Comedian and Artist’s Journey: From Personal Struggles to Inspiring Laughter and Faith

A Food or Sound That Takes You Back to Childhood

"Chopped salad. My grandmother is of Greek descent. Every time I visited her, there was a different Greek dish, but I remember that the first dish was always a salad with a liter of vinegar."

Three Items You Would Take to a Deserted Island

"Tefillin – for the soul. A microphone – for fun, I’d perform there in front of snails. And an iPhone – so I could upload content from the deserted island."

What’s Your Guilty Pleasure?

"There are these new seeds, roasted in Kurdish style, that just came out on the market. Every evening I finish a package, and I gained five kilos last month just because of them. Maybe this is already an addiction, not just a guilty pleasure."

What Helps You Recharge After a Tough Day?

"Only my children. I have two sons, ages five and two, and they sleep in the same room. Coming home after a show and seeing them."

What Do People Not Know About You?

"That my middle name is Itamar, after my late grandfather. A cool name for a grandfather. In fact, he came to Israel after the Holocaust, and they gave him the Hebrew name Itamar.

"Another unknown fact is that, thank God, I started putting on tefillin. Avia, my wife, bought me tefillin for my birthday, and my name is embroidered on the bag."

What Scares You the Most?

"On a national level, I’m scared there will be another October 7. That’s why I keep saying: attack and strike as hard as possible.

"On a personal level – first and foremost, the health of my family, and my mother especially. She was run over two years ago by an electric scooter rider in Tel Aviv. From the most active woman, she became a brain-injured patient who can’t walk or talk, and her condition is very severe to this day.

"Another fear related to my profession. I’m an artist, a comedian, and we comedians live off the love of the audience. The fear is that one day I’ll lose that love, because nothing lasts forever, and we always have to remember that."

When Was the Last Time You Cried?

"There were a few such instances recently: my older son, Rom, loves everything related to space. Avia made him an amazing menorah with illustrations of planets, and he took it with him to kindergarten. The teacher sent us a video where he explains about the menorah he made and each planet with such self-confidence. For me, that was the most emotional thing in the world.

"The night before, I performed in Petah Tikva, on behalf of the 'One Family' organization that supports bereaved siblings and orphans of terror attacks. There is no harder role than making them laugh and cheer them up, but that’s why I’m here. We laughed together, and afterward, I heard their stories. Each one spoke volumes, and tears fell. I believe laughter and tears are the story of our country."

Something You’d Like to Improve About Yourself

"To grow, to become more attentive. I would also like to be completely without a phone on Shabbat – to be present for my family, to persevere more, and to thank more. Sometimes we forget, but overall, we are good here."

The Most Honest Moment You've Had When Speaking to God

"When my mother was injured, and I arrived at Ichilov Hospital. With God, we mainly account for what we didn’t receive, and that’s an unfair relationship towards Him. When your mother is in intensive care, you only cry and beg: ‘Please give me this.’ In those moments, when there’s no one to turn to, even the greatest atheists turn to God.

"That was the most honest conversation. I asked Him: ‘Keep my mother safe, just keep her safe. I promise to do good to the best of my ability for the people of Israel.’"

What Dream Have You Not Given Up On?

"To be a Chabad emissary one day, with God’s help. I have the vibe and energy for it, and I’m connected to Chabad. Many people tell me that it’s probably what I was in my previous life."

The Trait You Admire in People

"Self-humor and the ability to laugh at yourself."

Which Person, Who’s No Longer With Us, Would You Like to Have a Conversation With?

"David Ben-Gurion. I would ask him: ‘What do you think about what’s happening here?’ And he would answer: ‘Everything’s fine. We used to dream about your situation back in ’48, so be grateful.’

"We’ve built a miracle here, and for every day that this miracle exists, we should say thank you. My grandfather was in the ghetto in Poland and escaped the Nazis. We’re here drinking coffee, and we have an army and soldiers who protect us."

How Would You Like to Be Remembered After 120?

"He did his best to bring joy to the people of Israel and make them laugh."