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Montana Tucker: ‘It’s us against the world, and we will prevail’
The American singer was speaking at a Nova festival tribute event at Kibbutz Re’im
May 17, 2024 11:00
By, Jewish News Syndicate
2 min read
The American singer was speaking at a Nova festival tribute event at Kibbutz Re’im
May 17, 2024 11:00By Amelie Botbol , Jewish News Syndicate
American artist and influencer Montana Tucker on Friday participated in a ‘NOVA’ dance tribute in Kibbutz Re’im in memory of the victims of Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre.
Tucker was joined by survivors of the Supernova music festival, where Palestinian terrorists killed 364 revelers, and members of the Israeli Dance Studio, which lost four people in the terror invasion.
“Lately, I have been separating my music and my activism. This gave me a way to bring the two together. Not only will we dance again, we're dancing again now,” Tucker told JNS on Thursday.
As part of her trip to Israel organized by the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM), Tucker will be meeting with survivors, displaced children from Israel’s north and south and relatives of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
On Saturday, she will sing Israel’s national anthem (‘Hatikva’) in Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square at the weekly rally demanding their release.
“I sang Hatikva many times but never in Israel. It is so special and powerful to be singing it, especially in Hostage Square with the families of the captives,” Tucker said.
“There are still 132 hostages held in Gaza and they should be on everyone’s mind. Since Oct. 7, I have been using my platform to call for their freedom and I will not stop until their return,” she added.
Back in February, Tucker made headlines when she wore a dress adorned with a large yellow ribbon and the words “Bring Them Home” embroidered on it.
“When I arrived at the Grammys, some people were very upset, they said my dress was too political and asked me to remove the ribbon," Tucker told JNS. "I got lots of stares, but it had a huge impact and I know the families were thankful.
“It was one of my most powerful moments. It brought the hostage issue into the mainstream media. It still isn’t enough, but I am doing everything I can,” she added.
Well-known for her advocacy, Tucker is the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors and said that her family’s story has influenced her activism.
“My grandparents are from Hungary and Romania; they told me that if Israel existed back then, the Holocaust would not have happened. That is one of the main reasons why I stand with Israel,” Tucker said.
"What is happening today is way too similar. This is not an 'Israel problem.' This is a problem of the world. We see the rise of antisemitism in colleges, high schools, middle schools, in the workplace,” she added.
“Had more people taken a stand back then, things could have been different. It’s becoming more socially acceptable to be antisemitic and anti-Zionist. This is very scary, and everyone needs to speak up,” she continued.
Tucker, who addressed nearly 300,000 supporters of Israel at a Washington rally in November, said Jews in America have come together in a way that has rarely been seen before.
“Most Jews are trying to fight this, every single one of us. We need to understand that it does not matter if you are one percent Jewish or don't support Israel. If you were Jewish during the Holocaust, you had no power. Never again is now,” Tucker said.
Her message to the people of Israel and world Jewry is one of hope and longing for brighter days.
“We might be small, but we are mighty. For centuries, people have tried to wipe Jews from the face of Earth. We always survived and persevered,” Tucker said.
“We are strong and resilient. We must unite, stand together. It’s us against the world and we will prevail,” she added.