By Carl Zebrowski
Editor

This year’s community commemoration of Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day, will have a special focus: honoring those who lost their lives while saving the lives of others. Israeli singer-songwriter and documentarian Gilad Segev of Project Heroes will visit to perform his music and present a powerful, immersive experience in tribute to Israel’s fallen heroes.

Organized by the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley in partnership with the Jewish Community Center of the Lehigh Valley, the commemoration of fallen IDF soldiers and Israeli victims of terrorism will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, April 20, in the JCC Kline Auditorium. The evening will transition into the Project Heroes program after about half an hour, with Segev’s music giving voice to memory, resilience, and the enduring human spirit as his multimedia stage experience blends video and on-screen artwork, effects, and lighting.

“I’m very moved to arrive in the Allentown community to share the stories of our heroes, especially on the special day of Yom HaZikaron,” Segev told Hakol. “I look forward to reflecting together on the light of heroism. By doing so, we hope to be part of a much bigger change: shifting our people’s narrative from victimhood to heroism.”

Segev founded the nonprofit Project Heroes, also known as Jewish Heroism Experience for Humanity, after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel to foster a greater sense of Jewish pride. The initiative’s website explains that its mission is “to construct a narrative of heroism, emphasizing the accounts of individuals who played pivotal roles throughout our history. From the days of Abraham, to our contemporary heroes, sacrificing their lives to save others on October 7th.”

Since its launch, Project Heroes has spread farther outward from Israel. Its October 7th Heroes Commemoration program has drawn media attention everywhere it’s gone. Audiences in Israel and across North America have experienced its powerful stories of heroes, moving stage performances, and educational programs.

As the face of Project Heroes, Segev came to the initiative with millions of fans in Israel and around the world, boasting chart-topping hits, including 10 No. 1s in Israel, and having toured extensively to promote his Passerby travel, music, and lifestyle brand. He was in the middle of a global tour on October 7, 2023, and returned home, launching Project Heroes. 

His inspiration includes his mother, a Holocaust survivor, and brother, a fallen IDF soldier who inspired his song “Achshav Tov.” This hit song has reemerged as an anthem of unity and resilience in response to Israel’s current challenges. It will likely be on his playlist for April 20.

Registration is required to attend this Yom HaZikaron commemoration. Sign up at jewishlehighvalley.regfox.com/yom-hazikaron-2026.