Yaroslav Maly: As soon as we start to take things seriously, we have a huge number of problems. The lead singer of the Tokio group Yaroslav Maly turned out to be a terry Jew! Homecoming

On Beit Shabbat in Holon:
Exclusive concert of the leader of the group "Tokyo / Machete" Yaroslav Maly in Israel, in a club format. Featuring Moishe Yankovsky. Acoustic set, new songs, the possibility of personal communication with the musician. May 25 at 20:00.
Then we all go together to celebrate Lag Baomer on Meron.
Reservation of seats by phone. 0526940770
https://www.facebook.com/events/863286387151561/

Nine in the morning. Small cafe in the center of Kiev. The entrance is well disguised. An institution "for friends". At the table, a man and a woman are drinking Americano coffee from the same cup. They could have ordered a second one, but they like to share everything for two. The waitress asks if the guests will have breakfast, she is answered: "Yes, everything is as usual for us." Once every 10-15 minutes, one of the visitors comes to their table and greets in a friendly way. These two have already become "friends" in the Ukrainian capital, although they moved less than a year ago. The man's name is Yaroslav Maly, to music lovers he is known as the frontman of the "Tokyo" group and the creator of the musical project "Machete". To film fans - as the author of soundtracks for the films "9th Company" and "Inhabited Island" by Fyodor Bondarchuk. To gamers - as the author of the music for the Need for Speed ​​Shift game. The woman sitting next to him is his wife and part-time director Rachel-Ora.

Get out of Moscow

Until recently, they were prominent figures in Russian show business - one of those who can afford to start something grandiose, without lack of money and support from the authorities. That there is only the international festival of alternative music Red Rocks, which was founded by Yaroslav and his company "Machete Records". He not only collected celebrities like Brainstorm and Okean Elzy and invited world stars like the British Morcheeba, he sent them to a remote province, where most people did not even know what alternative sound was: in Kemerovo, Barnaul, Ulan-Ude, Chelyabinsk etc. In a word, he systematically raised the level of musical literacy in the vastness of the federation, and reputable financial institutions, such as Sberbank of Russia, gave money for this. During his presidency, Dmitry Medvedev personally patronized one of the events organized with the light hand of Yaroslav Maly.

It is impossible to be in Russia now. The number of thinking people is getting smaller. Many are leaving. The rest live in such a tough informational pressure that the brain does not have time to process the information in order to draw the right conclusions. People who used to communicate with me, their parents and spouses watch TV, watch news on the Web and believe that children are crucified in the Donetsk region. They do not understand how I can live in Ukraine, and it is useless to explain it. Firstly, I am outraged by the lies that are pouring from the TV screens. Secondly, and this is perhaps the most important thing, I feel good here. He almost did not shine at social gatherings, but he was constantly at the center of the discussion of the Moscow glamorous get-together. In the last year, they talked about the leader of "Tokyo" especially a lot, and most often with bewilderment. He did something strange for modern Russia - he moved to Ukraine, moved his wife and four children to Kiev, and, moreover, completely abandoned concert activities in the Russian Federation. He was last in Moscow three months ago and claims to have counted the hours before leaving.

"Blessed are You, Lord, who wishes to return"

Of the eighteen blessings of the Jewish prayer "Amida"

A year and a half ago, when buying an apartment in Kiev, he did not yet know what he would call it home. Yaroslav just liked the Ukrainian capital with its unhurried flow of life, quiet streets of the old center and friendly residents. When the Maidan began, he also did not think about moving. I just saw photos of students beaten by police officers on the Internet and decided to support the protesters.

“We made the decision to perform on the Maidan together,” Rachel's wife joins in the conversation. - It was not yet a question of taking a position in the Ukrainian-Russian conflict, and we did not see the conflict as such, we just wanted to express solidarity with the people defending their rights. Many Moscow acquaintances did not understand us then, and now they do not understand. In general, lately we have had time to see enough how the ties between people are destroyed, friends disperse and families break up.

Beautiful far away

On the Maidan, Yaroslav Maly experienced his own internal revolution. He was imbued with the atmosphere of the protest movement and dedicated many songs to it: "Fight", "Freedom and Love", "New Hero". These compositions were performed at a recent Kiev concert. The audience sang along with pleasure: "The hero must return home", suggesting that this is about the heroes of the Revolution of Dignity. Only people who knew Yaroslav personally understood that he was putting a double meaning into these lines. He sang not only about those whom he saw on the Maidan, but also about himself, that a new stage begins in his life - the period of return.

Maly was born in Ukraine, but knew from childhood that he would leave. I looked at the horizon and imagined thousands of amazing places where you had to come, see and conquer. Small homeland - Kryvyi Rih was too small for an energetic boy who was nurturing grandiose dreams. In the music school, he also "did not fit". He was expelled from the third year. When Yaroslav's father asked the head teacher why his son was kicked out, the answer was short and succinct: "For everything!" Maly Jr. was not at all upset by this, he was not going to waste time in boring classes and wanted to quickly plunge into real adult life. It was 1991, the Soviet Union was falling apart.

The previous rules and foundations were losing their force, and new ones had not yet emerged. Almost immediately after his expulsion, Maly went to where, as he believed, one could take a sip of freedom and begin his "big voyage" - to Moscow.

“I didn’t think about getting rich or achieving fame,” the musician recalls. - I just sailed away from the coast, not really knowing what would happen next.

There are different versions of what happened next. Most media outlets describe Maly's success story as a male version of the Cinderella tale. A guy from the provinces without money and connections, but with hard work and talent, came to conquer Belokamennaya. He was noticed, given a chance, and now he is already receiving the "Discovery of the Year" prize at the "Maksidrom-2003" festival, then the prestigious MTV Music Awards, albums released in one hundred thousand copies and music videos on YouTube, collecting more than a million views in the first three days ...
Behind the scenes, it remains that Yaroslav arrived in Moscow at the age of eighteen, and organized the "Tokyo" group at twenty-eight. He is reluctant to talk about this decade, he only reports that he opened nightclubs. Details are not shared and, apparently, not without reason, it was in the 1990s. The fact that from the age of sixteen he took drugs, journalists also, as a rule, do not mention. Although Maly himself does not hide this.

Return trip

In a conversation, Yaroslav is stingy with stories about his biography. But it easily turns on when it comes to creativity, love, God, revolution. Frowns, clenches his fists and raises his voice, talking about the Russian war. But when I try to find out how the real Moscow, in which he arrived, was different from the one he had imagined when leaving Ukraine, he instantly withdraws, the tone becomes indifferent, the phrases are stereotyped.

In the end, clearly wanting to close the unpleasant topic, he says in a tired voice:

- Well, as it usually happens ... People unite around a common idea. Together they are moving somewhere. You trust those you have chosen as your travel companions, you think that you are on the same wavelength. And then one day you see that they changed direction long ago for the sake of money or some other interests, and all this time you walked with them, went in the wrong direction.

- Didn't like being rich and famous?

- Fame struck a blow to the psyche. You go to the pharmacy, and everyone looks at what drugs you buy. So you can go crazy. I wanted to hide somewhere. Therefore, for some time the group "Tokyo" was not visible at all. Worst of all, we seem to have achieved what we wanted, but the dream that came true did not bring any joy.

- Did the return to Ukraine bring you joy?

- Before, I fought all the time for something, ran somewhere. Now all the fights and races are over, I seem to live outside of time. I manage to read, write music, communicate with my family a lot.

A boyish smile appears on the face of my interlocutor.

- I just grew wiser over the years, I am already over forty, and this is largely due to my second half, - turns to Rachel and takes her hand, - well, our beloved city, of course, matters.

It cannot be said that after the move, Maly's work diminished. He regularly gives concerts, updates the repertoire of "Tokyo", develops the "Machete" project, which has already officially become Ukrainian. A Machete production center is about to open in Kiev. In addition, Yaroslav and Rachel are busy with the new English-language project HAVAKKUK. The first compositions have already been recorded - in Brussels. In addition to Yaroslav, six more musicians from different European countries participate. One of them - Vladi Meind, the first violin of the Royal Brussels Orchestra, performs his parts on the legendary instruments Stradivari and Guarneri del Gesu.

- Now there are three groups instead of two, you work simultaneously in Ukraine and Belgium, but claim that you have more free time?

Yaroslav smiles indulgently and speaks with the intonation of a mentor:
- When you do exactly what God wants from you, the world bends under you, and time stretches and contracts exactly the way you need it.

Call me Moishe Pinchas

The musician spoke about God for a reason. Over the past few years, he has made not one, but two important returns: to Ukraine and to the faith of his ancestors. Small Jew by origin, and the name of the new group HAVAKKUK is associated with the name of the prophet Havakkuk (in Orthodox sources, Avvakum). The name comes from the Hebrew word "hibuk" ("embrace") and literally means "one who was hugged twice."

It is believed that he died shortly after birth and was resurrected with the help of the prophet Elisha. "Havakkuk" means that after the first embrace, the mother's, there were the second - the embrace of the prophet. Some Tanakh commentators see this as a hint of a second chance - an opportunity to start life anew. The musician liked this idea. Maly was born into a family of Soviet Jews, grew up in a secular environment, he recently discovered the religious world and believes that from that moment his second life began.

The name Havakkuk now bears not only the group, but also the youngest son of its leader. And he himself lately appears to be less and less Yaroslav. In the middle of the conversation, my interlocutor unexpectedly announced that he had taken the Hebrew name Moishe-Pinchas. Then he admitted that he had never really been an atheist. Most of his songs are non-canonical prayers, desperate attempts to turn to God in their own words. Now the Little One turns every day in the form prescribed by the Jewish prayer canon.

It is impossible to be in Russia now. The number of thinking people is getting smaller. Many are leaving. The rest live in tough informational pressure

It began back in Moscow, when Yaroslav, out of curiosity, entered the local synagogue and saw two religious men emotionally discussing some issue from the Talmud.

- I understood almost nothing from their discussion, but I was struck by the very tone of the dialogue. They argued fervently, but without the slightest hostility, with love and respect for each other. Nobody humiliated anyone, did not try to assert themselves at the expense of the interlocutor. It seemed that even proving their innocence was not the main thing for them, it was more important to get to the bottom of the truth. How different this debate was from the ones I had seen before. I even regretted that I could not participate. I wanted to read some Jewish books, and the more I read, the more clearly I understood: they contain something important for me.

Gradually he learned to pray; does not use transport, electrical appliances, money on Saturday and Jewish holidays, and observes many other religious restrictions. Eats and drinks only what is allowed by the laws of kosher, which is why we met at a kosher cafe. Every day sets aside at least an hour in its busy schedule for studying the Torah. And yet he claims that Judaism made him much freer.

Doesn't sound very believable. As well as the fact that time stretches and contracts at his will. I could consider this a fantasy of a creative person. I could have suspected Yaroslav of posturing when he said that he did not regret at all about the earnings that he had lost by giving up concert activities in Russia, and money and fame did not matter to him.

But here's the thing - as soon as Yaroslav starts talking about his two returns, that special smile appears on his face, which only happens to perfectly happy people. You certainly can't fake it.

More precisely, a small part of them, unexpectedly for the Pope, came to congratulate him on a solo concert. As it turned out later, there are already eight of his offspring in the world, which Yarik diligently keeps silent about. And, judging by the latest data, the artist is not going to stop there.

Very little is known about the singer's personal life, although he assures that the answers to all questions can be found in his songs. Each album is a piece from the history of his life.

Yarik had several wives and, it seems, each tried to tie him to herself in the old proven way - children. But Small is not the kind of person who agrees with conventions. Therefore, when his last official wife gave birth to a daughter, he still filed for divorce a couple of months after this pleasant event. What to do - love takes a special place in the life of creative people. If it is not there, then there is no inspiration either.

By the way, the singer shows himself as a caring and attentive father. He does not shy away from responsibility and provides for his children. The only pity is that he does not like to brag about their successes and achievements.

The children of Yaroslav Maly, Luka, Eva and Solomon (what names!), It was not by chance that they were at their father's recital. True, no one thought that this fact would lead Yarik into such confusion. Of course, he could not shy away from curious fans who filmed the happy dad both on stage and behind her. It is important that the guys prepared not only flowers for him, but also congratulations. Good reminder of yourself, isn't it?

They danced backstage, periodically ran out onto the dance floor of the fan zone and, according to others, sang all the songs that father performed that evening.

Unfortunately, we could not find out anything about the other five guys. Still, Yaroslav Maly guards his private life with enviable obstinacy.

That is why, once again, we appeal to you, our beloved readers. If you know the names of the children, what they do and how they live, share this information with us and everyone else. Comments are provided for this case.

Yaroslav Maly was born in 1973 in Krivoy Rog (Ukraine). As a child, he was not much different from his peers - he also played football, skipped lessons and participated in various boy showdowns. Before entering school, the boy showed extraordinary musical abilities, so his parents insisted on additional education at a music school.

Biography

Although he was reluctant to study musical notation, ran away from exams and concerts, teachers could not fail to note that a brilliant musician was growing up in him. The musician remembers his first music teacher Igor Semenovich Beer with warmth. At a music school, he first had to study the balalaika, then the piano.

After graduating from school, Yaroslav Maly decides to continue his musical education, so he enters the music school in Kiev at the conducting department. But his studies did not bring him joy and inspiration. He was more interested in the free life of students, visiting nightclubs and using drugs. Due to the large number of absenteeism, the student, although talented and promising, is expelled from the school in the third year of study. In order not to return to his native Krivoy Rog, Yaroslav plans to go to Moscow. A seventeen-year-old boy goes alone to conquer a huge city. It was a difficult 1991, but the musician decided that the economic situation in the country could not affect his plans.

In Moscow, he occasionally writes music, visits nightclubs, meets people associated with rock music. Soon, clubs and agencies are interested in him, allowing him to perform in front of the public. According to Yaroslav Maly, his work at that time did not bring him pleasure, so he is organizing nightclubs and entertainment centers. He is reluctant to talk about this decade in his life, since during this period he begins to take drugs. A real revolution in the musician's life was his acquaintance with Gosha Kutsenko. The actor managed to get money to organize and promote the group Tokio. In 2002, the band made their first appearance at the festival. Two years later, the musicians released their debut album. After this event, the soloist of the group began to have problems with illegal drugs. But after prolonged treatment and rehabilitation, Yaroslav returned to his former life.

The musician sings in two groups of different directions (rock and rock mixed with pop). Each of Maly's projects is successful and is welcomed by fans of his work.

In 2014, Yaroslav Malyy radically changes his life and moves to Kiev. The events in Ukraine made a strong impression on him. He actively participates in mass rallies, performs at concerts and calls for a peaceful settlement of the conflict. In Kiev, the musician participates in various show programs, is a teacher for new young musicians. In the filming of his videos, he often acts as a screenwriter and director. He experiments, creates new projects and is an advocate of the Jewish community in Ukraine.

Personal life

Yaroslav Maly is an amorous person who does not tolerate restrictions and frameworks. During the conquest of Moscow, there were many girls in the life of the young man. He sought understanding, support and confidence in his feelings. He met his first wife in a recording studio. Once a girl came into the studio who wore the same shoes as the musician. This attracted the attention of Yaroslav, and he immediately met her. The girl's name was Natalya Simakova, she was an actress, played in films and theater. The couple got married and had a daughter, Michelle. But after eight years of marriage, the couple broke up. The musician dedicated the best songs to his first wife.

Very soon, Yaroslav appeared in public next to a new lover named Olga. They met on the plane during the flight. Yaroslav claims that at first glance he realized that this woman would become his true love. He often appears with her in public, gives interviews and talks about his relationship. His beloved is involved in organizing concerts, as well as other issues regarding the work of groups in Ukraine and the United States.

Yaroslav, like other creative people, is alien to conventions. If love leaves a person's life, then there is a need for new feelings. Now the musician has eight children from different women, he takes care of each of them. Small does not shy away from responsibility, often takes them on his trips to other countries. Occasionally, photographers manage to capture a happy dad with his children.

The musician plans to continue working on his work in Ukraine and the USA. Yaroslav sees his future surrounded by children in a house somewhere in Israel.

The leader of the # Selection chart on Jam FM, Alexander Stasov, talked to Yaroslav about his plans and projects, about life priorities and about his attitude to events that cannot be influenced.

- Is it true that in 2016 Yaroslav Maly will practically disappear from the radar of music lovers?

Yes, we go on a big vacation for about a year practically. During this period we will not give concerts. Only selectively, pointwise and very little. Because we will be doing Havakkuk creation, recording and, in general, now we are aiming only for that.

- After moving from Moscow to Kiev, did you start a reclusive lifestyle?

I am neither sitting in a vacuum nor in a void. From the moment we supported Ukraine and moved to Kiev, we gave concerts of the Machete group, also very selectively, there were several of them. And we were mainly working on our new project called Havakkuk. We have worked in Europe and in

Israel over this music, and now we continue. Overall, we were focused on this project. We do not lead a reclusive lifestyle, we just decided that we do not hang out anywhere and do not just spend time in order to light up somewhere. Not interested. Each of us has a duty. As a musician and poet, I have a duty to express my thoughts, feelings about what is happening in my life - in my songs, so I spend a huge amount of time on this. I have a beloved family, and I devote more time to my family than to being in companies that are not interesting to me.

- What is the fate of the album War and Peace of the Machete group? Its release was announced back in the fall of 2015. ?

We are planning to start recording this album. We are partly writing it in Ukraine, because it so happened that somewhere around three or four months ago we finished work on the EP. A few more tracks that we have, we will again finish writing in Ukraine, maybe in Israel or partially in Belgium, we'll see. I think the bulk of this work will be recorded in Ukraine.

- It is possible to clarify the differences between the projects Tokyo, Machete and Havakkuk for those who do not find them.

First of all, if we talk about the projects of Tokyo, Machete and Havakkuk, then, probably, in them one can trace the personal or spiritual growth of the person who writes these songs. I'm talking about myself. I can say that if we are talking about the spiritual component of all these three projects, then, of course, these are love, its various expressions, manifestations in this world. As for how we distinguish which track is in which album and which group it belongs to, we are talking about the musical component. Havakkuk is a completely different music, symphonic musicians, brilliant musicians, world stars take part in the project, so the music is qualitatively different. This is the lyrics

About the relationship between people, between a person and the Almighty, about what a person should do in this world, being here for such a short period of time, what we can influence, what we can change, what is in our power and what is not.

If we talk about Tokyo, it's still more electronic. These are lyrics, relations between a man and a woman, love and all kinds of manifestations in this particular hypostasis.

If we talk about Machete - almost live music, with a social orientation in the songs.

- Over the past two years, Yaroslav Maly has changed in appearance. Fans in social networks complain that they don't recognize the "blue-eyed rebel" right away.

Firstly, I have never been blue-eyed, and secondly, I have never been a rebel. Maybe it wasn't me.

I was not a rebel. I was always looking for some way out of those questions that have been ripening inside me all my life. The answers that I received from people, even respected by me, did not always suit me. So I was always looking for my own way. And it can be clearly seen in my songs. As for: if someone recognized me or did not recognize me, people change. The inner world corresponds to the outer one. Therefore, I am now studying the Torah, learning Hebrew, I devote my time not to fashion and not caring for myself, but to things that are more subtle and more beautiful for me. So I think I still look cool.

- Was the decision to go to the Maidan in the fall of 2013 difficult?

I just thought that I should support my Motherland and that's it. He could not have done otherwise. My wife Rachel and I flew from Israel, learned about the events that are taking place in Ukraine and flew to Moscow, gathered the guys and immediately flew to Kiev on the next flight. We called our friends, they here gave us the opportunity to land normally, calmly and go to the Maidan. And we gave a concert there.

- After almost three years, is there any disappointment in Euromaidan?

I now understand that what is happening now cannot be corrected in any way, neither by the desire to follow the information space, nor simply by the desire for something to change. This can only be corrected by turning to the Almighty. Because where Ukraine is heading now compared to where it could have moved at the beginning of all these events are two different routes, in my opinion. You need to understand that we are now in such circumstances when neither Europe, nor America, nor other countries will help us; or the desire to look more powerful, militarized - this is not real. And the only thing that can help us is an appeal to the Almighty, with a real request to help us.

You know, parents always punish their beloved children. If he is moving in the wrong direction, then it is just that sometimes you can get in the ass. The same is happening now with Ukraine. We're getting hit in the head, in the ass, in all the other places right now. We need to understand, as soon as we run out of the desire to just take these blows, and the desire to really think about the reasons for this, we need to turn to God, to apologize for

that we did something wrong and ask for help. Then everything will be tip-top. It's like in a person's life, this is a mini-society, like a family, and so is the country - if something goes wrong, then you need to find out the spiritual reasons first of all. I am sure that the physics of manifestation of some circumstances is like twigs, and the root is in another. You need to think, understand what has been done wrong, what needs to be corrected, in which direction you need to move. More often you need to look at the sky, and not at your feet. And to think about what we really did wrong, my opinion is. There is no other way out, because some people change, others - the situation is only getting worse. All are sharpened to disrupt financial preferences for themselves, for their clans and move on in this direction. And no one is interested in the country moving forward and moving forward.

- Being one of the opinion leaders, you can broadcast your ideas and influence the situation?

We are broadcasting. It's just that our influence is not in the realm of the physical world. Nothing can be done here, if you do not pay attention to the spiritual component, I am 100% sure of this, we talk about this in our songs.

- Are changes for the better possible if you start them first of all with yourself?

I dream that people, this world and everything that happens to us, thanks to some simple things, will change for the better. And these are actually really simple things. We are constantly inventing something for ourselves, trying to find some excuses, for some trifles to divert attention from serious, big problems, which in fact are solved very simply. And here is my desire, my dream - a simple understanding of complex things, so that it is inside, each of us, so that we understand that we are not just here, not to eat pasta or watch some kind of program on TV or write comments in social networks, and we are here to really change this world for the better. In order to find our Daddy in this world, who loves us very much. It’s very simple. Without considering this, it is impossible to change anything. I am sure about that. This is my dream - for people to understand this. And I understand that each of us has a duty in this life and we can only do something, but it will or will not work out - the work of the Almighty. Here is my opinion that everyone should do something in the direction of this. Everything else is bullshit.

- Why does a smile appear on Yaroslav Maly's face during the war?

I smile at the fact that such a frivolous person is entrusted with such a serious task. I mean that I have always perceived this world somehow easily. And I was just lucky because my wife also always supported me in this. And as soon as we start to take things seriously, we have a huge number of problems. As soon as we think that something depends on us, we immediately find ourselves in some circumstances, from which we can hardly get out. There is ease in each of us. Why sometimes you look at the child, at his reaction and enjoy how easy it is for him to express the most difficult things in two or three words and for everyone it turns into a huge smile, for everyone who sees it. We lack this. And this is the great humor of the Almighty, which gives each of us the feeling that he can change something and at the same time - the feeling of who we are without him at all.

- Are there any successes in improving yourself?

In working on myself, I have not succeeded in anything. Only that I found a wife who helps me to work on myself.

When Yaroslav Mal th, the lead singer of the groups "Tokyo" and "Machete", and his wife Rachel agreed to be interviewed, I was very surprised, because they never talk about their personal life, and even more so about children. Until now, the press only knew that Yaroslav had four children from ex-wives and four children of Rakheli, who became his children.

We met at the synagogue at 9 o'clock in the morning. All morning I could not collect my thoughts - I was very worried. First of all, because I wanted to get to know Yaroslav the father - I know Yaroslav the musician from his performances: these are almost the only concerts after which you go out with a feeling of love and light inside. Unusual warmth comes from the lyrics, music ... and in general - from Yaroslav himself.

During our conversation, I caught myself thinking that the typical relationship "I am a father - you are a child: I teach - you listen" here is embodied in something amazing. Yaroslav and Rachel complement each other so much and talk about their children in such a way that it immediately becomes clear what love is.

- Yaroslav, do your children go to your concerts?

Yaroslav: Yes, of course, our children perform with us.

Rachel: And then we go and look at those they like (laughs - author).

- And what performers do they like?

Yaroslav: Well, now, for example, we are going to Hurts. So let's all go together.

- I asked about the concerts, because I saw only one news that your children were at your concert.

Yaroslav: By the way, you are somehow miraculously the first to take pictures of us with children. I mean - in this form, when we came with my family and give interviews - this is the first time.

Rachel: We were offered before, but ...

Yaroslav: Somehow Raheli liked you.

- It's nice! Yaroslav, tell me, what is it like to be such a father with many children?

Yaroslav: We don't have any dramatic stories. Each of our children is our common child. The destiny of each of us is our common destiny. Therefore, we do not share our children, they are all really ours. We love them very much.

For example, yesterday Rachel talked to my daughter for an hour and a half on the phone. There is excellent contact between them. I know less than Raheli what is happening to her.

Vitalik (Yaroslav's son - author), for example, calls only Raheli. Because he knows that dad can ask questions (laughs - author).

- What feelings did you have when you found out that you will have your first child?

Yaroslav: You know, with the advent of Raheli, 4 children appeared in my life at once. Straightaway! And I can say that, of course, I did not expect this. But it's so strong ... I can't explain, but I see myself in them - they really look like me. Just yesterday there was a situation: we came to the synagogue, I sat down behind a column, opened the Torah, began to teach ... And I hear the conversation of two grandfathers: “Look, what good children this person has - they are beautiful and their names are beautiful. And a copy of dad - they don't look like their mother at all! " (laughing - ed.).

In addition to physical connections, I believe there is a spiritual connection. And we feel it very well.

In general, we feel each other this way - you can't even imagine. If something happens with some difficulties, we immediately see it in our children. So we have to deal with something, solve something, overcome some obstacles, and we see that they are at the same time with us. We never ask them for anything. We very rarely say that this is the situation and you need to be careful. That we need to pray to the Almighty, ask him to help us.

Rachel: This is because together with them we cognize this world, God. Together with them we sit down every Saturday on Shabbat, on a family day and read stories about people, about their qualities, where it is clear what is good and what is bad. And we talk about it, and then everyone goes about their own business all week. Saturday is a special day when we comprehend the world with our children. These days, we come to understand who we are, what we want to do.

- In your cultural tradition, it is customary to treat children up to a certain age as celestials, when, in principle, everything is allowed to them - is that so?

Yaroslav: We do not have such a tradition. It's just that up to 3 years old, some people do not make comments to children, and then some kind of adjustment is already underway. But, in principle, we were just really lucky with children. They just chose us, I don't know why - apparently, to make it easier for us (smiles - author).

That is, they do not strain us at all, and they are not deities for us, in no case, they are just our partners in this life: we learn something from them, they learn something from us. We have a common scale of values. And there is no violence in this - we absolutely calmly talk on various topics and never force them to do anything. Just how we feel - that's how we talk about it with them. And then we realize that they feel the same way. This is an amazing moment, because sometimes children talk to us in such a way that we understand that this is what ruined the situation that we had.

- That is, there is no need to bring up children?

Rachel: They need to be corrected. 🙂 And our faith helps us a lot. First of all, it is respect for parents. What is respect? This is just trust. That is, not just obedience is stupid, but trust in the opinion of your parents, because they have already lived something. Our faith teaches children to treat their parents correctly.

Yaroslav: We do not insist, we do not impose - we give them freedom in their choice. But at the same time, we adjust very carefully so that later it does not affect their psyche. We treat them very carefully, and they treat us very carefully.

Rachel: Dad talks to them. In any situation, they close in the office and talk.

Yaroslav: They love to travel with me somewhere. We go somewhere all the time, the children always talk to me. They have a whole world inside - in general, cool! And we share this world with each other.

- Do they go on tour with you?

Yaroslav: Yes, sometimes we take them with us.

- And on the recording of songs?

Yaroslav: Yes, and at the rehearsal. They are with us everywhere. The two of us don't go anywhere at all - someone else will definitely come with us.

- I saw someone helping you, do you have a nanny?

Rachel: Yes, there is a nanny, of course. But, this is not upbringing - this is leaving.

- How long has your nanny been with you? I ask because recently I also had a nanny, and I was painfully worried about this fact, because I kind of like a bad mother, since I leave my child and want to work.

Rachel: Well, first of all, there must be a nanny for mom to feel good. Because the mother's condition is directly transmitted to the child. When the mother is tired, the child will also be irritable. This is verified! 🙂

When a nanny appears, you don't have to leave the house right away. It is better to take a nanny just when you are still at home. And you can see this person, correct it somehow. Indeed, in any case, the nanny cannot meet all expectations at once. But the most important thing is that you need to treat her as a helper, because even if there are feelings between the child and the nanny, this is not mother's love. She is only for a child with a mother. Even if mom is very busy.

- How is your typical day? A typical work day, when everyone wakes up and goes somewhere?

Yaroslav: We wake up at 6 am. Rachel prepares the children for transportation to school, I leave for the synagogue for prayer, then we meet after prayer at home. We hang out there, do some business, sometimes I manage to make music if there are no rehearsals or some meetings. Then I go to the rehearsal, and Rachel do things related to business, contacts, negotiations, concerts. A huge amount of everything hangs on her, besides the fact that she is a mother. Then I come, and we all meet again, the children are just returning, we eat together, then we go to the synagogue together. In the evening we have time to play together, sometimes I have time to make music - a little bit. 🙂 They also take part in this process, and then we are cut out instantly. 🙂

- Is it scary to be a father?

Yaroslav: Not scary at all!

- Have you ever been afraid?

Yaroslav: No, this is generally a huge thrill. It is impossible to explain what happens when you have contact with a child. This is fantastic and not scary at all - this is absolute happiness. And we want to have as many children as possible.

- What is the role of the father? What is the most important thing a father should pass on to his children?

Yaroslav: The father just has to be a kind and worthy person. Sometimes strict, but very rarely. Basically, mom should be strict. It seems to me that this is how it works out for us. Our mother is a general in the house. 🙂 Really, dad - he is there, on the street, and somewhere else in charge. And at home, everyone is guided by mom.

It is important that children are good people. And this needs to be shown by example. After all, you grow up with your children. You understand that you cannot give up the slack, because they are looking at you. You have to be more organized, you have to be more precise. Well, because they follow your example. They love you. Therefore, they watch what and how you do. And, of course, this is a reciprocal growth process.

- How is it in your family? As far as I understand, there are older children. Do they choose their own path? Or are you somehow trying to guide them?

Yaroslav: We help them in this. We have Rachel doing this. As, in principle, everyone else. 🙂 I say, you should have interviewed her - she would have told you everything!

Raheli always has some ideas, and she shares them with our children, and then they think that these are their own ideas! In some miraculous way, she does it all. But we never insist on anything. We always have our own opinion, it is 100% clear for us, and we very rarely change it, because we are very rarely wrong, very much. 🙂 But in general, they are, of course, grown-up guys, this is their life. Our task is to do everything around them so that they make as few mistakes as possible.

- Do you share your experience with them? That is, you tell them about some moments of your life?

Yaroslav: We, in principle, have nothing special to share. They themselves can take food (laughs - author).

- I mean, for example, that I opened Wikipedia and read that from the age of 16 you took drugs and you had an addiction. Do you tell them about such moments?

Yaroslav: The elders know about this, of course, but children live in such an atmosphere and environment that they do not understand at all what drugs are. Thank God! And for me it was also a spiritual search, because they stopped inserting all the things that surrounded me. And so I was looking for something else. Some way out. And, in fact, the whole life of a person is an opportunity to become better, an opportunity to give expression to his soul. The opportunity to feel a part of the Supreme within oneself. And this is the most important thing, that's why all paths are good here. Apparently for me, for the soul that I have, it was necessary to go through these moments. And they don't need it at all - they are already initially at such a level that sometimes you just look at their actions, at how they look at things, and you realize that you yourself have something to learn from them. We do not hide this in any way. This is my path, and I am very glad that I passed it with dignity and move on.

- If you spoke to your parents and you would ask them to advise something - what would you recommend to them ?

Yaroslav: Well, probably, be yourself and understand that you do not live this life for children - you live this life for the person who is next to you. You have to make the person in your pair beautiful, happy - this is the most important thing. Children are around it. They are not in the first place, because as soon as children come first, a substitution takes place. The most important thing is to feel whole in this world. And you cannot feel whole without your soul mate. Children need to explain this too. They understand this very well, and then they tune in to meet their soul mate, and they will also continue to pass on this experience to their children. And in this sense, the only thing we would like to wish is not to lose ourselves under any circumstances.