Russian singers in Israel who switch to Hebrew and English

Many families looking for Russian singers in Israel have the same problem. Half the guests want Russian songs, and the other half don’t understand them. Our answer is three female vocalists who sing live in Russian, Hebrew and English, switching as the evening goes. It works at weddings, jubilees and family parties where grandparents, cousins and army friends share one hall.

Why do mixed families look for Russian singers in Israel?

Because they need singers who can do Russian and still keep the Hebrew side of the family dancing. The parents may have come in the 1990s, and the children grew up in Hebrew. The in-laws might be Israeli-born or from an English-speaking family.

A DJ can play Russian tracks. Live voices singing the songs from family celebrations are something else. For many parents, hearing a Russian song live at their child’s wedding is when the evening becomes theirs too.

Live singing also lets us read the room. When the older generation fills the dance floor, we stay in Russian. When the younger crowd takes over, we move to Israeli hits. English covers bridge the two, since almost everyone knows them.

How much Russian, how much Hebrew?

That depends on the event, and we settle it with you in advance. A jubilee for a 70-year-old might be mostly Russian, with a Hebrew block for the grandchildren. A wedding where only the parents speak Russian might be the other way around. It could be mostly Hebrew, with Russian moments for the parents’ dance and a round of table songs.

Tell us who your guests are, and we’ll suggest a balance. Israeli classics help as well. Many olim learned them in ulpan, so those songs work for both sides of the hall at once.

Which Russian songs should be on the list?

Start with the songs your family sings anyway. Before you send us a list, think in three groups:

• dance hits that bring the older generation to the floor
• table songs everyone sings with a glass in hand
• newer Russian pop the younger cousins know

A good evening needs some of each. If you’re not sure where to begin, ask the relative who is always first to sing at family dinners. Every family has one. Leave a little room in the plan as well, because Russian table songs tend to start themselves.

Weddings for Russian-speaking couples and mixed families

At a wedding, each side of the family should get its moments. That can mean a Russian song for the parents’ dance and Hebrew classics for the Israeli grandparents. The couple’s friends get the dance hits they asked for, and no table waits long for its turn.

One tip: older relatives often leave before the late party, so their Russian songs belong earlier in the evening. Our page on booking a wedding band in Israel covers the whole night. Here we only add the language part.

Jubilees: music between the toasts

In Russian-speaking families, a jubilee is a milestone birthday, like a 50th or a 70th, celebrated in a big way. It’s a feast with many toasts, and the singers have to fit between them. Expect long tables, a speech from every branch of the family, and dancing in waves between the courses.

We have a microphone ready for every toast and keep the music soft while people eat. When the next wave of dancers gets up, we lift the tempo with them.

The layout of the room matters too. If the dance floor is far from the family tables, older guests tend to stay seated. Ask the venue for a floor close to them.

If a host (tamada) leads the evening, we plan the order of toasts and songs together. The songs of the guest of honor’s youth go to the top of the list. For other birthdays and celebrations, see birthdays and private parties. For December 31, see Novy God and holiday parties.

What should you tell us about your family?

A few details make the planning much easier:

• the songs your family always sings at the table
• a rough split of languages among the guests
• your host’s plan for the toasts, if there is one
• date, city and number of guests

The full show with dancers and effects is priced from ₪10,000, plus travel. Our Russian-language YouTube channel is @Onelli-ru. Our two originals are in Hebrew, and the page about the vocal trio explains how covers and originals share one program.