Vampire Weekend's Surprising Jewish Stories
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She was the only Israeli singer to make Rolling Stone’s list of the world’s 200 greatest all-time singers.
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On Feb 23, 2000, Israeli-Yemenite Jewish icon, Ofra Haza, passed away. The singer, who is often ascribed the title “Madonna of the East”, died of AIDS-related pneumonia at the age of 42. Her death came as a devastating shock to the nation.
Ofra Haza was born in Hatikvah, a working-class neighborhood in the south of Tel Aviv. Singing ran in Haza’s family; Her mother, a Mizrahi immigrant, was a singer in Yemen who would often perform at celebrations. She was accepted to Hatikvah Quarter Theatre Workshop at the mere age of 12 and was often placed in the spotlight of the Workshop’s performances due to her exceptional musical talent.
At the age of 18, Haza joined the Israel Defense Forces as a secretary. Following her release from the army, she pursued a soloist career in music, winning several local awards in 1973 and 1974 in music festivals and parades. During 1980 to 1983, she received the award of “Singer of the Year” four times in a row in Israel. In 1983, Haza was invited to represent Israel in Eurovision. She performed “Chai”, which won second place.
Haza’s career continued to rise and prosper in the 80’s and 90’s. She began achieving international attention through several American artists who had remixed her music and several nominations in important award shows. In 1987, famous hip-hop artists Erik B & Rakim inserted Haza’s ‘Im Nin’alu’ into their song ‘Seven Minutes of Madness’.
Haza left a lasting legacy and significant imprint on Israeli culture. Rolling Stone included her in their top 200 greatest singers in the world, the only Israeli to make the list. By bringing Oriental music into the mainstream, Haza paved the way for other aspiring artists of Mizrahi background to achieve their dreams in what was once an Ashkenazi-dominated industry.
