Inspired by the biblical significance of seeing Jewish people in Israel come to faith in Yeshua, and the spiritual revival that began to take place in Israel, Celebrate Messiah was thrilled to bring SOLU—a vibrant and dynamic young worship band from Israel—on their first tour of Australia this last November to bless the body of Messiah on our shores. As part of their Down Under Tour 2025, SOLU performed in and around Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, and Melbourne. To date, SOLU is the first worship team from Israel that has toured Australia. Attended by over 5,000 people across fifteen concerts, the SOLU tour became a memorable expression of worship, unity, and hope.
In recent years, many young Israelis have come to faith in Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah. This remarkable revival inspired a wave of new worship music that blessed believers worldwide. SOLU’s journey began in Jerusalem at Succat Hallel, a 24/7 house of prayer. There, spiritually hungry teenagers gathered weekly to worship and cry out to God. From these humble beginnings, their ministry expanded from prayer rooms to the streets of Jerusalem, and then spread to nations worldwide. SOLU was a band that brought a spiritual depth to their worship—one that reflected the prayer that undergirded their ministry. Their music and ministry were lively and engaging, full of life and joy, helping pave a highway to prepare the way of the Lord.
For too long, media narratives portrayed Israelis in a negative light. Through SOLU, we sought to share the true heart of Israeli believers in Yeshua with the church in Australia, giving a glimpse of what the future of Israel could look like as the number of Israelis believing in Yeshua continued to increase. Bands like SOLU are a sign that God is fulfilling His word to the Jewish people by restoring them to the land and giving them a new heart and spirit (Ezekiel 36–37). He is uniting Jew and Gentile, Israeli and Arab, in worship of the God of Israel and the Messiah, Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the Messiah).
That joy was especially evident in the spontaneous response of the Australian audiences. Across the tour, people danced—many for the first time in their lives. SOLU made worship accessible and inviting, creating an atmosphere where people felt free to respond physically to the presence of God. At the conclusion of one of the events, Pastor Stu from the Grainery Church in Newcastle remarked that he had never seen dancing like that in Newcastle before—a testament to the joy and freedom that marked the concerts.
Nizar Francis joined SOLU for their Down Under Tour 2025. A Christian Arab Israeli from Haifa, Nizar brought a powerful dimension to the worship by singing SOLU songs in Arabic alongside their Hebrew and English verses. Once a well-known singer in Israel, Nizar experienced deep emptiness despite his success, until he encountered the Lord in 2005 and his life was radically transformed. In 2014, he fully devoted his life to serving Jesus, embracing his calling to praise God through worship and to be a bridge between Jews and Arabs—proclaiming that true peace is only found in and through Jesus Christ.
One striking feature of the tour was how far people were willing to travel to be part of the gatherings. At the Gold Coast event, one attendee had flown over from New Zealand specifically to be there. In Taree, several people drove six hours from Dubbo, while others” “travelled down from Brisbane after the Brisbane event sold out. These journeys reflected a deep hunger to worship, connect, and be part of what God was doing through the tour.
Before SOLU returned to Israel, the tour concluded with a deeply meaningful and intimate moment in Melbourne. Shilo Ben Hod, the lead singer of SOLU, had the privilege of assisting Lawrence Hirsch, Executive Director of Celebrate Messiah, as new Jewish believers were immersed in water in a pool—publicly declaring their faith in Yeshua. This mitzvah marked a sacred and joyful milestone for those taking this step of obedience, affirming both repentance and new life in the Messiah.
During the performances, Shilo Ben Hod and Levi Davis shared moving personal testimonies from their lives in Israel during the Israel–Hamas War. Shilo spoke of how his family clung to faith in the midst of bombing attacks over their home, describing moments of praying and worshipping with his son in a bomb shelter and entrusting their safety to the Lord. Levi shared his experience serving in the IDF in Gaza in October 2025, where several of his comrades were killed in battle with Hamas. He spoke candidly about wrestling with survivors’ guilt, but came to realise through prayer that it was not for him to understand but simply to trust that the Lord still had work for him to do. These and other testimonies ultimately reminded the audience that only the Lord knows His purposes, and that even in suffering, believers are called to trust that God’s plans are good.
During the tour, Nizar Francis and Shilo Ben Hod were interviewed by a number of Christian radio stations, including the 20Twenty show on Vision Christian Radio, which was broadcast throughout eastern Australia.
Nizar and Shilo shared candidly about the heart behind the SOLU tour and the message they hoped to bring to Australia. Speaking about worship that transcends politics and division, Nizar emphasised unity in the Messiah, saying, “We are not here to make any political statement… we just want to show the people that Jews and Arabs, that we can be one in Messiah, no matter if you’re Jewish or Arab or whatever. The Lord has made us one in Him.” Shilo also went on to say, “I think we were never as united as we are now in worship as Jews and Arabs in the country of Israel.”
Nizar also reflected on the power of worship to change” “hearts, noting that “worship is a uniting experience… it’s about giving our hearts to God, and letting God do what He wants.” Shilo echoed this vision, sharing his hope for the Australian church and the wider region that the war could be opportunity to spread the good news of Yeshua. Together, their interview reinforced that the tour was not simply about music, but about bearing witness to reconciliation, hope, and faith in Yeshua—“bringing the truth to all the people that the body of Messiah in the land is united,” as Nizar expressed it—at a time when such a message is both costly and deeply needed.
This conviction was one of the key reasons Celebrate Messiah took a significant leap of faith in bringing SOLU to Australia and organising the tour. The vision was to help believers in Australia—and beyond—shift their focus from media narratives about Israel and the Middle East to what God Himself is doing in the land. The tour was the fruit of two years of planning, prayer, and preparation, involving a substantial step of faith and financial commitment from Celebrate Messiah.
Rabbi Lawrence Hirsch, the Executive Director of Celebrate Messiah, feels this mission was accomplished: “This tour marked a historic first for Australia—the very first time a worship team from Israel has toured our nation—bringing the sound of a new generation of believers from the Land of Israel to hearts across our country.” We are deeply grateful to all who supported the tour, including the many prayer groups across the country, our gold sponsors of Olive Tree Travel, ICEJ, Khor + Burr Lawyers, and Vision Christian Media, as well as the individuals who generously stood with us.
What we hope remains in Australia is more than a memory of concerts—it is the assurance that God is moving among both Jews and Arabs in Israel. As SOLU themselves recalled: “Every night was special—filled with praise, testimonies, joy, and so much dancing, as we encountered the Lord in deeply personal and powerful ways. It felt as if we were setting a stone— preparing the way for the Lord in Australia, one gathering at a time.” The SOLU tour offered a glimpse of what God is doing in Israel and what He desires to do among His people everywhere: uniting His body, renewing faith, and releasing a sound that prepares the way of the Lord.
To listen to SOLU’s music, pick up merchandise from the tour, and learn more about Celebrate Messiah, go to: celebratemessiah.com.au
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