"There is no one who does not know someone," reads the inscription on memorial candles distributed across Israel in recent weeks to commemorate those who died on or around Oct. 7 from the surprise Hamas attack. For Achinoam Nini, the internationally acclaimed Israeli-American singer known professionally as Noa, the inscription reflects the mood of a country in mourning.
Prior to Oct. 7, Noa had been a prominent activist opposing a planned judicial overhaul, calling on other Israeli artists to speak up against the policies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government. Now she is applying her activist streak to campaign for the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza, traveling around the world to draw attention to the issue.
Born in Tel Aviv to a family of Yemeni origin, Noa grew up mostly in New York, before returning at the age of 16 to Israel, where she became internationally known in the 1990s, performing around the world, including for Pope John Paul II. Noa has frequently performed on stage with Palestinian artists, highlighting her commitment to peace in the Middle East and a two state-solution. Though the events of Oct. 7 have shaken Israel's peace camp, Noa, who has a son and daughter currently serving in the Israeli military, says she has not given up on hope for a diplomatic solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
This interview with Noa took place shortly before she went on stage at the Berliner Philharmoniker, in the German capital, where she performed alongside the Arab-Israeli singer Mira Awad, her frequent collaborator. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
