Eurovision singers plant trees, perform in Tel Aviv
For second year, Israel invites singers ahead of May contest
Israel doesn’t just take part in the annual Eurovision Song Contest; it hosts the participants in a pre-contest promo show.
Dubbed Israel Calling 2017, the four-day trip this week brought 28 contestants to Israel on a visit sponsored by the foreign affairs, tourism and Jerusalem ministries, as well as the Jewish National Fund, Stand With Us and the Tel Aviv municipality, which hosted the group.
It’s the second year that Israel is hosting a contingent of Eurovision contestants.
Tourism Minister Yariv Levin said he hoped the trip would become a tradition, as one in a series of marketing steps designed to promote tourism to Israel worldwide.
Besides some of the expected tourist sites, like the Western Wall, the 28 visitors planted trees with KKL-JNF in the Eurovision glade at the Hanasi Forest.
The highlight of the trip was a live show at Tel Aviv’s Theater Club on Wednesday, when each of the artists performed their Eurovision song ahead of the May 9 contest.
Imri Ziv, a Kochav HaBa winner, is Israel’s representative at Eurovision in Kiev this year, performing “I Feel Alive.”