Tragedy in Israeli music: Singer Avishai Levi dies at 46

Singer and paytan Avishai Levi, 46, was killed on Friday in a severe traffic accident on Adoniyahu HaCohen Street in Jerusalem. Levi sustained fatal injuries after his vehicle began to roll, pinning him between the car, a fence, and a nearby pole.

The accident was reported to the Magen David Adom dispatch center at 16:03. Medics and paramedics who arrived at the scene found Levi unconscious, without a pulse, and not breathing. Magen David Adom motorcycle unit medic Eli Raymond stated that teams provided life-saving medical treatment during the extraction and evacuation, though his condition remained critical. Upon arrival at Hadassah Mount Scopus Hospital, his death was pronounced.

According to reports, Levi had stepped out of his vehicle to unload luggage when he noticed the car beginning to roll. He attempted to reach and stop the vehicle but was struck and trapped near the driver's door. The police have classified the incident as a self-accident, and traffic investigators from the Jerusalem District have opened an investigation into the circumstances.

Levi, a resident of Har Shmuel, was a well-known figure in the world of Mizrahi music and piyut. He began his musical journey in childhood and was widely regarded as a "wonder child" of the genre. Over the years, he performed in Israel and internationally, appeared on various programs, and released numerous albums and singles.

Throughout his career, Levi provided musical accompaniment for events, including Bar Mitzvahs, Brit Milahs, weddings, and Torah scroll dedications. He performed frequently for Jewish communities abroad and maintained a significant presence in the music scene for decades. He was expected to marry off his daughter in the coming months.