Concert by the ‘Israeli Beatles’ helps raise £32,000 for Shoah survivors on the poverty line

A rock band known as the ‘Israeli Beatles’ helped raise £32,000 for Holocaust survivors living in poverty in Israel this week, while performing in London.

MANNA UK Branch of Meir Panim’s fundraising concert, media partnered by Jewish News, saw 700 supporters enjoy a performance by two members of the former Israeli band Kaveret, on Monday evening.

Kaveret, also known as Poogy, after their rock opera Sipurei Poogy, were given the ‘Beatles’ nickname in the early 1970s, before representing Israel in the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest, where they came seventh.

The band, whose five original members met during national service, quickly became known for its often humorous songs and unique style of music.

They released three albums but personal differences and a failure to land a big recording contract in the US meant that the band split up shortly after returning to Israel in 1976.

However, they reunited in 1984 and again in 1990, going on tour, and in 2013 announced another series of reunion concerts.

In London on 11 June – two of the original members – Danny Sanderson and Gidi Gov – helped raise money for Israelis living below the poverty line.