Teachers’ groups halt Eyal Golan ticket sales amid pressure from women's organizations

Israel’s teachers’ organizations have bowed to mounting pressure, announcing Tuesday that they will no longer purchase or facilitate ticket sales for performances by singer Eyal Golan. The decision, communicated to suppliers like Mega Lan, follows fierce pushback from women’s organizations and educators over discounted tickets offered through the Teachers’ Organization website for Golan’s upcoming shows. Supporters of Taisiya Zamolotsky—one of Golan’s accusers in a high-profile minors’ case—plan to rally outside Bloomfield Stadium today, amplifying the call to shun the pop star’s performances.

The shift comes after more than 100,000 tickets were sold for Golan’s Bloomfield concerts, a milestone overshadowed by protests from women’s groups and teachers who say they cannot reconcile supporting an artist linked to serious allegations with their educational roles. “How do I explain to my female students that we’re subsidizing someone guilty of such acts?” one teacher asked, echoing a sentiment that fueled the backlash. Women’s advocates have long argued that cooperating with Golan’s shows legitimizes his platform, despite his legal entanglements.

The Teachers’ Union clarified its stance: “The CEO instructed all branches and affiliates to cease purchasing tickets beyond what’s already done. These were routine decisions, not typically flagged for our review, made as part of standard performance bookings.” The Teachers’ Organization, meanwhile, distanced itself from direct subsidies: “The tickets were sold by Mega Lan, not funded by us. We’ve demanded they stop sales to teachers immediately.” Mega Lan had offered the discounts under the organization’s auspices, a practice now abruptly ended.

The controversy reignited late Monday when Zamolotsky, who three months ago revealed herself as “T” from the “Friends’ Games” case, lambasted Golan’s mega-shows and their supporters. In a raw interview last year, she detailed her teenage encounters with Golan’s circle, alleging violence and coercion into sexual acts with his associates during a trip to Eilat. “My only mistake was admiring him—a monster,” she said then, her words now a rallying cry. Last night, she targeted Golan, the police, the Tel Aviv municipality, and event organizers: “When he falls, you’ll fall too. I’ll expose your ugliness.”

Her defiance has met resistance. An online campaign surfaced Monday calling for heckling Zamolotsky at the shows, laced with derogatory slurs—a move that only deepened the divide. Today’s Bloomfield protest, organized by women’s groups, aims to counter that vitriol and spotlight her cause.

Golan, a polarizing figure in Israeli music, has weathered boycotts before, with Tel Aviv officials recently signaling he’d find no municipal funding for performances. Yet his fanbase remains steadfast, a tension laid bare as teachers’ groups grapple with their role. For now, their retreat from ticket sales marks a win for Zamolotsky’s allies—and a rare pause in Golan’s relentless stage presence.

Israel Hayom contributed to this article.