Bnei Brak Municipality Sends Thank You Letter To Tel Aviv Pop Star

The staff of the emergency command room in the Bnei Brak municipality sent a letter of appreciation on Wednesday to rock star Aviv Geffen for speaking up in defense of the city regarding its high rate of virus infections during the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

Last month, Geffen, known as a staunch secular leftist, gave a live virtual performance, and on the spur of the movement decided to dedicate a song to the beleaguered residents of Bnei Brak, who had come under fierce criticism in the secular media at the start of the coronavirus crisis for not adhering to regulations.

Geffen said at the concert: “In light of what’s happening, it’s important for me to say – I love Bnei Brak. It’s like a different era there – cut off from the secular world.”

“They chose G-d and I chose Mark Zuckerberg [Google]. They’re not on Google and updated [on what’s going on in the world] and we can’t blame them for that.”

When Geffen completed his performance, he found 420 messages from Bnei Brak residents thanking him for his support. He was so moved that he cried as he read them, staying up the entire night to reach each and every message.

He was subsequently interviewed about the experience on Channel 12 News, during which he began crying again when he spoke about the messages he received.

Geffen breaks down in tears during the interview.

“To the honored artist, Mr. Aviv Geffen: We want to express our appreciation for your work in ‘kiruv levavos‘ (uniting people) and your respect for the city of Bnei Brak and its residents,” the letter stated.

“The coronavirus period was charged and complex for all of Israel and for our city in particular. Along with the national health challenge, we dealt with widespread criticism of our city and its residents. We felt like we paid a high price while enduring days of frustration, difficulty and pain.”

“Your conduct and comments were like a breath of fresh air and showcased the beauty of humanity – a shared unity and respect as the basis of our existence as a nation.”

“In our name and in the name of the entire city, thank you!”

Geffen proudly shared the letter on his Twitter account.