Militaryשי בן שושן

Shai Ben-Shushan

Shai Ben-Shushan is an Israeli musician, drummer and social entrepreneur who founded the Shalva Band, a group of musicians with disabilities.

Founding the Shalva BandEurovision 2019 interval performanceThe Nine Souls veterans ensemble

The story of Shai Ben-Shushan's life

Ben-Shushan served as a combat soldier in the Duvdevan Unit. In 2002 he was wounded in an operation near Tulkarm in which the unit's commander, Lieutenant Colonel Eyal Weiss, was killed.

He has described his rehabilitation as very hard. While in the hospital he met a person with Down syndrome, and this led him to work in special education through music and to join the Shalva Organization. In 2005 he founded the Shalva Band, which he manages and directs musically.

The band reached the final of The Next Star for Eurovision and performed in the interval act of the Eurovision Song Contest 2019. In 2014 he started and led Nine Souls, an ensemble of disabled IDF veterans that released a debut album that year. In 2018 he was musical director of the Eshkol Ashkelon ensemble.

He co-wrote the song A Song in Hebrew with Omer Habaron, performed by the Shalva Band and Jimbo J. After the October 7 attack in 2023 he joined the reserves, fought in the Gaza War and was wounded again.

Shai Ben-Shushan's life in 7 milestones

2002
Wounded in a Duvdevan operation near Tulkarm.
2005
Founded the Shalva Band.
2014
Launched Nine Souls and its debut album at the Barbie Club in Tel Aviv.
2015
Received a volunteering award from Keren Shalem.
2018
Became musical director of the Eshkol Ashkelon ensemble.
2019
The Shalva Band performed at the Eurovision interval act.
2023
Joined the reserves and fought in the Gaza War.

Shai Ben-Shushan served in Duvdevan

He was a combat soldier in the Duvdevan Unit and was wounded near Tulkarm in 2002. After October 7, 2023 he served in the reserves in the Gaza War and was wounded again.

Duvdevan