I'm Aiton Weinstein.

And I'm Naor Menninger.

And you're listening to Two Nice Jewish Boys.

Alicia Abbas was a talented kid.

The great grandson of the legendary Russian pianist, Alexander Scriyavin.

Alicia's talent was noticeable as early as age four when he started

learning piano at the Jerusalem Conservatory. By the time he was 11, he had already performed

with Leonard Bernstein in Carnegie Hall, as Isaac Stern sat in the audience watching. But alongside

his passion for music, young Alicia

was also drawn, like so many other Israeli kids, to the game of soccer. And soon enough,

the boy realized that his aspirations of being an international piano star come at a great price.

He decided to let go of the piano and become a professional soccer

player. His soccer career flourished and it seemed life was going in the right direction. But then,

when Alicia was 30, something unexpected happened, leading him back to the embrace of the piano.

TwinJB is honored to be joined by Alicia Abbas.

This podcast is made in collaboration with the Jewish Journal.

Today, Aitan is not here. He's abroad.

And I'm here with Alicia.

So what was the first time, you had a relationship with the piano?

Do you remember?

I don't really remember when I started,

but my first memory as a student, piano student, was from kindergarten.

...