Yulduz Usmanova versus the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance. A case of polar opposites.
On Tuesday, May 12th 2026, I had the opportunity to attend a special world premiere film screening for The Makings Of Day of Hope. It was a behind-the-screen video showcasing the tremendous and heartfelt talent that went into the production of this groundbreaking film. The documentary film was hosted at the Great Neck South High School and had a large attendance. This event was sponsored by the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County.
There was also a panel discussion comprised of talented individuals whom were involved in the production of this film, including Dan Holtzman, Bernie Furshpan, Ghazal Mizrahi, Ron Csillag, and many others. The panel had the privilege of being moderated by Mazi Pilip, Nassau County Legislator. The presentation was also graced by the presence of Holocaust survivors with us in the room.
The central message of this heart-touching film was about how music and the performing arts can – and should – play a role in uniting individuals and groups from diverse backgrounds to instill a sense of hope and purpose in a shattered world. The subtext of this film reads: “In a divided world, they turned music into a force for unity”. It is not a co-incidence this film was brought forth by the impressive power and talent of the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, which has members from a variety of religious backgrounds that are found in the Middle East, and specifically in Jerusalem. This film could not have been made anywhere else in the Middle East except for Jerusalem, which openly accepts and reveres all the major world faiths.
Despite the barrage of biased and propagandistic “media coverage” of Israel, this film along with its production and panel members demonstrate the true lived diversity of the land. It was refreshing to see this documentary highlight how Christians, Druze, Jews, and Muslims all came together to unite their voices and talents for the merit of Israel and for the purpose of bringing its varied communities into a common shared reality where they see and hear each other with clarity.
This event was in extreme juxtaposition to the Jew-hating performing “artist”, Yulduz Usmanova, who wanted to use her platform less than one week ago to spew lies, hate, and disinformation (common amongst former Soviet Union apologists) about the Jewish People and the state of Israel. We clearly see how the arts can be used for pure hatred and bigotry, and how it can be channeled into a much higher and elevated form of human connection and bonding.
It was doubly refreshing to watch this documentary amidst the recent uptick in anti-Semitic hate graffiti that has plagued Queens, New York and many other neighborhoods. Artists of diverse backgrounds come together to achieve a unity of purpose and shared commitment to living within true “co-existence” while the radical left and other dangerous ideologues seek to engage in petty identity-politics divorced from lived reality.
The panel discussion after the documentary was highly engaging and informative. Mazi Pilip, a proud Ethiopian Jewish-American, delivered a straight-forward question to the panel: “At a time when the world feels deeply divided, what message does the Day of Hope offer the world for a message of hope?” All of the panel members shared their thoughts (based on lived reality, not academic theorizing) on how the reality on the ground in Israel, and especially Jerusalem, offer a model to the rest of the world of how different people can gather in society and make space for each other to shine – and specifically how music serves as one of the bridges to this elevated pursuit due to its universal language. Mazi Pilip resonated with this response as she recalled that her close friends in Israel, and in the Israeli Defense Forces, were also Christian and Muslim.
It is extremely fitting to highlight one particular response of singer, Ghazal Mizrahi. When asked by Mazi Pilip, “what can students take away from this film”? Her response was incredibly revealing and poignant; in response, Ghazal Mizrahi, asked “what can the educators take away from this?!” The auditorium could feel the urgency and sincerity in her voice as she reframed this question of utmost importance.
Ghazal Mizrahi explained the majority of students these days are exposed to unfettered lies and misinformation about Israel on a regular basis, and there is indeed a coordinated plan of attack singularly targeted at Jewish students and supporters of Israel. Her response is corroborated by the daily accounts we learn of “educators”, administrators, and other academic staff at colleges - and now high schools and elementary schools - that are focused on erasing Jewish identity and spreading outright lies about Israel.
She further went on to reference her own personal history when she was a student at college and was made to have academic review meetings with a music professor who would hang a Palestinian flag in front of her face because he knew she was Jewish of Persian descent. This was a form of intimidation she endured for years at that educational institution. It is unimaginable to even conceive of how any other ethno-religious minority group would be subjected to such ongoing attempts at intimidation without severe consequences to the individual involved in such a morally bankrupt action. And this is where we still are in 2026.
Ghazal Mizrahi’s response encapsulated how the educational system in many districts has been overrun by radical leftists and others that are fundamentally hostile to the values of America and the West. They seek to overturn the values we hold dear and there is a concerted effort to control the minds of the young and impressionable as they know their indoctrination efforts pay off at the ballot box. This is a trend that must be arrested and reversed for the sake of humanity and decency.
Even as we continue to witness the open lies against the Jewish people and the state of Israel on an alarming basis, the Jewish people have tremendous power in our embodied history and lessons from our Sages. Rabbi Shai Cabessa writes: “In anything we do…we must always remember that Hashem only expects of us to do our part. Once we put forth our best efforts, Hashem assures us that He will bless us with Divine assistance and “complete on our behalf”. (A Legacy of Torah, 2020, p. 343).
It is an honor and blessing to witness the many upright individuals in our communities who are committed to combatting Jewish hatred. It is all making its positive impact felt. It is incumbent on all of us to rise and speak in the spaces we find ourselves to hold the line against anti-Semitism and ensure this cancer does not spread to the rest of our body politic. The more we do, the more we can be assured that – with siyata d’shmaya – we will be victorious and share our songs with all those that want to sing the praises of our shared connection with The Almighty.
Dmitri Oster, LCSW
