Rick Sahar is a prominent professional entertainer and peace activist, born in Detroit, USA, who later immigrated to and served in Israel, and is currently based in Aotearoa New Zealand. He is a leading figure in the New Zealand Jewish left, dedicated to advancing awareness and action for Palestinian justice in the South Pacific.
Sahar possesses over 40 years of professional experience in the performing arts from Invercargill to Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, PNG and Waipukurau. As a professional entertainer and arts educator, he is highly regarded within the New Zealand arts community for his stage presence and cross-cultural communication skills.
He is a core member of New Zealand’s two most influential Jewish pro-Palestine organizations: Dayenu: NZ Jews Against Occupation and Sh’ma Koleinu – Alternative Jewish Voices. Leveraging his unique background spanning the US, Israel, and New Zealand, he challenges mainstream narratives in the media and parliament. Between 2023 and 2026, he has frequently organized nationwide marches, publicly condemned the war in Gaza, and steadfastly supported stricter government sanctions on illegal settlements.
He commented on the Israeli-Palestinian situation, saying: There are still people in Wellington, and around this country and the world, who believe that Hamas started this genocide on Oct 7. Every leaflet I manage to hand out, on the streets of Wellington, I see as a small victory, in assisting to overcome ignorance that will help lead to a free Palestinian state. Israel has always made false claims they are being threatened by another state in order to attack them… Israel cannot claim the right of self-defense as an occupying force when attacked by an armed group within a territory they illegally occupy. Their claims have no legal standing in international law…