Hanna Rovina, 1888-1980

Called “the high priestess of the Hebrew theater” by a fellow actor, Belarus-born Rovina got her start onstage in Moscow with what became Israel’s national theater, Habimah. She was best known for playing Leah in Habimah’s “The Dybbuk,” a role she originated in 1922 and returned to in revivals through 1957, but she played a wide range of headlining parts. She won the Israel Prize in 1956.

Photo: Boris Carmi, Meitar Collection, National Library of Israel, Pritzker Family National Photography Collection, CC BY 4.0