Fauda star Lior Raz down under

Fauda star Lior Raz headlined Magen David Adom (MDA) Australia’s Appeal launch in Melbourne on Wednesday night.

In conversation with journalist Kathryn Eisman, before a crowd of around 900 people, Raz discussed how real-life experiences inspired the hit show Fauda, which he co-created and stars in as the lead character, Doron Kabilio – the commander of an Israeli counter-terrorism unit.

“Fauda is really based on our experience in the army, but it’s a television show, so you have to make it like much more extreme,” Raz said.

Raz was born and raised in Ma’ale Adumim, his parents came to Israel from Iraq and Algeria, and he grew up speaking Arabic and Hebrew.  His father served in Israel’s Shin Bet, while Raz became a commando in the elite undercover counter-terrorism unit Sayeret Duvdevan, and served in the Duvdevan reserve unit for over 20 years.  He said characters from Fauda are inspired by real life, including his teenage relationship with Iris Azulai, who was tragically stabbed to death in a terrorist attack in Jerusalem in 1990.

Raz developed Fauda with journalist Avi Issacharoff following a life-changing conversation in the reserves: “He [Issacharoff] asked me if I have a dream, and I looked at him, and I said yes…  I want to write something about these people [serving in counter-terrorism]… I want to write about the mental price that they are paying for the action, but not just them, it’s also their family, their friends.”

Issacharoff told Raz he shared the same dream.  They worked together on the first episode and pitched it to broadcasters in Israel, and since then have co-created ‘Hit and Run’ for Netflix and ‘Ghosts of Beirut’ for Showtime.

Raz said Fauda initially was rejected by leading Israeli production companies, but with persistence today it is critically acclaimed, watched around the world with high ratings in some Arab countries.

Raz said when a production company agreed to make Fauda, he had to audition for the part of Doron.

He said the fifth season of Fauda, soon to be released in Australia, was re-written to reflect the events of October 7 and its aftermath.

Raz shared that after the brutal Hamas attack on 7 October 2023, he returned to Israel on 8 October, and drove down to the south to help evacuate Israelis from Sderot.

“There were bombs, there were missiles, and we went to rescue families who were stuck in Sderot…  It was a town that was surrounded by terrorists… I’m knocking on their door with my gun… they open the door and look at me and say ‘Doron!’… It was nothing compared to what other people doing now in Israel,” Raz said.

Amid boycotts of Israelis, asked if he had felt antisemitism in Hollywood, Raz said: “First of all, as an actor, no. I was in ‘Gladiator II’, I was in ‘Tuner’, I was doing other shows and TV all over the world. As a creator, as a writer, I did and I felt that after October 7.  It’s very hard to sell Israeli content.. but as I said before, when someone closes the door, we have a window. So, that’s what we did… I raised money in order to create and to produce content.”

Regarding rising antisemitism around the world, Raz said, “We need to be very proud of who we are”.  He believes it has also strengthened the bond between Israel and the Diaspora: “Back in the day, I think Israelis and Jews were a little bit separated… there was Israel, there was the diaspora, and I think after October 7, we as Israelis feel part of you, and I think you feel much more part of us as well, and I think you need to understand that Israel is behind you, even when you feel that you are under attack [from] crazy antisemitism… don’t be afraid, fight back.”

Raz noted that Fauda has been successful in breaking down barriers with people watching all over the world, and said the cast itself includes Arabs and Jews who are working together creatively.  He noted that similarly, MDA, an organisation he actively campaigns for, is considered a beacon in Israel for breaking down barriers.

“They are the melting pot of Israel… You see Muslims, Christians, Arabs, Orthodox, Reform, it doesn’t matter… everybody are together – lefties, right wings… together in an ambulance, together going to rescue lives of people, and this is the best of Israel,” Raz said.

The evening also heard from MDA Israel senior paramedic Ariyeh Myers, who was part of the team that flew Israeli Bondi hero Gefen Bitton back to Israel for further treatment.  Button had fought back against a terrorist during the Bondi massacre and was critically injured.

Myers discussed how MDA has been responding to attacks from Iran: “MDA crews faced extraordinary challenges, unlike many routine emergencies…  it creates damage in huge areas, buildings collapse, infrastructure is damaged, victims may be trapped under the rubble. Cluster missiles posed a different challenge altogether, with sometimes one missile giving us 50 different locations that we needed to search, and at the same time, while we’re searching, more missile alerts are coming in, and our responders are taking the risk every minute… Yet MDA teams repeatedly enter damaged neighbourhoods, they searched apartment buildings, they found casualties, they treated them, they gave them life-saving treatment on scene, and then evacuated them to hospitals, all while the sirens continued.”

He added, “The lessons of these conflicts are clear. The ability to save lives depends on the rapid response. Every minute matters, every kilometre matters, every ambulance station matters.”

MDA General Manager Emma Lipson said MDA Australia is raising funds for a new MDA station in Lehavim in southern Israel, stating, “This year our appeal is focused on something tangible, something lasting: building a new Magen David Adom station in Lehavim, southern Israel, a city just south of Beersheva. Lehavim is a growing community in a region that knows all too well how critical response time is when emergencies strike. Minutes, even seconds, can be the difference between life and death. This new station means faster response times, it means better coverage, it means more lives saved.”

To donate visit: https://magendavidadom.com.au