Sergio Bacari (released in Israel) - The biography

Sergio Bacari is an Argentine-Israeli content creator who has built one of the largest Spanish-speaking communities of Land of Israel lovers in the world. Through his project "Bacari Loose in Israel," he connects millions of followers across multiple platforms with the everyday reality of the Holy Land, combining history, culture, biblical explanations, and personal experiences from his perspective as a South American assimilated into the State of Israel, as a father, grandfather, and for 40 years as an educator and historian with a degree from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Table of contents:

Childhood and youth in Argentina
Life in Israel
The birth of "Bacari on the loose in Israel"
Impact and legacy

Childhood and youth in Argentina

The first years in Buenos Aires

Sergio Bacari was born on January 31, 1967, in the La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires, to an Orthodox Jewish family of Levites and priests who were immigrants from Syria. His parents, Elvira (Jamira) and Natalio (Selim) Bacari, raised Sergio alongside his older sister Claudia (Hadasa) and his younger siblings Marisa (Rachel) and Gustavo (Iosef) in a home that blended Jewish faith with Argentine life.

During his childhood, Bacari experienced a dual education: he began in an Orthodox Jewish school before continuing in the Argentine public system. This early experience with both worlds shaped the inclusive perspective that characterizes his current project.

Youth training and first links with Israel

As a teenager, Bacari was active in both sports and Jewish community life. He played soccer for the Independiente club and participated in the Zionist Jewish youth movement "Oriente," where he developed his leadership skills and deepened his connection to Zionist Jewish identity.

A defining moment in his life came at age 13, when he made his first trip to Israel alone, without his parents, for his bar mitzvah. This experience, though religious, was transformative: Bacari immediately fell in love with Israeli culture, the Hebrew language, and the country's unique atmosphere.

The path to immigration

After completing his secondary education, Bacari participated in the Leadership Institute's training program in Jerusalem. As he recounts: "After high school, I received a scholarship to study in Israel for a year, and that's when I decided not to return to Argentina and instead made aliyah (1986)."

Life in Israel

University studies and family life

After living in Kibbutz Nir David and working in the Land of Israel, Bacari earned a bachelor's degree in Education and Jewish History at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. During his college years, he met Laura, whom he married and started a family with.

After marrying in Jerusalem, the couple settled in Rehovot, where they began building their family life. In December 1994, their first son, Ishai, was born. Years later, he would become the catalyst for his father's most important project. In 1996, Alon was born, but the family faced tragedy when the boy died at just a few years old. In April 1999, Eden was born, completing the family.

After their separation in 2000, Bacari lived temporarily in Tel Aviv before moving to Kibbutz Givat Brenner. He currently resides in Modiin with his partner, Nira Atzmon, with whom he has lived since 2009. Nira is an eighth-generation Israeli from Jerusalem and the mother of three sons: Aviv, Johnatan, and Joab.

Sergio Bacari's family

Professional career in special education

Bacari's educational vocation began during his university studies, when he worked as an instructor at an institute for people with mental disabilities in Jerusalem. This experience led him to specialize in special education, a field to which he has dedicated more than three decades.

Upon moving to Rehovot, she began her career with the NGO AKIM, one of Israel's leading institutions for people with special needs. She initially worked in a foster home and later supported the "Apartments in the Community" program, which allows adults with mental disabilities to live semi-independently.

In 2010, Bacari founded a pioneering project in his field, setting up and managing in the same building in Rishon Letzion, a kindergarten for children with special needs in the mornings, a social club for adults with the same needs, and a social club for children with special needs in the afternoons.

features in the evenings and a unique all-ages hotel in Israel that operated only for people with mental disabilities who spent weekends there.

Personal life and philosophy

Bacari defines himself as "a secular-traditional Jew" who maintains the Jewish traditions he received from his family home. He loves the Torah and God's commandments, but not everything that the Rabbis or Jewish Sages have interpreted over the centuries.

He observes Shabbat by sanctifying it and fulfilling the precepts of the Fourth Commandment (no work or fire), with the family kiddush, and celebrates Jewish holidays with family gatherings, from a traditional perspective.

His passion for hiking and exploring Israel began during his childhood. As he describes it, "I spend my free time hiking around the country, hunting for streams or Bible verses all over Israel." He sets out weekly to explore historic sites or segments of the Israel Trail, sometimes with friends, sometimes alone. In 2015, he completed the entire Israel Trail (Shvil Israel), a three-year project spanning over 1,000 kilometers on foot with two friends.

The birth of "Bacari on the loose in Israel"

Origin during Operation Protective Edge

The "Bacari on the Loose in Israel" project was born spontaneously in July 2014, during Operation Protective Edge. Bacari's eldest son, Ishai, was serving as a combat commander in the Israeli army artillery.

Sergio's family in Argentina, concerned for Ishai's safety and interested in the situation in Israel, requested constant updates on the military situation. Bacari began posting nightly updates on his personal Facebook profile, describing the day's events in his characteristic style. These posts were special because amid all the negative and dramatic news about the war, the posts reflected life itself in a lighthearted way during that difficult time.

These posts, written in accessible Spanish and with a unique perspective as a South American immigrant experiencing the Israeli reality, began circulating among the Spanish-speaking community. The most dramatic moment came when Bacari risked his life to search for the artillery battalion where Ishai served, achieving a moving reunion on August 1, 2014, at 10:15 a.m.

Meeting Ishai during the military operation, August 2014

After the military operation ended, Bacari's followers asked him to continue writing about life in Israel. In response to this request, the Facebook page "A Bacari on the Loose in Israel" was officially launched in September 2014.

Transition from Facebook to YouTube

During its early years, Bacari's content focused on written Facebook posts that depicted daily life in Israel from an optimistic perspective. Its posts ranged from tours of biblical sites to reflections on Israeli culture, while maintaining an inclusive tone.

Sergio had always loved traveling and learning more about the connection between Israel and the Bible. Every week, he went hiking along trails following biblical stories—he loved being able to walk where the stories took place, the same valleys, villages, and mountains described in Scripture.

One day, he had the idea to record the tour on video and upload it to the Facebook community. The video received an extraordinary response: subscribers loved it and kept asking for more. So he began filming more content about Israel, and there was a gradual shift from written content to video. From then on, he never stopped filming.

In 2020, during the pandemic, he officially launched the YouTube channel "Bacari Loose in Israel." He realized that Facebook didn't have a search option and it was very difficult to view old content he had created, so he uploaded his best videos to YouTube. Since then, the community has grown massively, reaching 1 million subscribers on YouTube and more than half a million on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram combined to date.

Content and focus

The project is aimed at lovers of the Holy Land, those tolerant people who believe in the value of the Holy Scriptures, whether they are religious, practicing, or non-religious. Bacari's most popular videos include tours of biblical sites such as the Valley of Elah (where David faced Goliath), the ruins of Sodom, the tomb of the prophet Samuel, and detailed explorations of Jerusalem and its surroundings. Each video is accompanied by historical context, biblical references, and Bacari's personal perspective as a secular Jew, a priest, and an immigrant who has made Israel his home.
The secret to Bacari's success is his intellectual openness, combined with the orthodox upbringing he received as a child, which, combined with his emancipation, allows him to interpret the scriptures in an impartial, professional, and everyday manner.

Project expansion

Literary publications

In 2016, Bacari published "Un Bacari suelto - De Colección," a compilation of 30 selected publications from his Facebook page. The book has sold in over 20 countries and is also available in digital format.

In 2020, he published "Un Bacari Loose - de Colección 2," which includes seven main chapters: travels through Israel, Jerusalem, Israeli symbols, historical figures, Jewish holidays, and a chapter on the Mossad. Both books have become reference material for the Spanish-speaking community interested in Israel.

Bacari Store

In 2024, to celebrate the project's 10th anniversary, " Bacari Store " was launched, an online store created and managed by his son Ishai that offers authentic Israeli products, Judaica, gifts, and many special things about Jerusalem and the love of Israel. The launch was successful, reaching thousands of satisfied customers from over 25 countries.

just a few months ago. The store features more than 200 products, all geared toward the Spanish-speaking community, allowing followers to bring "a little piece of Israel" into their homes.

Educational and media projects

The project's reach has expanded to multiple platforms and formats. Bacari has developed three courses for the Institute for Leaders in Jerusalem, sharing his experience with future Israel advocates in Latin America. Between 2017 and 2018, he hosted the weekly radio program "Un Bacari Suelto en Las Ondas" on Radio España. In 2018, his content was incorporated into the curriculum of several Jewish schools in Buenos Aires.

International conferences and meetings

Bacari has held several community gatherings over the years, meeting thousands of his followers in person and strengthening their love and deep connection with Israel. These events include multiple visits to Buenos Aires, a July 2024 tour of Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, and Costa Rica, and a US tour (Texas, Las Vegas, and California) in December 2024.

Impact and legacy

After more than a decade documenting life in Israel, Sergio Bacari has created an authentic and accessible bridge between Latin America and the Holy Land. His work transcends traditional categories of religious or tourist content to become a cultural window that allows millions of Spanish speakers to understand and connect with contemporary Israeli reality.

Bacari's impact is measured not only by the number of followers but also by its ability to create a global community united by a genuine interest in Israel, regardless of individual religious beliefs. Its inclusive approach has succeeded in attracting both believers and non-religious people, creating a unique space for intercultural dialogue.

In a time of polarization and misinformation, the "Bacari Loose in Israel" project represents an example of how authentic personal storytelling can build cultural bridges and promote mutual understanding. Its legacy will continue to influence future generations of Spanish speakers interested in Israel, setting a standard for digital cultural content that effectively combines authenticity, education, and entertainment.

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