Mentalist Newspaper articles about mindreader Ehud Segev

Ehud Segev: "The New Horatio Alger"

by Gad Nahshon

Ehud Segev, 24, loves this country. He is a talented sophisticated young actor, performer, entertainer and... mentalizer, as well. He is anew star, a member of a new tribe of people who see America as their new social frontier. They were Americanized before they became newcomers to this universal continent, the "new world." They espoused the American values, they are the new Horatio Algers, they want to be famous, to be distinguished, they are highly motivated. Certainly the "Arnold Syndrome" in California has enriched their dreams: America means immigrants, immigrants mean America (Oscar Henolin!)

Ehud Segev came to this country from the town of Rosh Pina, in the north of Israel: "I would like to reach to the top. I would like to contribute to this country. I would like to be successful in Hollywood as well. And let me tell you that one day I will be the president of the U.S.A.! Yes, do not laugh. The fact that I was born in Rosh Pina, that I was not born here is not important because I predict that America will change the Constitution. I believe in America as the great land of possibilities and I believe in myself," declared Ehud Segev, a tough sabra, a young man who believes in the greatness of America more than most of the Americans themselves.

He understands the essence of the American ethos, the American dream, and he plans to sail on the waves of the future. He is only a 23 year old Israeli but he has great experience in life, in business and, of course, in performance. You can see him play at the 42nd St. off-Broadway Trilogy Theater in Hamlet. You can see him playing at 42nd St. Chashama in Sleeping in Tomorrow. He also participated in Kiddush in East Jerusalem at the Theater for the New City or Out of Focus at the Vital Theater, NY.

Of course, he was acting in many plays in Israel. Furthermore, he has a lot of experience in acting in films: Horizon Time, Alive Again, and in... Immigrants. He trained himself at the prestigious studios: Stella Adler, HB Studios, and others.

Segev is a well-known popular mentalizer. He loves to entertain people. His shows are attracting many people because he is unique. He discovered his abilities as early as 12 years old. He developed these mystic, spiritual, para-psychological talents in Israel in the Galilee.

He has links to the city of Tsfat, the ancient city or capital of the Kabbalah (16th century). He was actually born there. Segev has links to the roots of the Jewish mysticism but his shows are just acts of entertainment. Often, he compares himself to Uri Geller, but his shows are different: This is the act of the impossible - mind control, thought transmittal, metal bending, telekinesis, element of hypnosis, and pure mentalist. Segev became famous in Israel because of these massive shows often with a thousand participants.

When he was 19 he produced a show in which he wanted to bring back the spirit of Yitzhak Rabin (in a club in Metula, North). This show was cancelled because of public pressure of the Galilee"s Rabbis who argued that this show contradicted the Jewish religion. Ehud Segev, as I pointed out, is only an entertainer. That"s all. (www.ehudsegev.com). "I have a dream to be the present of this country. I have here all of the options. This is the land of openness. You have to work hard. I came here because I could not be more a kind of victim of the Israeli mentality. I belong to a young generation who believes in private enterprise.

In Israel we have too much authorities. Too much obstacles. We must change this negative situation. How? All powers to businessmen. We need more privatization! We need economic liberalism. We need more linkages between center and the hinterland. We need low level taxation. I was in business. I saw these problems. It was very hard to develop business. It is a message to change the attitude to young Israeli capitalists."

Of course, Segev loves his motherland. Rosh Pina is not just a town in the North. It is a Zionist landmark. It was established by the Biluim in 1882! They were the first Zionist pioneers who came to Palestine to be the first Jewish farmers, back to nature, away from the urban decaying Jewish East-European old ghettos, away from the avalanche of pogroms and more pogroms a-la-kishniff, April 1903.

Segev, who is fascinated by the American dream or by the great open frontier, is the grandson of one of these pioneers who established Rosh Pina. He is a scion of the fourth generation. His grandfather, Yitzhak Goldstein, was a founding father of Rosh Pina. Segev"s parents live there today and they did not stop him from coming to this country. The past belongs to their motivated, smart, nice, son.

Why America? "I was influenced by the Americanization of the Israeli society. It is, I think, a positive process. Also I have a friend in Las Vegas. As a young business man I fell in love with the American dream. After 9/11 I learned about a new policy and I took a few clothes and rushed to come to this country. I do believe that you can accomplish everything that you dream about only in America. I believe in the superiority of the American gospel of capitalism! I am focusing on my goals. Often I do not sleep thinking how to reach them. I believe that everything here is open to all. I do not believe that there is something which is impossible to achieve. That"s the reason for my belief is that I can be the president of the U.S.A.," said Ehud Segev, at our interview at the W. 50th Starbucks.

Segev is a young man with a strong personality. He loves the Zohar. Often he integrates religion in his entertaining unique shows. He is a performer. He does not believe in manipulation of the mind. Often he can predict the coming of certain events. He predicted the coming of the 1991 Desert Storm. He is a young person. He can also look into his future in this country, from NYC to Hollywood and from Hollywood to the White House. But who will remember Rosh Pina?

One of the first articles to be published about Segev

INTERVIEW OF THE WEEK
By Doron Shnaper

The Phenomenon

This week I interviewed a real phenomenon. Something it will be hard to describe in a newspaper: Ehud Segev

Segev, a 19 year-old guy from Rosh-Pinna, possesses a special power that no one else has.

"I've always engaged with mysticism. At the age of 12, during a festival in my hometown, I stopped in a booth that sold hookahs (tobacco pipe of Eastern origin*), incense and all kinds of mystic things. I can clearly remember a pack of cards with all kinds of weird drawings that really attracted me. I asked my parents to buy the cards but they cost a fortune. After I begged them, they agreed to buy the cards instead of buying a new suit for me to wear in my brother's Bar Mitzvah. This is how I connected to the Tarot cards in the first place, and then I started performing 'readings' to people. I was dealing with Astrology, Numerology, Coffee Grains reading and others. Slowly, I developed my intuition and all of a sudden I could know things about people I've never met in my life! I started using Kabala and discovered I can predict things using Psalms. In this manner, for an instance, I predicted the Gulf War and even Clinton 's sex scandal."

You knew about the Guld War before it started?

"For sure! There was a lot of stress in the Persian Gulf and I opened the book of Psalms. I was amazed to read all kinds of things that mixed in my head and in a fascinating way made sense. I ran to my parents and told them about everything I read and how it made perfect sense that a war is about to start but they just made fun of me. A few months later the war started and my parents were shocked. They started asking me for advice and asked me to do 'readings' for them and their friends in the cards and in Psalms. They wanted me to answer different questions about different subjects. My grandfather, who heard about all the special things I did, made up his mind to send me to The Israeli Magic School so I can expand my gift and make a career out of it. This is how I started performing as a professional magician at the age of 13. My show combines magic, telepathy and a lot of entertainment."

How did it interact with your school?

"It didn't. I mean, I used to shock everybody. I knew the topics for the tests before the teacher said one word! If you'll ask other people who went to school with me they will think for a second and then say - Ah! The Magician! No one called me Ehud, everybody called me The Magician in school. After graduating the Yeshiva I signed up for The Israeli School for Acting and Entertainment."

When was the biggest transformation in your mysticism life?

"I was always attracted to mysterious subjects, such as life after death and reincarnation. By the way, I don't believe in it anymore, but back then I used to perform séances with my friends. We developed a special connection with an entity that was calling itself "G" - G told us that she is my guiding spirit in the material world or the way people like to call it - a guardian angel. We used to gather many times and communicate with this 'being' using a glass and a séance board. I remember a really spooky experience I had back then; when I went to sleep I used to feel a sensation like someone is caressing me softly - but when I looked to see who it was I discovered no one was there. First time it happened I closed the window, but when I realized that this caressing continues even though no wind comes in from the window I started sleeping with a fan directly at me so I won't feel this scary touch. G told us in one of our séances that she is the one who stays with me every night to guard me. This story got a lot of publicity and I was interviewed in the radio and in talk shows on national TV. In one of the séances, I asked G to give me a sign for her existence and to perform a miracle. The glass moved from one letter to the other, forming the sentence: concentrate on the spoon. There was only one spoon in the room, inside a tea cup. As I was concentrating on the spoon it suddenly began moving inside the cup in front of our astonished eyes. I pulled out the spoon and it started twisting in my hands. Until today, I keep this spoon with me as a souvenir. I think this was the biggest transformation I experienced because since this day I started bending any piece of metal I saw everywhere!"

At this point I ask that Ehud will show me his special abilities. He asks for my wrist watch and as he holds it in the strap and concentrates, he made the hands inside the watch spin like crazy and as he pointed at them with his second hand they froze. Then he took my pen, placed it on the table and after he was gazing it for a few minutes the pen - for my astonishment - started moving around the table.

How can you explain it?

"Good question. And the answer - I just can't explain it. It's not like a magic trick where I take a piece of paper, tear it apart and then restores it. This specific talent doesn't demand that you'll have sleight of hands or to practice in front of the mirror, it just happens and you have to accept it. No hidden threads, no double cells - it is something weird and with no explanations. It's something that can grow in everyone in the right conditions. I wish I knew what those conditions are."

What do you do in your show?

"Today I perform as a magician. The first priority in my show is to make people happy. I want people to leave my show charmed - and this is my specialty. I combine magic with Mysticism; this by itself creates a unique and fascinating show for the entire family. I performed all over the place, everywhere. I left my parents home and moved and now I'm back here in the Galilee ."

Can you tell me more about your show?

"In my show I use color handkerchiefs, balls, coins, rings, cards, ropes and everything I can do magic with! The concept of my show concentrates mostly on "Close Up" magic, and not Stage Magic. The audience becomes a part of the show and I become a part of the audience! The show is perfect every event that needs a magical and fascinating attraction."

Totally shocked from the phenomenon I just met I finish the interview, say goodbye to Ehud, goes to the parking and drives back to my house - but when I get home and try to open the locked door - I discover that my house key has miraculously bent which leaves me stuck outside. Suddenly my cell phone rings. "I'm sorry, but I couldn't control myself. Open the electricity closet and you'll find an extra key." said Segev and hung up.

COME SEE SEGEV'S CURRENT OFF-BROADWAY PLAY: ANOMAL

Click here for information about the new musical LEGEND OF THE 21ST CENTURY by Ehud Segev

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THE MUSICAL LEGEND OF THE 21ST CENTURY