Yishai Lapidot: From ADHD Struggles to Jewish Music Pioneer, Faith, and Creative Impact

Yishai Lapidot is married and a father of three who lives in Netanya. He is a singer, songwriter, creator, and media personality — and a recipient of the ACUM Award.

A World of My Own

“I was never the best student — at least not from the teachers’ perspective. I’ve had ADHD since childhood, and it made school very hard for me. Concentrating in class was a real struggle, and back then Ritalin wasn’t commonly used.

In many ways, I still have the same attention challenges today — but I’ve learned to live with them. Even now it’s hard for me to sit and listen to someone speak. Long lectures make me anxious, and I often feel uncomfortable just sitting and listening.

Those same difficulties however, also helped me build my own inner world — both creatively and spiritually. Instead of listening in class, I withdrew inward and built a private, closed world of imagination. My first melodies were the posters on the classroom walls.

The first text I ever composed was the poster above the chalkboard in first grade: ‘Whoever engages in Torah study at night — the Divine Presence is beside him.’

I would cover my mouth with my hands so I wouldn’t disturb anyone, and quietly hum melodies to myself. You could say my career began in first grade.”

Books, Struggle — and Sensitivity to Others

“School was very hard for me, but thankfully I found comfort in reading. I was a complete bookworm, and the fact that my mother worked as the school librarian really helped.

Beyond that, my attention struggles gave me a unique ability to recognize kids who were going through the same thing. Many times I was able to notice it in them, and help them.

Today, the situation is even more complex. I’m involved in many projects related to children, and I see that working with kids today is much harder than it used to be. I don’t know who or what is to blame — maybe the sugar we feed them, maybe the screens that destroy attention — but there’s no doubt that this generation is totally different.”

The Closest I Feel to God

“Every person has those rare moments when a prayer suddenly comes straight from the depths of the heart. For me, that happens when I write and compose music.

Aside from that, my most sincere prayers probably happen on airplanes. I have nothing to distract myself with, nowhere to run — and my fear of flying never really went away.”

Returning to Torah Study — After Twenty Years

“After I left yeshiva, I disconnected from the world of learning. The one who brought me back to it in recent years is a friend from synagogue — a well-known attorney named Zuri Lavi who gives a fixed weekly Talmud class to our close-knit group in our Netanya shul.”

Between ‘Adon Olam’ and the Prime Minister’s Office

“I’ve performed in the biggest venues in the world, at the most famous locations, flown to luxury events, and sang in front of major global leaders and business figures.

But the events that move me the most are ones like these two from last week: The first, performing at the dedication of a Torah scroll in memory of the fallen IDF soldier Amit Ben Yigal HY”D. Sitting with his parents and singing to them ‘El HaNa’ar HaZeh Hitpalalti’  was the highest emotional peak I can imagine.

The second, visiting a young man named Ephraim, who lost almost his entire family in a horrific car accident. He will likely remain in a wheelchair for life. His son, who was critically injured, miraculously survived.

To sit with him, sing to him, and make him smile, is the greatest privilege we artists are given. For me, a meeting like that is more meaningful than meeting a prime minister — and I meet him too. I know Netanyahu’s office well, and I’m invited to Torah study sessions at his home.

But nothing compares to lifting the spirit of a broken soul.”

(צילום: אריאל אוחנה)

Life Behind the Curtain

“I’m a fearful person by nature — a classic hypochondriac. In a strange way, the COVID era ‘validated’ all my fears and provided proof that the world really is dangerous.

Performances disappeared overnight, and like many artists, all my work vanished right after Purim. Thank God, I managed to reinvent myself and began hosting a live children’s program on Hidabroot TV.

When challenges fall on a hypochondriac, he almost blossoms. When everything is fine, that’s where the problem starts. This is where faith comes in. Faith is the only medicine. You believe that God provides, and if you don’t, you’re in trouble.”

Fear of Heaven

“God’s presence is in my life constantly, sometimes overwhelmingly so. I feel Him with me all the time.

Sometimes I live with God out of love. Sometimes out of fear. Sometimes I do things simply because I don’t want to disappoint Him. It’s a constant inner battle of love and awe at the same time.

Even when I sin, I never fully enjoy it. The fear of Heaven inside me won’t let me. I love this world, I’m a passionate person — but my heart and mind never stop thinking about the moral meaning of what I do.”

In My Father’s Shadow

“I’m an anxious and pessimistic person by nature. Maybe it’s because of my father’s work as a military rabbi — dealing with bereavement, identifying fallen soldiers, hospitals, prisons… as children we were exposed to very difficult realities.

But we also saw immense acts of kindness, and that shaped who I am.”

Emotional Highs

“As an artist, your life is full of peaks. Every performance is a peak in some way. I can be more nervous singing for 50 people in a small community center than at a huge gala event.

If there’s no emotional ‘high’ in my day, I feel like it was a weak day.”

Between Carlebach and Ben-Ari

“I don’t know how much I contributed to Israeli music in general, but I do know this: ‘Oif Simchas’ opened the door for Jewish music to enter the mainstream.

Before us, there was no such thing as a chassidic band in public Israeli culture. No Ishay Ribo, no Hanan Ben-Ari, no Jewish lyrics playing naturally on national radio.

We broke that wall, and paved the way. And yes — it brings me deep joy to see the next generation soar even higher.”

The Most Precious Gift — My Children

“My children are one of the greatest emotional gifts of my life. Their birth, their growth — they draw everything out of me.

Life is a constant struggle, even in its best moments. Few people can honestly say they had an ‘easy life’.

Two years ago my sister passed away — and that period tested my faith deeply. In such moments you discover whether you truly believe, or only think you do.”

The Power of Simplicity

“It’s hard for me to choose just one song that influenced me — but I’ll say this: Artists like Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, and in another style Meir Banai, taught me that sometimes the simplest melody, with the fewest chords, carries the most soul.”

The Gift of Shabbat

“Shabbat is my anchor. With my restless energy, imagination, and racing mind — Shabbat gives me weekly emotional therapy. It calms me, grounds me, and lets me start the week again, whole and renewed.”

Dreams, Projects — and Realistic Limits

“Every day I come up with eight or nine new creative projects I’d love to start. Over the years I learned that I’m human — so I write them down, and every couple of months I choose one.

That’s how Oif Simchas, Kinderlach, and my radio and TV shows came to be.”

Honest and Unfiltered

“I’m a very open person. I write a lot online and share much of my life publicly. Maybe one thing people don’t know is that I have never smoked and never drank alcohol. Not even for Kiddush.”

Truth Over Modesty

“I’m not a modest person, and I know that. But I’m also not arrogant. I recognize my strengths and weaknesses, and I respect every human being.

I believe honesty about who you are is part of the work — especially in the world of music and media.”