Valerie Hamaty, the young artist who came just one step away from representing Israel in Eurovision 2025 by securing second place in the national final HaKokhav Haba, had an extremely dangerous experience on Wednesday morning (June 19).
In a social media post, she revealed that she and her family narrowly escaped harm when a ballistic missile launched from Iran struck a location very close to their residence in the city of Jaffa.
My family and I are safe, thank God. It was extremely close to us. We felt like the window of our safe room was about to explode from the blast wave. For the rest of the family, it actually happened — all the windows shattered and blew out. Please stay safe and follow the authorities’ instructions. It truly saves lives. Thank you all for your concern.
Valerie Hamaty and Her Greek Orthodox Heritage
Valerie Hamaty belongs to the small but historically significant community of Romioi in the Middle East. These are Arabic-speaking Christian Orthodox populations who, despite the loss of the Greek language after the Arab conquest in the 7th century AD, have preserved a strong connection to Hellenism through their faith, ecclesiastical traditions, and, in many cases, their cultural identity.
These communities continue to identify as Romioi, maintain active participation in the Greek Orthodox Patriarchates of Jerusalem and Antioch, and many retain a clear sense of Greek national consciousness to this day.
Valerie Hamaty is a prominent example. Her social media presence reflects her deep devotion to Greek traditions, customs, and heritage.
For more information about the Antiochian Romioi community and Valerie Hamaty, check out our previous article.
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