Shalva’s Vienna event marked its band’s return, unveiling a rehab center honoring Sharabi family

SEPTEMBER 7, 2026 21:16A particularly moving and extraordinary solidarity event took place last night in Vienna, just days before Rosh Hashanah, when dozens of friends of Israel, community leaders, and diplomatic representatives gathered for a special evening of support for Israel and the Shalva organization.The highlight of the evening was a performance by the Shalva band, which returned to performing in Europe after a long hiatus forced by the Swords of Iron war.Organizers also announced plans to establish a trauma and post-trauma treatment center in Ashkelon, which will be named after the family members of the released hostage Eli Sharabi, who was murdered on October 7.The event was led by Marie-Louise Weissenbock, head of the organization Christians on the Side of Israel in Austria, which works extensively on behalf of the Jewish community and the state.Among the prominent guests in the hall were the Deputy Ambassador of Israel to Austria, Ilay Levi-Yudkovsky; the Chief Rabbi of Vienna, Rabbi Yaron Engelmayer; the President of the Jewish Community in Linz, Dr. Charlotte Hermann; as well as the founder of the Shalva organization, Kalman Samuels, who celebrated his birthday this evening.Members of the Shalva band perform their greatest hits - ''A Million Dreams,'' ''Stand by Me,'' and ''Hallelujah.'' in Vienna. (credit: COURTESY JOSH ARONSON)A new rehabilitation center for traumatized residents of the southIn his speech, Kalman Samuels shared with the attendees the extensive mobilization of the Shalva organization since the Black Sabbath of October 7, including hosting thousands of evacuees at the National Center in Jerusalem.Samuels revealed the new initiative that was born following a government appeal: the establishment of a dedicated family and rehabilitation center in Ashkelon for tens of thousands of residents in the south who are dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).The connection to the project took a chilling and moving turn when Samuels told about the phone call received by his wife, Malki Mali Sharabi, who was released after 491 days in Hamas captivity.Sharabi, who lost his wife, Liane, and his two daughters, Noya and Yahel, in the massacre at Kibbutz Be'eri, wanted to commemorate his loved ones through Shalva, an organization close to the family's heart because of their longstanding commitment to volunteering with people with disabilities.The new center, located in the Ashkelon marina, will be called the "Sharabi Family Center-Shalva".In a recorded and chilling message broadcast during the evening from Israel, Eli Sharabi addressed the audience and said: "I lost my wife, Liane, and my two daughters, Noya and Yahel, on October 7. They were my whole world – three amazing women who always sought to help others. This center is the way to continue their spirit, to take their love and kindness and turn them into a response for families in the south who are dealing with trauma and pain. I believe they would be proud to see their name associated with a place that brings healing to others."'True ambassadors of Israel'Deputy Ambassador Ilay Levi-Yudkovsky welcomed the initiative and thanked the organization "Christians for Israel" for their steadfast stand by the country. "In these days, when we are facing enormous challenges from our enemies alongside rising waves of anti-Semitism in Europe and the world," the Ambassador said. "Your support and courage are more important than ever. The members of the Shalva band are our true ambassadors - representing a caring, inclusive Israel that believes that every person deserves respect, community and equality."Rabbi of Vienna, Rabbi Yaron Engelmayer, addressed the upcoming Rosh Hashanah prayers. "On Rosh Hashanah we pray not only for ourselves, but for the entire world to be blessed with peace and blessings," Rabbi Engelmayer said. "This partnership, and the spirit of peace that places the weak and the disabled at the center of society, is the embodiment of the mutual guarantee and social responsibility that we hope for."Music, tears and hope for the futureThe artistic part of the evening swept the entire audience to tears and dancing. The members of the Shalva band, including soloists Dina Samta and Eden Tehrani, performed their greatest hits - "A Million Dreams," "Stand by Me," and "Hallelujah."The band's director, Shai Ben-Shoshan, shared candidly how the band members accompanied him through his rehabilitation process after he was seriously injured in battles in Gaza and Lebanon and returned to fight time and time again. Kalman Samuels also thanked David Fomberg for managing the band and restoring it to intensive activity during this complex period.Another highlight was when Vienna's chief cantor, Shmuel Barzilai, took the stage and performed "Adon Olam" with the band in a moving arrangement, and later the song"Jerusalem of Gold" was dedicated to Holocaust survivors who were present in the hall and received flowers from the band members.The moving evening concluded with a joint singing of "Hatikva" by everyone present in the hall, connecting the local community and the ambassadors of the spirit of peace and prayer for a year of peace, healing, and security for the State of Israel.Yohanan Samuels, CEO of Shalva, said of the event, "This evening was simply unforgettable! The energy was amazing, and we felt at every moment the warm embrace and immense love of everyone for the 'Shalva' organization. After too long a break, the Shalva band returned to stages in Europe – and there is nothing more exciting than showing the world again what we are capable of. People with disabilities are no different from anyone else; they are equal and inseparable from us.We will continue to represent Israel with dignity, to inspire and work for equality everywhere in the world. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who worked hard and made this evening a reality, and I am already looking forward to the moment when we will celebrate together the opening of the 'Shalva Sharabi Center' in Ashkelon – which is made possible thanks to the wonderful people who support us."Follow us on Google