Fattal Rock in Eilat Survives the Iran War and Delivers a Nostalgic Triumph

For a time, it looked as if Fattal Rock in Eilat would not happen this year. The war with Iran forced the original dates to be postponed, and even longtime fans feared the annual tradition, now in its 11th edition, might finally be broken. Then a WhatsApp message arrived starting with “Shehecheyanu v’higianu lazman hazeh,” and the disappointment quickly turned into relief and celebration.

The three-day festival, held in early summer before Eilat fills with vacationers, was described as a welcome escape after months of missiles, anxiety and constant rushes to shelters. The event was praised for its smooth organization, logistics, transitions between shows and strong sound at the Pavilion of the Herods Hotel. The article said the production made it easy for the audience to simply enjoy itself.

The first night opened with Mirai Mesika and Keren Peles in a polished, energetic joint performance. Their biggest moment came when they brought up hostage survivor Alon Ohel, who sang Peles’s “Shkufim” with them and later sat at the piano. The audience, the writer said, fell completely silent. Etnix then followed with a hit-filled set, opening with a tribute to Yishai Levy, who had died days earlier. Lead singer Ze'ev Nehama called Levy “the greatest singer in the country” and performed “Isha Ne’emana,” which he had written for him.

The second day began with Shlomi Shabat and Pablo Rosenberg, whose shared appearance felt natural and warm. Shabat later invited his daughter Manor and his granddaughter for “Biglal HaRuach,” a family moment that moved the hall. Later, Monica Sex played their key songs and were joined by HaYehudim, whose Tom Petrov and Orli Shaf looked as if they had been frozen in 1996. Aviv Geffen devoted part of his set to the memory of Staff Sgt. Nahorai Leizer, killed in combat in Lebanon at the end of May, and sang “Machar” while wrapped in a flag brought by the soldier’s family. He later reunited on stage with Hami Rodner and members of Eifo HaYeled for a nostalgia-heavy nineties set.

The festival closed on Saturday with Gidi Gov and Dani Sanderson, joined by Ephraim Shamir, Alon Oleartchik and Mazi Cohen. The finale evoked Kaveret-era warmth and a rare sense of unity. The writer ended by thanking the festival for a dose of sanity and said, “We loved it very much, and we will meet again next year.”