Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2001

Israel debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1973. A Jewish Review of Books commentary describes participation in the competition as a way for Israel to assert its place in the international community and project a cultural image beyond the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.[5] Following the 2000 contest in Stockholm, where the Israeli group Ping Pong finished 22nd, the Israel Broadcasting Authority reinstated the Kdam Eurovision national selection for the following year.[1]

Sondak, then 25 and born in Herzliya, approached composer Yair Klinger, who later offered him a melody intended for Kdam Eurovision.[3][4] An Israeli Ministry of Education music-education document recounts that Sondak asked lyricist Ehud Manor to write the words, but Manor declined because he had already written lyrics for another creator's Eurovision song.[6] Sondak ultimately won the selection with "Ein Davar" and earned the right to represent Israel in Copenhagen.[1]

Israel's entry was "Ein Davar" ("אין דבר"), written by Shmrit Or and Yair Klinger and performed by Tal Sondak.[1] The contest took place on May 12 in Copenhagen, Denmark.[1][2] It was staged before a reported crowd of 50,000, with 25 entries competing.[3]

Sondak performed with backing singers, including Tali, whom he later married.[4] "Ein Davar" received 25 points in the final vote, placing Israel 16th among the competing entries.[2]

Israel's 16th-place finish initially appeared to exclude it from the following year's competition. Under the rules described by Ynet at the time, entries ranked 16th or lower could not participate in the next contest.[7] After Israel's representative proposed expanding the field, the Eurovision committee decided to admit 24 countries, including Israel and Portugal, subject to approval by the EBU Television Committee.[7]

By November 26, 2001, the Israel Broadcasting Authority had selected Sarit Hadad to represent Israel in the 2002 contest, where her song "Nadlik Beyakhad Ner" ultimately placed 12th.[8]

In a later interview, Sondak said that he had expected a higher placing and was disappointed by the result, but that the trip became a personal success. Backing singer Tali had planned to travel to Boston to work as an au pair after the contest, but canceled her ticket after the two fell in love; they later married.[4] Sondak remarked, in translation from Hebrew: "For me, I won first place, because I came back from there with love."[4]

Sondak also recalled that representing Israel during the Second Intifada carried personal danger. He said the hotel was guarded around the clock and that two bodyguards accompanied him, including during his performance onstage.[4] The interview presents these statements as his personal recollections rather than independently corroborated details.

Globes and Ynet's contemporaneous report place Israel 16th, with Globes recording 25 points.[2][7] Mako and a 2019 Xnet interview also give 16th place.[1][4] A separate 2011 Xnet profile instead states that Sondak finished 15th out of 25.[3] This article follows the consistently reported 16th-place result.

The Ministry of Education document says that Sondak "won Eurovision" in 2001, without identifying a song or result; that wording conflicts with the documented international standings and appears to conflate or imprecisely describe his Eurovision-related success.[6][2] The Jewish Women's Archive page dated November 26, 2001, explicitly concerns Sarit Hadad's selection for the 2002 contest and does not document Israel's 2001 entry.[8]