Yair Levi, an Israeli singer, songwriter, and music producer, is based in Tel Aviv. His career began in the elite ranks of Israel’s special forces and has moved to international music stages.
Levi, an Orthodox Jew and former captain in Shayetet 13, Israel’s version of the Navy SEALs, spent eight years in service before pursuing music. His work—steeped in biblical inspiration—now resonates with diverse audiences, especially Christian listeners worldwide.
It is a development he finds surprising. “I'm [an] Israeli mainstream person,” Levi says, pointing to his humble roots in Kiryat Ata near Haifa. “I have no connection to anything international… just a guy from Israel.”
Levi’s service under Shayetet 13 began with some resistance. “I didn't want to be in it–it wasn't my dream,” he says. His only goal at the time was to serve the country, as all residents are required, and then return to music.
When asked during the elite unit’s selection process why he wanted to join, Levi told interviewers, “I don’t want to.” His directness prompted a psychological evaluation. “After I passed the test, I started to do research,” he says. He came to understand that “I passed the test to a very serious unit.”
A defining experience in the military for Levi came during an 80-kilometer march, the culmination of a grueling training process. His leg has been badly injured, but he pushed through the final stretch. Levi finished the march with a broken leg, supported by his teammates. “It was the hardest thing I ever did,” he says. “But I realized … sometimes you need to trust your team,” he says, and also adds, “and of course, God.”
Levi was called back into action during the current war against Hamas. Leading a team in Gaza, he says, “We did amazing things.”
He continues to serve in the reserves and helps test new recruits for Shayetet 13. “Now when recruits come through … I’m the tester,” he says.
When the war broke out, Levi was on the battlefield, but also online fighting misinformation. “I found myself … an ambassador to people that have a good heart for Israel, but they get so much fake news,” he says.
After posting in support of Israel, he lost 5,000 followers within minutes. “They said, ‘Love your music, but you kill the people of Gaza.’” Levi doesn’t blame them—“They don’t know the truth,” he says.
His breakout song, “Refa Na,” originates from a personal crisis. “I got a phone call from my Dad … my grandma is really ill,” he says. With no money, no concerts, and a sick loved one, “I just wrote ‘prayer for healing’ on Google … and the prayer of Moses for his sister Miriam jumped to my eyes,” he recounts. He wrote the song with his children playing around him. Released during the COVID lockdowns, the song went viral. “It wasn’t my plan,” Levi says. “I felt like a vessel, maybe of God.”
The responses to “Refa Na” are powerful and personal. One woman drove hours to tell Levi in person, “I feel like just because of this song, I’m alive.”
His music continues to present spiritual insight. In his recent song “Walk in the Blessing,” Levi explores the biblical command to Abraham. “When God spoke to Abram, ‘Go forward’” he explains. According to Levi, the message is, “to find myself is actually to find God in myself.”
For Levi, the bond between America and Israel is sacred. “The most important thing in this relationship is to understand that we need each other,” he says. As he travels, sings, and shares his story, Levi sees himself as part of a divine plan. “When we are standing together on the right side of history, this is when God is happy.”
