Israel’s annual family entertainment show Festigal has revealed its promotional theme song for 2015. It reworks “Heroes” with its own lyrics, putting a Glee-inspired, Hebrew-language take on the Eurovision-winning song.

Festigal is an annual event that takes place in Hanukkah season (this year in early December). The show features performances from young singers as well as established artists. Every year the show has a theme, and features a theme tune based on a popular song. This year’s theme is “high school Festigal” and a song is the reworking of “Heroes”. The song’s lyrics remind students to be themselves and make the most of their high school years.

This isn’t the first time a Eurovision-winning song from Sweden has been used as the Festigal theme tune. In 2013, with the theme “classical elements”, the theme song was a mystical version of Euphoria.

With Festigal 2015 having a high school theme, we can’t help wonder if the show will feature Israel’s most famous singing high school student, Nadav Guedj!

Festigal “Heroes” lyrics – English translation

Good years
Years fly
Everything happens
Now is the time to sing together
There are some periods that don’t pass
Now is the moment and it is here, with all the fear
And especially when you’re sad and miserable
Yes, it’s the most important time, always remember that…
It’s time to live
It’s time to sing
The most exciting anthem

Chorus:
Now is the High School Festigal
And it’s the moment we’ll remember when we’ll grow up
Now is the High School Festigal
O-uh-o-o-oh O-uh-o-o-oh
Be yourself, even if it’s not always easy
O-uh-o-o-oh O-uh-o-o-oh
Now is the High School Festigal
O-uh-o-o-oh O-uh-o-o-oh
And it’s the moment we’ll remember when we’ll grow up
O-uh-o-o-oh O-uh-o-o-oh

It’s time that mistakes are allowed
And do not be afraid to just be
Get out of the shock
And anything can still happen, do not be afraid
It’s allowed to swim, even against the stream
And especially when you’re sad and miserable
Yes, it’s the most important time, always remember that…
It’s time to live
It’s time to sing
The most exciting national anthem,
Sing along

Chorus:
Now is the High School Festigal
O-uh-o-o-oh O-uh-o-o-oh
This is the moment we’ll remember when we’ll grow up
O-uh-o-o-oh O-uh-o-o-oh
Now is the High School Festigal

Do not be afraid to just be
Now is the High School Festigal
It’s time to live
It’s time to sing
The most exciting anthem
Sing along

Now is the High School Festigal
O-uh-o-o-oh O-uh-o-o-oh
This is the moment we’ll remember when we’ll grow up
Now is the High School Festigal
O-uh-o-o-oh O-uh-o-o-oh
This is the moment we’ll remember when we’ll grow up
O-uh-o-o-oh O-uh-o-o-oh
Now is the High School Festigal

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Maya G
Maya G
8 years ago

In the last decade or so the Festigal has become really moronic and shallow IMHO. While in the 80s and 90s it featured top musicians and actors, nowadays its stars are mostly models and “talents” who aren’t really talented at anything, plus the themes are uninspired ripoffs of popular TV shows and movies.

BTW Orna Datz is the one with the little white dress and leopard skin coat (faux fur, I hope) at 02:15.
Her ex-husband and former musical other-half, Moshe Datz, is now starring the self titled movie “Detective Datz” that came to theaters last week:
https://youtu.be/JlFZb_QdrT0

Mei International
Mei International
8 years ago

*disregards Mario’s spam*

For any fans of Duo Datz, the legendary song “kan” was used in 2004 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrHtm11nyqI

Alice
Alice
8 years ago

@Robyn: I don’t have links in English (they’re all in Hebrew), but if you plug this one into Google Translate (http://www.ligdol.co.il/NewChannels/Article.aspx?ArticleID=14869&ChannelId=4) the cast line-up is right at the beginning.

Alice
Alice
8 years ago

Good article, Robyn, but you forgot to mention one thing–that one of the singers for this year’s Festigal is one half of Duo Datz (who came 3rd in 1991)! I think her name is Orna?

elad
elad
8 years ago

1.children’s song and dance show!?
no,it’s a show for the whole family
if you will come to regular high school in israel after december
you will see that most of the students had seen him
2.If someone think that the israel high schools are look like this
so this is Incorrect,the show this year based of usa high school from movies.
In Israel there are no cheerleaders and no corridors like in the video and of course there are not basketball in regular israeli high school and more.

DenizNL
DenizNL
8 years ago

I like this a lot! Seems that Israel really likes Eurovision.

Lena
Lena
8 years ago

This is so cool. I am amazed. Great Israel

Mario esc-fan ~ I fancy Zac Efron :)
Mario esc-fan ~ I fancy Zac Efron :)
8 years ago

Oh…It not only reminds of Glee but the High School Musical movies as well..
Fun inspiring video clip.. 🙂

We are the heroes indeed…. 🙂 BUT how many times the actual reversed phenomenon happens to us! Like..
*We are the demons of our times that we fighting with the heroes in our minds!* 😛 LoooL! 😀
I thought of this after listening to *Heroes* of Manster for like 128th time 😛
And no i’m not Manster.. 😛 (aka fan of Mans)
The fans of Mans are really called Mansters 😉 hehe

Erin
Erin
8 years ago

One of the grown-up participants in the clip is a ‘Rising Star’ judge…(01:43, 02:57), so he’ll be one of the four judges who will have a saying in the identity of the next Eurovision entrant (unless Israel withdraws unexpectedly because of IBA’s dismantlement which is due by March 31, 2016). I’m impressed with the effort they put into that clip…it gets a local twist and yet it’s also very universal. I’m also pleasantly surprised how the Hebrew language feels almost organic here. Speaking of original songs, the Festigal isn’t really a breeding ground for new talent because all of its… Read more »