Israel’s Yuval Raphael advanced to the grand final of the 2025 Eurovision following her performance in Thursday night’s semifinal.The 24-year-old from Ra’anana, a survivor of the October 7 Nova music festival massacre,

The 24-year-old survived the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on the Nova festival, and will perform a pop ballad, "New Day Will Rise." Israel's Eurovision participation has sparked protest due to the Gaza war.

As an Israeli who spent several years living in Switzerland, I resonate deeply with Yuval Raphael, our Eurovision representative for 2025. Like Yuval, who spent part of her life in Geneva, my own journey involved leaving the Hasidic community in Jerusalem to embark on my first adventure away from home to study in Lucerne,