Before his debut concert in Israel, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne visited key religious and historical sites, including the Western Wall and Yad Vashem.
Rock icon Ozzy Osbourne, who died Tuesday at age 76, is being remembered not only for his legendary music career but also for his deep personal connection to Judaism and Israel, a bond mainly shaped through his wife, Sharon Osbourne.
Though raised Anglican, Ozzy embraced Jewish culture through his marriage to Sharon, daughter of Jewish music impresario Don Arden.
“Judaism is the only religion I have and the only one I’m comfortable with,” Sharon said in a 2024 interview, adding that the faith was “at the heart of our household.”
Ozzy, known for asking “Why don’t people like Jews?” from the start of their relationship, was deeply puzzled by modern antisemitism, Sharon told Jewish News.
The Black Sabbath frontman performed in Israel twice, first in 2010 at Ozzfest in Tel Aviv and again in 2018 on his farewell “No More Tours 2” tour.
Before his debut concert, he and Sharon visited key religious and historical sites, including the Western Wall and Yad Vashem. “We were very pleased to have the opportunity to come to Israel and visit the holy sites,” Ozzy told The Jewish Chronicle.
Amid growing calls for artists to boycott Israel, Ozzy remained unfazed.
“I try to stay away from politics. They don’t understand me, and I don’t understand them,” he said.
When asked about the pressure, Sharon firmly responded, “I’m half a Heeb. We play where we want to play. That’s it.”
Beyond music, Ozzy and Sharon joined more than 200 public figures in 2025 to condemn the BBC documentary Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone. The couple signed an open letter criticizing what they called the network’s “systematic bias against Israel.”
Despite failing health later in life, Osbourne’s two Israeli concerts drew massive crowds and, according to promoters, helped normalize performances by other global rock acts in the country.
After his death, Israeli fans flooded social media with tributes and memories—photos of Ozzy at the Western Wall, on stage in Tel Aviv, and words celebrating his lifelong bond with the Jewish people.
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