Boy George meets Herzog at President's House

Since the October 7 attack, Boy George has emerged as one of the clearest voices in the cultural world supporting Israel and the Jewish people, unafraid to express it publicly even at the cost of sharp criticism. Last summer he released the song "We Will Dance Again," dedicated to the Nova Festival community and in memory of those murdered.

The event was attended by freed hostage Elkana Buchbut, World Jewish Congress Israel President Sylvan Adams, Guy Besser, owner and CEO of Live Nation Israel, and Boy George's team. During the event, the president delivered remarks expressing his great appreciation for the singer's work and presented him with a model of red anemone flowers symbolizing the Re'im memorial site.

"In the three years since October 7, Israel and Jews around the world have suffered a terrible attack of antisemitism," the president said. "In the worlds of culture, art and music, which are supposed to bring people together, we have seen a special strain of discrimination against Israelis and Jews. But you, Boy George, stood with moral clarity and conveyed a simple and profound message of decency."

Herzog addressed the song "We Will Dance Again" and emphasized: "This was expressed in your powerful song, which touched the hearts of people around the world. You drew inspiration from the resilience and determination of many Israelis who rose up in the face of tragedy and chose life. This choice of life is symbolized by the anemone, the flower of the Nova area, which blooms again in the Negev every winter. So too we will return again and again and dance again. The people of Israel love you, and thank you for standing with us."

Boy George responded: "The song 'We Will Dance Again' forced me to grow up. A rock and roll star should never have to grow up, but this experience opened my eyes to what's happening around us. It cost me a lot of friends, some of whom didn't even say goodbye, but simply went silent. Still, even if I had written the song only for the people murdered at Nova, that would have been reason enough."

The singer went on to explain his special connection to Judaism: "But I have another reason: since I was 14 years old my life has been very Jewish, and it's becoming more and more Jewish. I don't regret what I did, someone had to do it." In a previous interview he gave to Channel 12 News, Boy George revealed that his famous hat was actually influenced by the dress of Chassidic Jews, and that for decades he has participated in Shabbos meals and celebrated Jewish holidays.

Freed hostage Elkana Buchbut said: "For me, the words of Boy George's song are life itself. I was kidnapped from the Nova Festival, a place where people came to celebrate life and music. They tried to take our freedom from us but they will not take our spirit. Today, after 738 days in captivity I stand here free. Boy George, thank you for your friendship and for choosing to bring your music to Israel. On this occasion I want to tell you yes, 'We will dance again.'"

Sylvan Adams, president of the World Jewish Congress in Israel, addressed the singer and said: "George, you are not Jewish, but the Jewish people stand before a wall of hatred, an organized wall of hatred. When they attack us, we have no choice but to fight back. You, on the other hand, chose to join this moral struggle against the haters, and for that we are forever grateful. We are moved by your moving song, and equally moved by your visit."