31-year-old Israeli performer and dog trainer Roni Sagi and her four-legged Border Collie dance partner Rhythm achieved the great honor of winning second place in the popular NBC TV show "America's Got Talent." Beyond the personal achievement, this serves as a great moment of Israeli pride and representation on an international stage, at a time when Israel's image is controversial.

Sagi and Rhythm delivered unforgettable performances, wowing the iconic judges Simon Cowell, Sofia Vergara, Heidi Klum, and Howie Mandel along with the audience. As one of the favorite acts during the season, they had a high chance of taking first place, yet the honorable second place also serves as testimony to their incredible talent.

During their participation in the show, Sagi openly talked about her Israeli origin and included references to her home in her performances. Recently, she featured a yellow ribbon in one of the acts, appearing to be an homage to the Israeli hostages still held in Gaza.

Despite the incredible success, a grim announcement has made Sagi's celebration bittersweet. She was informed that her father had passed away, a moment she described as "the most complex moment I've ever experienced."

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You are probably living under a rock if you have not heard about Roni Sagi and her four-legged dance partner. Indeed, you read that correctly – Sagi and her Border Collie dog Rhythm captivated "America's Got Talent" with their unbelievable dance routines all the way to the finals.

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Sagi, a 31-year-old Israeli dog trainer living in the city of Kfar Saba, took to the grand stage of the popular TV show and performed in front of industry giants like Simon Cowell, Terry Crews, actress Sofia Vergara, and model Heidi Klum. Although skeptical at first, Rhythm's clear dancing talent quickly won them over and captured the hearts of viewers, emerging as one of the season's most popular acts.

Their latest performance at the AGT finals got more than 2.6M likes on Instagram, with Sagi's follower count reaching almost half a million. One of her account's featured performances from the show includes a yellow ribbon, appearing to be an homage to the Israeli hostages still held in Gaza.

Although their participation in the show comes at a time of controversy surrounding Israel since the Israel-Hamas war broke out after Hamas' deadly attack on Oct. 7, it seems the duo's popularity on the show and social media bridges those gaps, uniting audiences across the world. 

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A youth choir comprising Israelis and Palestinians has advanced to the second round of "America's Got Talent" after an impressive audition on Tuesday night's episode of the NBC show, the Jewish Chronicle reported Wednesday.

The Jerusalem Youth Chorus, made up of singers from east and west Jerusalem, delivered a stirring rendition of Philip Phillips' song "Home," earning enthusiastic approval from all four AGT judges and a standing ovation from the live audience.

The Jerusalem Youth Chorus brings unity and harmony to @AGT! #AGT #AGTAuditions pic.twitter.com/tF236qptlJ

— AGT Auditions (@AGTAuditions) July 17, 2024

Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Sofia Vergara, and Howie Mandel all gave emphatic "yes" votes to the group, praising their performance and message.

One choir member described the group's mission to the judges, saying, "We believe through music and through working together and talking to each other, we are taking a step forward into building that amazing future where there is justice and there is freedom and there is equality and there is inclusion."

When asked by Klum about their plans for the $1 million prize money, another member responded, "We will create more spaces just like these choruses so people can meet people who are different from them."

Cowell commended the group, stating, "You made something very complicated beautiful through friendship." Mandel added that their performance gave him "goosebumps" and called it a "world anthem."

Vergara described the performance as "heartwarming" and "inspiring."

The Jerusalem Youth Chorus brings unity and harmony to @AGT! #AGT #AGTAuditions pic.twitter.com/tF236qptlJ

— AGT Auditions (@AGTAuditions) July 17, 2024

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