In 2018, Netta Barzilai captured the world's attention when she won the Eurovision Song Contest for Israel with hit song "Toy." Just a year later, in a candid interview with Channel 12 News, the singer-songwriter opened up about someone close to her who has Asperger's syndrome.
“I grew up my whole life with this presence, this elephant in the room,” she shared at the time. Now, three years later, her younger brother Ron Barzilai has publicly revealed that he is on the autism spectrum.
Netta performing "Toy" in Tel Aviv after Eurovision win
On Tuesday, Netta posted an emotional tribute to their relationship on social media.
“Meet my younger brother Ron, a gifted 29-year-old musician. You can always count on Ron to tell me the truth, even when it’s hard to hear,” she wrote in honor of December’s awareness month for people with disabilities.
“Ron came out of his Asperger’s closet in recent years, and I couldn’t be prouder to be his sister,” she shared with her half a million followers. “We must do everything we can to make ourselves and public spaces as accessible as possible, so they too can enjoy them as they deserve.”
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Ron, a talented double bass player, collaborated with his sister on a cover of "The Love Between Us," the theme song of Tomer Heymann’s documentary about a young man from Guatemala adopted by an Israeli family, who, like Ron, was also diagnosed with Asperger’s.
Currently, Netta is part of the "Link 20" project, a network of young people with and without disabilities working to promote equality, diversity and rights. Through digital leadership, social connections and raising awareness on social media, the project aims to create a more inclusive society.