Israeli Musical 'Mika Sheli' Revives Yair Rosenblum’s Songs and 1960s-70s Love Story

The musical "Mika Sheli" draws on the songs and story of Yair Rosenblum, first broadcast on June 14, 1991, on Kol Israel's Gal Kal. Rosenblum wrote the original song as a love tribute to Mika Meridor, his then-girlfriend and later wife of Yigal Bashan, while both served in the Central Command Band where Rosenblum was musical director. Years later, the To Mix Theater adapted this material into a stage production portraying a fictional yet plausible Israeli love story set against the backdrop of pivotal events from the Six-Day War in 1967 through the Yom Kippur War in 1973.

The narrative follows a group of teenagers in 1966, just before their military service and adulthood, capturing the era’s conflicting emotions. It highlights the tension between those eager to serve and pacifists who refuse, including a character based on the song "I Have a Beloved in Sayeret Haruv." The protagonist Mika, portrayed by Mashi Kleinstein, is torn between two loves: Gidi, a war-wounded youth retreating from life, and Ari, a friend who finds new purpose through faith.

Director Zadi Tzarfati crafted a poignant work combining Rosenblum’s unforgettable songs such as "The Ballad of Hedva and Shlomik," "A Song for a Weekday," "I Have a Beloved in Sayeret Haruv," "Paratrooper’s Song," "Last Rain," "The Tune Decides," and "Givat HaTahmoshet." The 100-minute musical is described as emotionally stirring, capturing themes of love, loss, and awakening with a powerful and enduring score that resonates deeply with audiences.