This past summer marked 20 years since the passing of the “First Lady” of Israeli music, Naomi Shemer. To evoke memories and continue her legacy, her son, singer Ariel Horovitz, launched an emotional concert tour in her memory. The tour, titled When Mom Came Here, features Horovitz performing alongside the band “The Shemer Sisters 24” and other guest artists across the country, reinterpreting Naomi’s iconic songs.
We chose to join part of Horovitz’s journey at the place where it all began—Kibbutz Kinneret. At the kibbutz’s concert hall, where Naomi grew up and performed her first shows, we encountered a deeply emotional side of the legendary singer-songwriter. With the songs and stories, we delved into Shemer’s life and her significant impact on Israeli culture.
Perhaps the highlight of the concert was Horovitz’s performance of his favorite of his mother’s songs, Nahal Outpost in Sinai. During this segment, a recording of Shemer singing the song played in the background, blending with Ariel’s live vocals to create a moving “duet” of mother and son, full of longing.
“About 100 meters up the path from the hall where we performed lies the site of the communication trench where my mother was during the terrible battle over Tzemach in May 1948,” Horovitz shared with the Rega News team. “That’s where it all began. From this tremendous loss of her young classmates came songs of grief like We Are Both From the Same Village and hopeful ones like Tomorrow. Every performance feels like we’re giving Mom a gift—her songs, wrapped in love and a contemporary touch. At Kinneret, I felt this especially strongly.”
Longing for Mom
“I miss Mom as a good friend,” Horovitz continued, sharing a special story about their bond. “Mom didn’t have a driver’s license, and I often found myself driving her to various places. She’d get into the car, and if the radio was on, she’d immediately say, ‘Turn off that noise right away, I’ll entertain you…’ From that moment, the conversation always flowed, full of humor and interest. Those are the moments I miss the most,” he recalled.
If Naomi Were Here Today
How would Naomi view today’s reality? “I think she would be deeply involved in comforting mourners. I imagine myself driving her to many homes of noble-hearted parents, who, through their eulogies for their fallen children, reveal what extraordinary people we have in this nation,” Horovitz said. “Every time I hear such a eulogy, I think to myself that I’d probably get a call from Mom asking me to take her to them.”
“Just the Decoration Committee”
To conclude, Horovitz shared a lighthearted yet meaningful story:
“My first big hit was Yalla Bye, which came out in 1998 when I was 28,” Horovitz recounted. “After it gained significant traction on the radio, Mom suddenly called me.
‘Ariel, how are you?’ she asked.
I answered, ‘Great, how are you?’ And she immediately replied:
‘I’m calling to remind you that we’re just the decoration committee of a kiosk!’
I laughed, but I also understood exactly what she meant: never let it go to your head. Israel is a small country, and within it, we artists are merely the ‘decoration committee.’ There are people working much harder than we are to keep this place going. That conversation has stayed with me ever since.”
