Israeli Musician Yehuda Poliker Battles Lung Disease While Continuing to Perform

At 75, Israeli musician Yehuda Poliker is confronting pulmonary fibrosis, a serious lung condition that impairs his breathing and walking. Despite these challenges, Poliker continues to perform on stage, where he says he can momentarily forget his difficulties. He recently spoke about his health and career ahead of a performance at the "Hutzot HaYotzer" festival in Jerusalem.

Poliker revealed that his lung disease was diagnosed about a year ago, causing scarring in his lungs and making physical activity difficult. He manages the condition with medication and nightly oxygen therapy but acknowledges that a cure is unlikely. He attributes the illness partly to environmental pollution in Haifa, years of working with chemicals as a hairdresser, and smoking.

Despite fears about his health, Poliker refuses to give up performing. "I wouldn’t go on stage if I didn’t know I could sing as I want," he said. He described how he copes with breathlessness during shows by simply flowing with the music and occasionally stepping aside to cough. Poliker emphasized the importance of sharing his health struggles with his audience, calling it "another coming out."

Beyond music, Poliker finds solace in painting, which he describes as a calming outlet for his imagination. He also reflected on his personal life, expressing that he is still waiting for a love he has yet to experience fully, despite past relationships. Poliker remains hopeful and philosophical about death, focusing more on the quality of life and the pain before death rather than fearing death itself.

Looking ahead, Poliker plans to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his solo album "Einayim Sheli" with concerts in Tel Aviv. Doctors encourage him to keep performing, recognizing music’s healing power. Although the thought of retirement crosses his mind, Poliker insists that singing and playing are integral to his identity and that he cannot imagine life without them.