Musician John Ondrasik, who performs as “Five for Fighting,” has continued to show he is one of Israel’s most outspoken allies.
Ondrasik, who isn’t Jewish, recently collaborated with Idit Ohel, the mother of current Israeli hostage Alon Ohel. Alon, 24, was abducted on Oct. 7, and he’s one of 24 hostages still believed to be alive in Gaza. In partnership with the Ohel family, Ondrasik has released a reworked version of his popular song, “Superman (It’s Not Easy),” along with a music video that shines a light on the plight of the hostages. The video, among other images, features a young Alon wearing Superman pajamas.
Currently, 59 hostages remain in Gaza, including 35 confirmed deceased.
To honor the hostages still being held by Hamas, Ondrasik has changed the original “Superman” lyric, ”Find a way to lie, ‘bout a home I’ll never see,” to “Find a way to fly, to a home I will soon see,” underscoring Ondrasik’s hope that the release of the hostages still being held in Gaza will soon become a reality.
“The boundless spiritual fortitude of the hostages and their families is beyond words,” Ondrasik said in a statement about the reworked song’s release. “It felt right to change the lyric, to honor their strength and to remind the world, they are still there. We cannot forget them.”
“Superman” was originally released in April 2001. In the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks in New York City, the song was used to honor victims, survivors, police and firefighters affected by the attack.
This is not the first time Ondrasik has shown solidarity with Israel. Shortly after the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack against Israel, the 60-year-old musician released “OK (We Are Not OK)” which condemned the rise of Jew-hatred around the world in the immediate aftermath of the Hamas invasion. The release of the song led to him visiting Israel, where he performed both “Superman” and “OK” in Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, as well as participating in numerous pro-Israel events in Los Angeles.
He likened the experience of performing at Hostage Square to performing at Madison Square Garden in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks in New York.
He likened the experience of performing at Hostage Square to performing at Madison Square Garden in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks in New York.
The Jewish community has embraced him, and he has reciprocated the love, he said.
“In many ways, I’ve become a better person from interacting with so many of my Jewish friends the last 17 months,” Ondrasik said during an April 18 Zoom interview.
As of April 21, the video tribute to Alon, who is a pianist, had accumulated nearly 2,000 views.
“I’m very happy for Idit and all the hostage families that it’s resonating,” Ondrasik told The Journal.
In a recent interview, Ondrasik spoke about his ongoing support for the State of Israel, being embraced by the Jewish community and why he’s been an advocate for the Jewish people.
“To me it’s not a religious issue — I’m not Jewish — it’s a moral issue,” he said. “The fact that the world is upside down and so many people have a problem saying, ‘Free the hostages,’ shows how broken we are. That’s really what [my song] ‘OK’ is about, that we’re not okay.”
Music, he said, is an ideal medium for expressing one’s point of view. “Music has a way of breaking through,” Ondrasik said. “Music has a way of allowing people to listen when they may not agree with you…that’s why music is so important to fight this culture war.”
Ondrasik, a UCLA alumnus, said he welcomed the way the Trump administration — particularly Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz — has attempted to crack down on college campuses that have not done enough to protect Jewish students on their campuses.
“From day one, Oct. 8, they have been standing shoulder to shoulder with Israel,” he said. “You may not like Trump, you may not like Netanyahu, but to me this is not a political issue, it’s a moral issue.”
Ondrasik, whose wife, Carla Berkowitz, is Jewish — though nonpracticing — recently had his first seder experience. His wife, he said, “didn’t practice religion growing up. We don’t celebrate holidays, but I went to my first seder last Sunday [April 13]. I love the Jewish traditions; I love the fact they have a 10-day holiday for Passover — I want that.”
While the antisemitism facing Jews the past year and a half has weighed on him, Ondrasik said he’s feeling some hopefulness. He feels, he said, as though the “tide is turning.”
“I do see the tide turning in some spots,” he said. “I’m feeling a little optimistic.”
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