Ishay Ribo Wows 15,000 Fans at Sold-out Madison Square Garden Concert  

Ishay Ribo Wows 15,000 Fans at Sold-out Madison Square Garden Concert  

By Lieba Nesis

Israeli singer Ishay Ribo electrified a sold-out Madison Square Garden audience with a heart-wrenching “Elul concert” performance on September 15, 2024-seventeen days before Rosh Hashanah. As Hollywood continues to push the envelope in an increasingly debased fashion, the oasis of holiness that engulfed 34th street on Sunday night was unprecedented. A married father of five who immigrated from France to Israel at the age of 8, the Sephardic Ribo has become a top international singer with two certified golds and one platinum album: a far cry from his mobile home upbringing in the West Bank. He began composing songs at the age of 14 and has since written over 100 tunes.

Last September, @IshayRibo became the first Israeli to sell-out @TheGarden. Last night he did it again. A moving and magical evening. Glad to have been there. pic.twitter.com/HMI4NAPdn9

— Elliott Z. Stein (@NYCStein) September 16, 2024

The 35-year-old Ribo is the only Jewish singer to ever be featured at the Garden. Selling out for the second year in a row at the world’s most famous arena with front row seats going for $2,200 a pop is no easy feat. The New York Times featured him in April 2023 as one of those religious singers that has won over secular Israel. And while his talents are worthy of the greats amongst the general population; his deliberate choice to sing in Hebrew about God and faith has limited his audience to mostly Orthodox Jews-the Garden Show was ninety percent religious. His original lyrics span rock/folk and draw from a variety of religious sources including Rashi, and the teachings of Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler. As a newbie to Ishay I was unsure what to expect, but let’s just say I am now a groupie as his mesmerizing two and half hours performance frequently left me in tears. The richness of his voice is reminiscent of Andrea Bocelli coupled with the spirituality and soulfulness of Shlomo Carlebach.

Beautiful tribute from Ishay Ribo to the 100+ hostages still being held by Hamas terrorists. The Jewish people are not whole until they are returned home. 🎗️ pic.twitter.com/XC13O06xx8

— Max Mannis (@MaxMannis) September 16, 2024

The most popular Orthodox Jewish artist on YouTube, Ribo shuns the celebrity lifestyle preferring to learn in a kollel and spend time with his family.  Magical, spellbinding, exhilarating are just a few of the accolades this 35-year-old phenom warrants. Judging by the crowd which was on its feet singing and dancing for almost two hours it is safe to say they agreed with me. “After so many sleepless nights and days filled with tears, we’re here together to sing a new song,” Ribo said. “Our unity tonight is the most profound response to the pain we’ve experienced.” Ribo who served two years in the IDF spent the months after October 7th traversing Israel to entertain IDF units while consoling the victims: at times attending up to 5 funerals a day.

I loved Ishay Ribo before, but this just brought my admiration for him to a whole new level. So beautiful!

Ribo at Harvard! pic.twitter.com/9CN1oO5MPH

— Hillel Fuld (@HilzFuld) March 8, 2024

Bnei Akiva of the US and Canada co-hosted the evening, with the goal of providing a respite from the rampant antisemitism engulfing the orthodox community. Who can forget February 2023 when Ribo’s Harvard performance was nearly derailed by Jew hating protestors requiring Harvard to hire extra armed security?

Thousands of Jews at Ishay Ribo’s concert in MSG chanting “Bring them home!” Praying for the safe return of our hostages. #BringThemHome #IshayRibo

@IshayRibo @TheGarden pic.twitter.com/1MaZwtyncm

— Yossi Farro (@FarroYossi) September 16, 2024

Last night @MSG Ishay Ribo to Orna: the entire nation of Israel is standing behind you & all the mothers & fathers, brothers & sisters of our brothers & sisters. We want to ask G-d to redeem us already. אָנָּ֣א יְ֭הוָה הוֹשִׁ֮יעָ֥ה נָּ֑א אָנָּ֥א יְ֝הוָ֗ה הַצְלִ֮יחָ֥ה נָּֽא pic.twitter.com/CjRbQFLVqb

— Bring Omer Home (@BringOmerHome) September 16, 2024

As part of Ribo’s “Elul” tour, the performance featured soul-stirring melodies of prayer, and a song from a new album released just hours after the concert, Yehi Ratzon, devoted to hope for brighter days. Halfway through his song Porchim Leshuvam, Ribo paused after the words “return our captives,” turned to the parents of hostage Omer Neutra, and led an emotional prayer for their son’s return home as the arena-sized audience stood, applauded, and erupted in chants of, “Bring Them Home!” Ribo’s hit “Sibat Hasibot”, the most played song in Israel in 2021, led to the audiences eruption into chants of “Am Yisrael Chai”!

Amazing #ishayribo #jewishest concert ever. But in a good way pic.twitter.com/2o4rD9hWNp

— isaacson enjoys studying Tanakh (@isaacson) September 16, 2024

A dancing Ribo briefly vanished reappearing in the center of the audience with only his guitar to lead an intimate set of songs including the renowned “Halev Shali” that was monumental. For a moment, the sound system fell silent as Jewish music’s largest audience joined in unison.

Beautiful Experience Again- @IshayRibo at The Garden pic.twitter.com/IeonZYNGob

— Judy’s Jewish Music (@JewdyOH) September 17, 2024

 Ribo was joined on stage by leading Israeli artists Eviatar Banai—who, like Ribo, attracts a fanbase spanning the entire Jewish community—and Idan Raichel, who, in 2013, became the first prominent singer to invite Ishay Ribo—then a young soldier from Jerusalem—to perform. Now, eleven years later, Ribo’s voice cracked with emotion as he welcomed Raichel to the world’s premier venue. “We’ve come full circle,” he said. “I don’t have words.”

Ribo ended his record-breaking performance by leaving the audience with a new album, Sof Chama Lavo—The Sun Will Rise in the End. As enraptured guests left Madison Square Garden a small group of Chabadniks sang and danced outside-departing such a spellbinding evening was next to impossible.