Eurovision Winner Netta Barzilai Mourns Deceased Friend

Eurovision winner Netta Barzilai is mourning the death of her close high school friend, Gal Brook Gurfong, who passed away after a battle with cancer. Barzilai shared her grief on Instagram, recalling their time together at HaDarim High School. She described Gurfong as a talented swimmer and a popular student, noting that she felt a connection to his class despite her average grades.

Barzilai also spoke about Gurfong's brave career change into professional dancing, a path she acknowledged was difficult to pursue without prior experience at a later age. Despite initial skepticism, Gurfong succeeded and danced with respected troupes.

She recounted how, after a difficult breakup, she sought out Gurfong for a project involving swimming and dancing. She contacted him using his old high school number and was surprised to see him bald and without eyebrows during their video call, but his spirit remained intact. She expressed her devastation at his passing, sending condolences to his family and remembering him as a "wonder" to create alongside.