In 2016, Simon Starr returned from six and a half years of living in Israel where he had researched Yemenite, Moroccan and Balkan music. Whilst there he released his 3rd solo album 27/04, and produced Tal Badani’s  Jewellery of Love and Death for record label Warners (Europe). Starr co-created and performed in the Israeli musical Yoel Amar which received the Israeli equivalent of the Tony Award for Show of The Year and Best Music (2015). From 2012-14, he was Program Director for Made in the Desert, a music incubator for the Southern desert region of Israel under the auspices of the Merage family. Since returning to Australia, Starr has been busy creating the 22 piece Yiddish supergroup YID!, as well as exploring all modes of Jewish music making.