Sharon Altshul | JNS
On Oct. 7, 2023, as Israel woke up to the horror of a massive terrorist assault, Jerusalem singer-songwriter Sara Elijah reached for her guitar. The song that emerged in the days that followed, “If You Hear Me,” was raw and vivid, a melancholic melody woven with imagery of captivity and aching hope.
Though not part of her debut album, the single became an emotional touchstone, capturing both the helplessness and yearning that shadowed the early days of the war.
The image of a dress on a barbed-wire fence combined with her sweet voice was powerful. The song was “dedicated to the young, beautiful people who went to the Nova Music Festival wanting to dance and celebrate peace. Dedicated to the families of the kidnapped, the babies, the children, the moms and dads and the elderly. Dedicated to the murdered civilians, to the Israeli soldiers. Dedicated to the People of Israel, to Am Yisrael.”
“The night of Oct. 7,” Sara shared, “I found myself leaning over my guitar, tears streaming down my face and expressing my pain and emotions in creating this song.”
Now, Sara is back, this time with “Young Strong Lungs,” which marks her first full solo release. Sung under the name Sara Elijah, the project charts not only the evolution of an artist but also the resilience of a generation shaped by uncertainty.
“I promised myself I would succeed and reach the highest goals in the best way possible,” she told JNS. “Music isn’t mine. It’s a gift I got to give.”
Born in Jerusalem in 1998, Sara grew up immersed in music and meaning. At age seven, she showed promise at a local music conservatory and received her first instrument, a violin. A brief flirtation with the piano and organ followed, but by 13, she had found her true love in the strings of a guitar and the lyrics of her own making.
By 15, songwriting was a refuge and a calling. She filled her notebooks with chord progressions and verses that grappled with love, belonging and identity. But music wasn’t her only anchor.
The daughter of Kalman and Malki Samuels, the founders of Shalva, a groundbreaking initiative for individuals with disabilities, Sara’s upbringing was deeply connected to a mission of inclusion.
Her older brother Yossi, who became blind and deaf after a faulty childhood vaccine, was the inspiration behind the Shalva National Center in Jerusalem, which is today the largest and most advanced facility for inclusion and disability care in Israel.
Sara, 22 years his junior, grew up within its walls. At 18, she chose to complete her national service at Shalva and it wasn’t long before she was invited to join the Shalva Band, a musical group whose members included individuals with disabilities.
The Shalva Band performed on some of Israel’s biggest stages and in 2019, it captivated the nation in its appearances on the Israeli TV show “Rising Star,” the winner of which represents Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest in front of 200 million viewers.
Members of the band arrived at the finals only to learn that there would be a problem with Sabbath observance at Eurovision and respectfully withdrew from the competition.
Eurovision then invited the Shalva Band to perform as guest artists and their moving rendition of the song “A Million Dreams” went viral with rave reviews all over Europe.
Subsequently, the band performed on Israel’s national stages on Memorial Day at the Knesset and during Israel’s Independence Day ceremony on Mount Herzl.
Through it all, Sara played guitar, wrote and quietly honed her voice. “People with disabilities in my eyes are just differently abled,” she said. “They remind me to tune into my emotions more often. I admire their ability to express love and other raw emotions like vulnerability.”
‘Young Strong Lungs’
If Shalva Band gave her a platform, “Young Strong Lungs” is where she truly steps into the spotlight. Released under the artist name Sara Elijah, the album consists of two parts: a stripped-down acoustic set with a vibrant cover and a more fully produced trio of songs, presented under a stark black-and-white aesthetic.
Tracks such as “Judged” and the title piece offer piercing insight into the emotional turbulence of an emerging artist. The genre leans pop, “technically indie,” she said, often with a thin thread of melancholy.
“My music is a reflection of human experience. It doesn’t belong to me, it’s passing through me to make people feel validated, seen,” she explained. “To give as many hugs as possible through headphones.”
She credited her friend and producer Aviv Mor with helping her find her true voice. “He kept stopping me in the studio whenever I tried to cover my voice with a fake layer. He taught me to sing more softly. I was afraid of it at first. But when I heard the final track, I think I heard myself clearly for the first time.”
One powerful moment came while listening to the finished song with fellow Shalva Band members Yousef Ovadia, who has Williams syndrome and Yair Pumberg, who has Down syndrome.
“They don’t understand English well, but they were crying. Not sad tears, just pure emotional overwhelm from the melody and intention of my voice. That was when I realized: my music matters.”
Although “If You Hear Me” stands apart from the new album, its spirit echoes through “Young Strong Lungs,” a record born in wartime, but not bound by it.
The songs are reaching listeners far beyond Israel. “It’s super flattering that Spotify included me on a playlist alongside Taylor Swift,” she laughed. “So grateful.”
Still, for Sara, success isn’t measured in charts but in connection. “I know what music did for me growing up,” she said. “And I want to be that for other people.”
Sara continues to create with purpose. Her path playing guitar with the band has taken her from Jerusalem to Mexico, London, Russia, the United States and Canada. While traveling on a Shalva Band tour in 2019, she met her future husband in Miami, Florida.
But whether performing on national stages or recording alone in the studio, her mission remains unchanged: to offer listeners not just sound, but solace. “Recording a new song is the best feeling ever,” she said.
Sara’s debut album isn’t just a personal milestone; it’s a promise, one made to herself and shared with Israel, the Jewish people and the world. It breathes melodiously with the strength of young, strong lungs, inspiring all who hear her with hope for a better future.
Sara Elijah’s album, “Young Strong Lungs,” is available on all platforms.
