Chava Alberstein, 1946-
Singer-songwriter-musician Alberstein is a native of Poland who moved to Israel with her family in 1950. She has released more than 60 albums, recording in Hebrew, English and Yiddish, and is one of Israel’s most…
Mira Awad, 1975-
An Arab Christian from the Galilee, Awad is a star singer and actress. She was educated in Tel Aviv before moving to Tel Aviv. In 2009 she became the first Arab and Christian to represent…
Netta Barzilai, 1993-
Barzilai, who performs mononymously as Netta, won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2018 with “Toy,” making her the fourth Israeli victor. She first gained fame by winning Season 5 of reality competition “HaKokhav HaBa.” Barzilai’s…
Shulamit Bat-Dori, 1904-1985
Born in Warsaw and known as Mita, Bat-Dori immigrated to the Land of Israel in 1923 and brought theater to kibbutzim as an actress, playwright and theater director. Her plays targeted political issues, such as…
Leonard Bernstein, 1918-1990
Born in Massachusetts to Ukrainian Jewish immigrants, Bernstein was a prominent pianist, conductor and humanitarian. His longtime association with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra began with a concert he conducted in Tel Aviv in 1947. Among…
David Broza, 1952-
Haifa native Broza is one of Israel’s most successful and influential musicians, including Spanish-style guitar playing learned during his time in Madrid. His first hit was “Yihyeh Tov” (“It Will Be Good”) in 1977. He…
Arik Einstein, 1939-2013
Einstein has been called the most important man in Israeli music. Combining folk and rock, Einstein’s music has been celebrated since his first album in 1960 and still influences pop. He introduced rock to Israel,…
Gal Gadot, 1985-
Born in Rosh Haayin and crowned Miss Israel at 18, Gadot served in the military and became a model, singer and martial artist. She has emerged as one of the world’s most recognized actresses, first…
Gila Goldstein, 1947-2017
A singer, actress, and advocate for trans and gay rights, Goldstein in 1960 was the first trans Israeli woman to have sanctioned sex reassignment surgery. She co-founded the nonprofit organization Aguda in 1975 to help…
Sarit Hadad, 1978-
Hadad is one of Israel’s most popular singers. She was a 2002 Eurovision contestant and was Israeli Music TV’s Best Female Singer of the 2000s. She was a judge on “The Voice Israel” and was…
Shalom Hanoch, 1946-
Singer and composer Hanoch is considered the father of Israeli rock and is known for poetic lyrics. Born on Kibbutz Mishmarot, he began writing songs at 14 and joined the army band during his military…
Ofra Haza, 1957-2000
Born into a Yemeni family in Tel Aviv, singer Haza helped popularize Mizrahi culture. Her song “Ga’agu’im” (“Yearning”) launched her career in 1973. She was Israel’s Singer of the Year from 1980 to 1983 and…
Bronislaw Huberman, 1882-1947
Born in the Russian-controlled Poland, Huberman toured Europe as an acclaimed violinist at age 11. He first visited the Land of Israel in 1929 and decided to bring classical music there. In 1936 he established…
Dana International, 1969-
International, whose real name is Sharon Cohen, is a pop singer and former drag performer. She became Israel’s third Eurovision Song Contest winner with “Diva” in 1998. She released her first album in 1993, the…
Etgar Keret, 1967-
Born in Ramat Gan to Holocaust survivors from Poland, Keret is internationally renowned for quirky, darkly humorous short stories, novels and screenplays exploring such themes as love, death, morality and the meaning of life. His…
Noa Kirel, 2001-
Kirel is a pop star and actress of Mizrahi and Ashkenazi ancestry who is Israel’s 2023 Eurovision contestant. She released her first songs at 14. She won the MTV Europe Music Award for best Israeli…
Ephraim Kishon, 1924-2005
A Holocaust survivor from Hungary, Kishon was a columnist, playwright and film director. His satirical work portrayed social and political issues, often focusing on the day-to-day struggles of regular people or on the state bureaucracy….
Sigalit Landau, 1969-
Landau is a Jerusalem-born artist who studied at the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, then worked in the United States and United Kingdom. Her pieces are multimedia, including drawing, sculpture, video and performance. She…
Sarah Levy-Tanai, 1910-2005
One of Israel’s foremost choreographers and a 1973 Israel Prize winner, Levy-Tanai also produced plays and drew inspiration from her Mizrahi roots in her art. A Jerusalem native who was largely raised in orphanages, she…
Ehud Manor, 1941-2005
Manor was a singer, songwriter, and TV and radio host. He wrote more than 1,200 songs, including the 1978 Eurovision winner, “A-Ba-Ni-Bi.” Many songs reacted to events such as the June 1967 war and the…
Adi Nes, 1966-
Kiryat Gat native Nes is one of Israel’s most prominent photographers. He stages art photos to convey themes of masculinity and identity, often reflecting the influence of iconic artworks and his experiences growing up gay…
Shaike Ophir, 1928-1987
A Palmach veteran of the War of Independence, Ophir was a comedian, actor and singer for whom the Israeli Film Academy Award was named. He starred in almost 30 films, including the Hebrew version of…
Itzhak Perlman, 1945-
Perlman is an acclaimed violinist and conductor who was born in Tel Aviv, survived polio at age 4, and lives and teaches in New York. He has performed for U.S. presidents and British Queen Elizabeth…
Edis De Philippe, 1912-1979
A New York-born opera singer, De Philippe founded the Israel National Opera Company in 1947. She settled in Palestine after World War II and performed with the Palestine Folk Opera in 1945 and for the…
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