Amid the darkness of war, singer-songwriter Geva Alon discovered the profound power of music to heal. In this episode of “Song of Hope”, he shares a simple yet vital message: people need space to grieve before they can smile again.
Alon has spent time during the war volunteering in hospitals, playing for wounded soldiers. He describes the transformation that occurs in these crowded, bustling wards when he sits down with a single soldier and begins to play. “The melody opens gates,” he explains, as the chaos fades and connection takes its place. “There is a reason that melody is considered to be something elevated.”
For these intimate moments, Alon chose to perform “On the Nights of Full Moon” by another singer-songwriter, Eran Tzur – a song that has stayed with Alon since his teenage years. He finds it especially healing, particularly the lyrics that translate to: “We have love / Would you believe / After all this desert / What comfort.”
“Whenever I heard these lines, I felt they were healing me,” Alon reflects. “The song takes you back to something simple and romantic – an intense moment between two people. Sometimes you might feel guilty for finding comfort in something so small and pure, but it’s what holds us together.”
This philosophy sustains him as he navigates life in the Golan Heights, where he tries to maintain normalcy – mowing his lawn between siren blasts, making music amid uncertainty. In sharing his interpretation of Tzur’s love song and recounting scenes from Tel Hashomer’s rehabilitation department, Alon reminds us that even in the bleakest times, there are still things worth holding onto. Love, he insists, provides comfort when everything else feels like a desert – and it's good to cling to that.
