He grew up in a religious Moroccan home in Dimona, before eventually settling with his wife and two small children in Moshav Bet Zayit in the nether regions of the Jerusalem Forest.
The Oud Festival again proved itself a true expression of multi-cultural living.
The idea of the golem came up in the corona year. It comes from the idea of the cruel behavior in the world, and how we have become golems.
Follow Maureen Nehedar's journey through the Oud Festival as she traces her family's history to today.
The festival kicks off with a bang, with veteran iconic pop-rock pianist, singer and songwriter Yoni Rechter fronting a gala performance at the Jerusalem Theater.
Only local artists were asked to perform, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
Hadas Pal-Yarden performs songs in Ladino time at the Oud Festival
Twenty years after it took its first tentative steps into the world of cultural enterprise, the festival has come of age, and is clearly rising to the occasion this time round.
Ana Min el-Yahud (I Am from the Jews) at the Jaffa Theater blends Iraqi heritage with Israeli life
Over the years, the Jerusalem International Oud Festival has delved into all sorts of sounds and culture, beyond the strict bounds of the Arab world.