It’s Eden Golan! Star struck Israel tour meets Eurovision singer en route to Tel Aviv

A group of star-struck Jewish teens on Israel tour bumped into 20-year old celebrity Eden Golan en route to Tel Aviv.

With more than 400 Jewish teenagers currently on youth group tours across Israel, Bnei Akiva Group 4’s summer adventure started with an impromtu meeting with the Eurovision singer on their flight to Ben Gurion airport.

Golan was returning from London following her live performance at Letters, Light & Love: London which raised £960,000 towards UJIA’s campaign to rebuild kindergartens at Kibbutz Be’eri.

The excited group told Eden about their support for her at Eurovision, how they love the song ‘Hurricane’ and felt pride watching her represent Israel and the Jewish people on a global stage. In turn, Golan expressed her admiration to the group for travelling to Israel.

By the end of this summer, Bnei Akiva, Ezra Youth, FZY, Habonim Dror, Sinai and Tribe will have collectively sent 500 sixteen-year-olds from across the UK to experience Israel, supported by UJIA Israel Experience.

On every Israel Tour group’s itinerary this summer is a visit to Hostages’ Square in Tel Aviv, where participants can process the events of October 7th and join the calls for the immediate safe return of all hostages. Participants have been meeting families of victims of terror and hearing more about their stories.

In addition to Israel Tour, this summer more than 120 young people aged 18-26 have started to arrive in Israel on UJIA-supported Taglit Birthright-Israel trips, and more will take part in Onward Israel internships.

• This year, more than 15% of Israel Tour participants are receiving financial support from UJIA.