The Israeli media has made a VERY big deal of Noa Kirel’s enlistment into the IDF. And she deserves every bit of the attention she gets.
Noa Kirel, 18, is probably the LAST person you’d expect to answer the call of mandatory army service in Israel. Having grown up in the spotlight, she worked very hard to achieve the success she now enjoys. At the same time, however, her environment of late is one in which she likely enjoyed a lifestyle of pampering and coddling.
That is NOT the norm in the IDF.
Over the years, a long list of young entertainers have found creative ways to get out of serving their country in uniform. When we had the chance to interview Ben Artzi (Shlomo’s son) early in his career in 1998, everyone was talking about his failure to serve in the IDF. That fact continued to haunt him throughout his career. Other artists have endured a similar backlash.
Noa, however, could have easily avoided military service altogether. Billboard Magazine (among others) reports that she suffers from a medical condition which could have easily earned her an exemption. But she did not take advantage.
We’re proud of you, Noa Kirel
Look, we’re not naive. It’s almost a given that Noa Kirel’s army experience will be far from ordinary. Her role in the military will be to perform, not to fight. She will likely be protected from the other soldiers, and will rarely have to get her hands dirty.
However, Noa Kirel is one of the most popular Israeli artists of 2020, especially among young people. Her influence in Israeli society is tremendous. Just ask well-known brands like Samsung and Fila, who pay Noa exorbitant sums of money to promote their products on Instagram.
So when Noa Kirel uses her larger-than-life influence on behalf of the IDF and the State of Israel…well, that’s something very special indeed.
Here at My Israeli Music, we strive to “build a stronger Israel, one song at a time.” We love it when the artists we promote take a strong stand in support of their homeland – and use their influence in a positive, patriotic manner. We’re extremely proud of Noa Kirel, and we hope that her shining example will inspire young people nationwide to serve their country with honor.