Eurovision's Yuval Raphael to re-record song after mistake in biblical quote

Israel's Eurovision 2025 star Yuval Raphael will re-record her entry after fans spotted a small biblical Hebrew pronunciation mistake.

 Yuval Raphael. (photo credit: COURTESY OF KAN 11)
Yuval Raphael.
(photo credit: COURTESY OF KAN 11)

Yuval Raphael, Israel's contestant in the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest, is going to re-record her song 'New Day Will Rise' after making a small mistake in her pronunciation of a biblical verse.

Raphael, intended to quote the original Hebrew of Song of Songs chapter 8 verse 7 which reads "Many waters cannot quench the love, nor can rivers flood it; should a man give all the property of his house for love, they would despise him," however, mis-sang 'Uneharot' as 'Veneharot,' mistaking a small mistake due to the difference between biblical Hebrew and modern Hebrew's grammar for the word describing rivers.

She is expected to re-record the song on Tuesday after the backlash following the song's original release on Sunday.

The first live performance of the song is scheduled for May 15 at the second semi-final competition in Basel, Switzerland.

Israel and Yuval Raphael are currently high on the betting odds for Eurovision, rising from seventh to fourth after the release of the song on Sunday.

 Yuval Raphael is the winner of the Rising star 2025 finale and will represent Israel in the Eurovision. (credit: Ortal Dahan Ziv/Keshet 12)
Yuval Raphael is the winner of the Rising star 2025 finale and will represent Israel in the Eurovision. (credit: Ortal Dahan Ziv/Keshet 12)

The song was composed by Keren Peles, who also composed 2024's entry, "Hurricane," sung by Eden Golan.

Yuval Raphael's background

Yuval Raphael a 24-year-old from Ra’anana, won the competition to represent Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 after winning the Hakochav Haba (Rising Star) reality contest on Channel 12 in January.

Raphael was among the survivors of the Hamas terrorist attack at the Supernova music festival on October 7, 2023.

She was trapped in a roadside bomb shelter with over 40 other festival-goers. She survived by hiding under piles of dead bodies for eight hours.

She still carries physical reminders of that day, with shrapnel embedded in her head and leg.


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Scooter Braun shares Yuval Raphael's video

Scooter Braun, the Jewish-American record executive, also shared Yuval Raphael's music video for 'New Day Will Rise' on his personal Instagram on Monday.

"LISTEN AND WATCH THIS VIDEO. This is Yuval Raphael. She is a survivor of the Nova music festival. The largest music massacre in history. Yet through everything she and her friends went through and still suffer from.. this song is now her anthem. Wow," Braun wrote.

"I just saw this video and heard her voice and these lyrics and it was truly moved," he added.

"I decided to share it as I have a feeling it doesn’t just represent her but so many of the kids who I’ve had the honor of meeting and getting to know over these last few years. It’s the spirit of Yuval and this song that is so inspiring. In the face of loss and pain and despair she and her friends have chosen to rise again and dance again and love again. That is the spirit of Nova. That is the spirit of the Israelis. Great job Yuval. Amazing song," he concluded