(Haipo) – The Haifa Rotary Club held a festive gala evening on Wednesday evening, 5/13/26, at the Haifa Auditorium, centered on a performance by artist Idan Raichel in a "Piano and Songs" show of his best songs. The event was attended by Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav and the Head of the Hof Carmel Regional Council, Asif Isaac.
Orly Steinberg talks about Rotary activities
The hall was full of ticket buyers, and all proceeds from the event are intended as donations to Rotary Haifa projects over the coming year, primarily the rehabilitation of combat veterans and their families and support for disadvantaged populations.
Oren Almog, who was blinded in the attack on Maxim, plays with the late Mordechai Schnewald and Idan Reichel
At the climax of the evening, Oren Almog from Haifa, who was blinded in the attack on the Maxim restaurant when he was 10 years old, and Eliezer Schnewald, a combat veteran who was wounded in the fighting in Gaza, took the stage. Oren and Eliezer played unique and unforgettable pieces of music with Idan Reichel. We present them in their entirety.
Mordechai Schnewald, a combat veteran who was injured in Gaza, plays with Idan Reichel
An evening of music and community service
The gala evening took place at the Haifa Auditorium at 138 President Boulevard, and was a special event with all proceeds donated to the community. Artist Idan Raichel took the stage for an intimate piano and song performance, and the audience filled the hall to capacity. Orly Steinberg thanked the donors and supporters and noted that the focus in the coming year is on the "Choosing Life" program, a program that supports veterans and post-traumatic stress disorder victims.
"Choose Life" Program – A Groundbreaking Rehabilitation Project
The Rotary Club of Haifa's "Choose Life" program is a unique rehabilitation initiative that aims to provide a support and treatment package for veterans and combatants with post-traumatic stress disorder since October 7, 2023. The program has become the club's flagship program and includes therapeutic sailing and sea challenges as a therapeutic tool that combines physical activity and connection to nature, alongside group therapies, family support, and building a supportive community for participants and their families. The program operates from a designated area at the Shavit anchorage in the Haifa Port, allocated by the Israel Ports Company and operated by the Rotary Club of Haifa Foundation.
Idan Raichel and the audience
A dedicated track for female fighters and recognition from the Ministry of Defense
In 2025, the program launched a dedicated track for combat trauma survivors, combining a physical and therapeutic journey. The program was recognized as a significant project for the rehabilitation of war heroes by the Rehabilitation Division of the Ministry of Defense. The gala evening with Idan Raichel reflected the commitment of the Haifa Rotary Club to community service, with all proceeds from ticket purchases going to support these projects and other disadvantaged populations in the coming year.
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The Rotary Club is known for its activities for the benefit of others. Well done, especially when it comes to
In a donation to our wounded.
Dear heroes who need help.
Well done
😍Exciting…!!! Indeed, brave “warriors” who “choose the good and beautiful life”, because an “optimistic view” always gives “hope” for a much better future: both on the “personal side” & on the “community side”…!!!@
🙏"Well done" to the ISRAEL-HAIFA ROTERY club/association✨️
And a personal "thank you" also to "Idan Reichel" - all his work at "Zemer Ha-Hevri" comes from a deep "social perspective", in the sense of: "donor & recipient"!!!!!😭
A welcome contribution. I know from the battle wounds that participate in the life choices how much it helps them.