demand was overuled. Perhaps this is also why many Israelis watching the show last night felt a quiet sense of relief that Israel did not take first place again this year, as hosting would have been logistically and diplomatically challenging. For many, second place in 2025 feels not only honorable but just right.
While not a student of Amal, Raphael’s strength, voice, and story embody the kind of resilience that Amal strives to nurture in all its educational communities. Her performance reminded the world – and especially the youth of Israel – that even in the darkest moments, a new day can rise.