Nina and Yoni Tokayer met on a balcony in Safed, Israel while Nina was completing her National Service. Nina, a native-born Israeli to parents who made aliyah, and Yoni, who made aliyah at the age of 5, had both been pursuing careers in music. After their first meeting, they dreamed of making music together. Ten years later, the couple, now known as Yonina (a combination of their names) is making and performing music in both English and Hebrew with heartfelt messages and captivating tunes. They live in the rural city of Pardes Chana in northern Israel with their four children.
Yonina originated when the couple began sending videos of music they sang together on Erev Shabbat to friends and family. Around eight and a half years ago, Yonina released a video of Nina and Yoni singing “One Day” by Matisyahu in their car. That video received over 40 million views from around the world. In January 2024, the couple sang the song in their car again with Matisyahu making a guest appearance.
Yonina released their debut album titled “Emet Pshuta” (Simple Truth) in September 2017. The album included songs that Nina and Yoni had worked on before they met as well as songs they developed together. Selections include original hits such as “Ahava,” “Rega Mechuvan,” “Seriously” and “Shir Shel Boker.”
Their second album, “Somewhere in the Middle,” was released in June 2022. The songs in this album were jointly created by Nina and Yoni. This, inspired by the couple’s children, aims to be a child’s perspective about being kids in a family and a parent’s perspective on parenting. The album includes songs such as “I Can Do It,” “Lyla Tov,” “Eretz Israel,” “Lamdeni” and “Movement.”
Since the Hamas terror attacks of Oct. 7, 2023 and ensuing Israel-Hamas war, Yonina’s music has been heavily inspired by everything the Jewish people are experiencing both in Israel and around the world. Yonina’s song “Melaketet Kochavim” (Gathering Stars) tells Nina and Yoni’s story on the morning of Oct. 7 when Yoni was called up to reserve duty, put on his uniform and hugged his wife and children goodbye. At press time, Yoni has served 170 days in reserve duty.
More recently, Yonina released “Elohey Hayeladim” (God of the Children), a heartfelt prayer for the children of Israel that despite all they are enduring during this war, they grow up healthy and have the strength to push through the difficult days.
Nina and Yoni will perform a concert on Thursday, May 22 at 8 p.m. at the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades, which is partnering with Motion Audio Visual, an event production company, to produce the event. Avram Zamist of Motion Audio Visual is passionate about bringing Yonina to Bergen County. He and his family love their music and are looking forward to the community being able to experience hearing Yonina live.
Yonina will be on tour in the United States for a month. Their first performance will occur at Israel Day on Fifth, formerly known as the Celebrate Israel Parade, on Sunday, May 18.
“This is our first time in Bergen County since the war in Israel and we are very excited to be performing at the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades. We hope this evening will be uplifting and inspirational for all those who attend,” Nina said regarding the upcoming concert.
To purchase tickets, go to: https://www.jccotp.org/event/evening-yonina/.
