Update June 15th, 2006
David Sellem: Rising Star
A report on Kochav Nolad's French semi-finalist
by Semadar Shir, Yedioth Aharonot, 15th June, 2006
David Sellem once did a warm-up for Shlomi Shabat in Paris, until one day he saw a Jewish Agency advertisement for auditions for "Kochav Nolad". Now, after passing all the audition stages, he is dreaming about becoming the Yehudah Sa'ado of the chanson: "If only I can get a recording contract in Israel, I will stay here forever." Only Zvika Hadar remains unmoved by this story of Zionism: "I don't do Aliyah and integration, Sellem's in the finals because he's an incredible singer."
A bare few minutes after landing at Israel's Ben Gurion airport, David Sellem was surprised to discover that no-one here relates to him as just another anonymous tourist from France. The Passport Control policewoman stamping his passport said: "I saw you on 'Kochav Nolad', maybe you could sing something for me?" - and when he went to rent a cell phone, the sales clerks rushed him with: "We're going to vote for you!"
Each time he comes to Israel, he feels there is a large family around him. "Although I was born in France, my home is here," he says in fluent Hebrew. "To tell the truth, I'm not dreaming of coming first in the contest: what's important is that it will bring me work. If I am offered a contract, I will pack up with my wife and child, and we'll all come on Aliyah."
Tonight, he will be on television among the contestants who passed the final auditions for the "Kochav Nolad" TV show, and Sellem attempts to hide his nervousness: "I never believed I'd get this far," he says. In the interim, he is staying with a cousin in Ashdod, Ilana Simchi.
"I never imagined I'd succeed"
26 year old David Sellem grew up in Paris, where he has lived since the age of two. His father, Robert, who hails from Algeria, is an antique dealer. David is the eldest in the family, and is brother to Moshe (24) and Eva (22), his sister, who lives in Betar near Jerusalem ("She went on Aliyah three years ago with her husband, she's a great deal more religious than I am.") He learned to speak Hebrew at an orthodox Sephardi Jewish school in Paris.
David first came to Israel at age 3, on a visit to his grandmother in Ashdod. "It always felt great to be here, among Jewish people. Everything here is great: the sun, the sea, the humus, shwarma, the spicy fellafel, and wonderful people. I love the mentality. People say it like it is, not like the French, with their politeness and hypocrisy," he says. "Here, it's not like in Paris, where a kid with a kipah attracts attention. Obviously, everyone realizes that France is antisemitic, but it's best not to talk about it. When I was a kid, Arab children in the street would harass me by saying, 'Are you Jewish?' but I wouldn't answer them."
From the age of 17, he has been appearing at weddings and events in the French Jewish community. "I have an eclectic repertoire in French, English, Arabic and Ivrit. I've sung the hora, 'siman tov umazal tov', as well as 'balbeli oti' (confuse me). Two years ago, I was invited to appear at "Zenithe", a large Parisian auditorium, to do the warm-up for a Shlomi Shabat show."
Three years ago, he married 23 year old Joanna, a Moroccan Jewess, and they now have a baby son, Ryan-Avraham, whom they are bringing up together. Unlike Joanna, who has a permanent secretarial position, David has difficulty in holding down a conventional job. "I've been working in restaurants and shops, because we need to pay for baby food and diapers, but because my heart's in my music, it's been difficult. I started a job and suddenly I was invited to appear in a musical comedy about Jews, called 'Honey and Salt'. The show ran in France and Belgium, and when it closed and I returned to my job, they said they 'were sorry, but…' I'm now working for my father, he isn't going to fire me because of my music."
The big break in David Sellem's life came two months ago, when his wife read a Jewish Agency announcement on the Internet inviting singers to audition for "Kochav Nolad". Sellem went along with his guitar and sang "Elinor", by Zohar Argov ("I'm crazy about him.") The auditions were held by video conference, with Zvika Pik and the production staff sitting in the Jewish Agency's "smart room" in Jerusalem, watching as dozens of candidates sang in five separate locations around the world, including Argentina, France and the USA.
Out of all these contestants, only David reached the final rounds. "When Zvika Hadar informed me," he says, "I was on cloud nine." His wife, Joanna, was also excited. "She knows how much I want to be a singer. She told me, 'it's your destiny. Maybe this will bring you work and we'll come to Isael.' I brought along my computer from home, together with a Book of Psalms, which I put in my pocket before going on stage."
Sellem has never watched "Kochav Nolad" and regrets he doesn't know all the stars that began their careers on the program. "I'll sing whatever song they give me: if I don't understand the words, I'll ask, so that I can sing it with feeling. I'll stay with the contest as long as G-d wants, it's out of my hands. If I reach the final, I'll be staying until the end of August and my wife and son will come over to visit me in Israel." He is hoping that the program will act as a springboard for his career in Israel. "I don't have big ambitions, what's important is that I find a proper job. Maybe we'll live in Ashdod, where there is a neighborhood called 'the French Riviera.' To be able to sing in Israel would be two dreams come true."
Meanwhile, all those concerned are pleased with the discovery. "Programs like "Kochav Nolad" are a means of conecting young Jewish people from around the world to Israel," says Zeev Bielski, Chairman of the Jewish Agency. Zvika Hadar, however, admits that there was skepticism about the possibility of bringing singers to Israel from the Diaspora. "We didn't want this to be seen as a gimmick and were worried that the singers might have a marked accent in their Hebrew. But when I saw the video, there were tears in my eyes – there were some amazing performers. Sellem is an incredible singer, and all of us, although normally a group of hardened cynics who take Israel for granted, have been moved by his Zionism. He really loves Israel and my hope for him is that he gets to stay here."
With acknowledgement to Yehioth Aharonot.
English: G.A.
Update June 8th, 2006
We are delighted to announce that David Sellem from France has won through the third stage of audition, and the second Israeli event of Kochav Nolad. Following the online audition from France and his subsequent live performances in Israel, first in Ashkelon and then in Herzliya, David will return to Israel in mid-June to prepare for the televised semi-finals. David - we're counting on you to show them all and backing you all the way to the finals on 31st August.
For our browsers in Israel, please note that you can see David and the other 4 Diaspora contestants on Channel 2TV broadcasting tonight at 20:45 (the Ashkelon auditions), and tomorrow night at 21:15 (the latest round with David winning through).
Mazal tov, Brachot to David - Congratulations and Behatzlacha!
Update May 24th, 2006
Tension is mounting at Kochav Nolad [Israel Channel 2 TV] for our five young contestants from communities in the Jewish Diaspora won the first round through the Jewish Agency's eEvent auditions:
- Marcela van der Velder, Argentina
- Nicolas Solomon, Argentina
- David Sellem, France
- Johana Fitoussi, France
- Carolina Teitelbaum, Uruguay.
Although this kind of event is a big first for the Jewish world and the Jewish Agency, our talented artistes haven't had a moment off schedule! Since they arrived in Israel and entered the main contest: they have been busy rehearsing intensively for the next stage, which required them to present a solo in Hebrew, as well as a duet with a contestant from the same region.
On Monday 15th May, they joined their Israeli peers in Ashkelon for the second round towards the Kochav Nolad finals and their hard work paid off. When results were announced close to midnight, four of the five had been selected to go on to the final stage of the pre-show auditions, which were held on May 23rd in the Herzliya Recording Studios. Here, they were among the 100 contestants who sang solos in front of the panel of judges.
We are still waiting to hear the results from this crucial round, but it won't be for some time! If they are picked in the winning line at the next stage, they will be invited to participate as finalists in the televised rounds, to be held in late June.
Meanwhile, all five contestants go back to their home countries, and we hope that most will be recalled for the finals. Sadly, we say goodbye to Johanna Fitoussi of France, who was not chosen to continue in the contest at Ashkelon.
Behatzlacha - Good luck to everyone!
First Posting:
Jewish Agency shlichim in major centers worldwide arranged special auditions using video-conferencing systems, with the panel of judges sitting in the Jewish Agency's Smart Room in Jerusalem. The panel, consisting of Zvika Pik, Tamira Yardeni and Doron Medali, judged entries by dozens of talented young artistes from far and wide around the Jewish world: Moscow, Paris, New York, Toronto, Los Angeles and Buenos Aires. The contestants performed songs in Hebrew and also talked to the judges about their Jewish background, their connection to Israel and to Hebrew song.
Thanks to the outstanding work by these Jewish Agency shlichim in getting the project off the ground within record time, this round of auditions was a big success and after meticulous assessment five contestants will now go forward to the next stage, to take place in Israel. Here they will attend the final auditions for the program, in the hope of winning through into the final round of the contest, alongside their Israeli peers. The televised auditions will be shown on Israel Channel 2 TV from the 18th May onwards.
They didnt succeed:
