Concert of former captive Alon Ohel sells out in hours

Pianist’s one-night show features him with headliner Israeli musicians

It took just a few hours for tickets to sell out for a show featuring piano-playing former hostage Alon Ohel with nine major Israeli singers.

The February 9 concert at Tel Aviv’s Hangar 11, called “Alon Ohel, Playing for Life,” will joins the released captive with household names such as Eviatar Banai, Idan Amedi, Shlomi Shaban, Karolina, Guy Mazig, Alon Eder, Gal Toren, Marina Maximilian and the band Monica Sex.

Tickets, at NIS 250 ($80) to NIS 1,000 ($310), sold out after Ohel posted a link to the show on his Instagram and Facebook accounts.

All participating musicians are appearing for free, with proceeds from the concert benefiting Ohel’s rehabilitation fund.

Ohel, who was taken captive from a field shelter on October 7, 2023, after trying to flee the Hamas terrorist attack on the Nova rave, had shrapnel embedded in his body, including his shoulder, arm, and left eye, throughout his two-year captivity in Gaza.

“It means the world to me to share the stage with the artists whose songs accompanied me throughout my time in captivity,” wrote Ohel. “It’s important for me to show everyone that light triumphs over darkness.”

“I’m coming to embrace you, to say thank you to everyone who supported me and my family, and to celebrate life together,” said Ohel, adding “See you,” with a piano key emoji and a link to the ticket site in his bio.

Ohel had intended to begin his studies in autumn 2023 at the Rimon School of Music. He has reported that he would sing to himself until his captors told him to stop. When he told them he played piano, the Hamas terrorists didn’t know what the instrument was. Ohel said their religious beliefs prevented them from listening to music or dancing.

Back in Israel, as they fought to free him, Ohel’s family organized concerts and distributed yellow pianos around the world with the tagline “You Are Not Alone,” a play on his name, Alon.

The Ohel family also held events revolving around the Yehudit Ravitz tune, “Song without a Name,” one of Ohel’s favorite songs that he reportedly hummed to himself in captivity in an effort to keep himself going.