Yaffa Yarkoni
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Yafa Yarkoni (, also Yaffa Yarqoni, 24 December 1925 – 1 January 2012) was an Israeli singer. She won the
Israel Prize The Israel Prize (; ''pras israél'') is an award bestowed by the State of Israel, and regarded as the state's highest cultural honor. History Prior to the Israel Prize, the most significant award in the arts was the Dizengoff Prize and in Israel ...
in 1998 for her contributions to Hebrew music. She was dubbed Israel's "songstress of the wars" due to her frequent performances for
Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and ...
soldiers, especially in wartime.


Biography


Early years

Yarkoni was born Yafa Abramov in southern
Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( or , ; ), sometimes rendered as Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and usually referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a popula ...
to a
Mountain Jewish Mountain Jews are the Mizrahi Jews, Mizrahi Jewish subgroup of the eastern and northern Caucasus, mainly Azerbaijan, and various republics in the Russian Federation: Chechnya, Ingushetia, Dagestan, Karachay-Cherkessia, and Kabardino-Balkaria. M ...
family, that had immigrated from the
Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region spanning Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, comprising parts of Southern Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The Caucasus Mountains, i ...
. Yarkoni was the middle child in a family of three, with an older sister, Tikva (born in 1921), and a younger brother, Benjamin (born in 1927). When she was eight years old, her parents divorced, and her father relocated to
Southern Rhodesia Southern Rhodesia was a self-governing British Crown colony in Southern Africa, established in 1923 and consisting of British South Africa Company (BSAC) territories lying south of the Zambezi River. The region was informally known as South ...
, leaving the family in financial hardship. In the 1930s, she moved with her mother and brother to Givat Rambam, now part of
Givatayim Givatayim () is a city in Israel east of Tel Aviv. It is part of the Gush Dan metropolitan area. Givatayim was established in 1922 by pioneers of the Second Aliyah. In it had a population of . The name of the city comes from the "two hills" on w ...
, where her mother established a café-restaurant called "Tzlil" ("Sound"), which became popular, particularly among security personnel and artists. She performed alongside her siblings at Tzlil. Yarkoni began her artistic career at a young age. She and her siblings formed a group called Bamati, an acronym derived from the initials of the four family members, that would perform at their mother's restaurant. Yarkoni's sister Tikva would sing, her brother Benjamin would play piano, and Yarkoni herself would dance. The group gained popularity among the cafe's patrons, and following a recommendation from singer and actor Shmuel Fisher, Yarkoni was accepted to study classical dance at
Gertrud Kraus Gertrud Kraus (; 5 May 1901 – 13 November 1977) was an Israeli pioneer of modern dance in Israel. Biography Gertrud Kraus was born in 1901 in Vienna, Austria-Hungary. Her father, Leopold Kraus, and her mother, Olga (née Neubauer), married ...
's studio. There, she also learned to play the piano and later joined Kraus's dance troupe, which was associated with the Palestine National Opera. She performed with the troupe for 12 years until a leg injury during a 1945 performance ended her dancing career.In late 1947, Yarkoni enlisted in the
Haganah Haganah ( , ) was the main Zionist political violence, Zionist paramilitary organization that operated for the Yishuv in the Mandatory Palestine, British Mandate for Palestine. It was founded in 1920 to defend the Yishuv's presence in the reg ...
as a radio operator. During the
1947-1949 Palestine War The 1948 Palestine war was fought in the territory of what had been, at the start of the war, British-ruled Mandatory Palestine. During the war, the British withdrew from Palestine, Zionist forces conquered territory and established the Stat ...
, she served in the
Givati Brigade The 84th "Givati" Brigade () is an Israel Defense Forces infantry brigade formed in 1947. During the 1948 war, it was involved in capturing Palestinian villages in operations ''Hametz'', ''Barak'', and ''Pleshet''. Before Israel's 2005 ...
and began singing with the brigade's entertainment troupe, "Ha-Hishtron." Songs written for the troupe by Toli Reviv and Bobby Panhassi, including "Don't Tell Me Goodbye," "Sharhoret," and "It Only Happened This Time," became associated with Yarkoni. Two songs she performed during this time, "Ha'amini Yom Yavo" and "Bab al-Wad," became symbols of the war. "Ha'amini Yom Yavo," introduced to her by actor Raphael Kalchkin, was first sung for convoy escorts to
Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
. "Bab al-Wad," written by
Haim Gouri Haim Gouri (; Gurfinkel; 9 October 1923 – 31 January 2018) was an Israeli poet, novelist, journalist, and documentary film, documentary director (film), filmmaker. He was awarded the Israel Prize for poetry in 1988 and was the #Awards and rec ...
in memory of the convoy escorts, gained prominence about a year after the fighting ended.


Singing career

In 1948, Yarkoni recorded a successful album at the Radio Doctor studio. Among its tracks, the song "Green Eyes," often considered the first Israeli pop song, gained widespread popularity. She subsequently signed with the newly established record label
Hed Artzi Hed Arzi Music (, meaning: ''Echo of My Country'') is an Israeli record label founded in 1946. History The company was founded in Tel Aviv in 1946 as a partnership of Zvi Levin (also known as Hirsch Lewin) with Josef Grossman, Alexander Borowi ...
, where she recorded all her albums. One of her early albums, ''Bab al-Wad'', comprised songs from the
1948 Palestine War The 1948 Palestine war was fought in the territory of what had been, at the start of the war, British-ruled Mandatory Palestine. During the war, the British withdrew from Palestine, Zionist forces conquered territory and established the Stat ...
, including "Ha'amini Yom Yavo," which she had performed during the war, and tracks like "Gentlemen, History Returns," "Hafinjan," "Han Pasha," "Dudo," and "Zano At." These songs became more closely associated with Yarkoni than with their original performers, the Ha-Hishtron troupe. In 1951, she released a successful album of
Israeli folk dance Israeli folk dance () is a form of dance usually performed to songs in Hebrew, or to other songs which have been popular in Israel, with dances choreographed for specific songs. Israeli dances include circle, partner and line dances. As almost al ...
songs. During the 1950s and 1960s, Yarkoni emerged as a leading Israeli singer. Many of her national songs, such as "In the Negev Steppes" (lyrics by Raphael Kalchkin) and "The Grandmother in the Negev" (lyrics: Avshalom Cohen) and "The Grandmother in the Negev" (lyrics by Avshalom Cohen), were frequently broadcast on
Kol Yisrael ''Kol Yisrael'' or ''Kol Israel'' (, lit. "Voice of Israel"; also Israel Radio) was Israel's public domestic and international radio service. It operated as a division of the Israel Broadcasting Service from 1951 to 1965, and later the Israel ...
's ''As You Request Hebrew Songs''. She also found success with salon music, including waltz and tango pieces, which were popular for dancing in cafes. Her 1959 album, ''Nirkoda Im Yafa Yarkoni'', included hits like "Habibi," "Arzeno HaKtanah," and "Sh'Harhoret." Despite media portrayals of a rivalry with fellow singer
Shoshana Damari Shoshana Damari (; 31 March 1923 – 14 February 2006) was an Israeli singer known as the "Queen of Hebrew Music." Biography Shoshana Damari was born as Shodia Damari on the eve of Passover in Dhamar, Yemen as the eldest daughter in a family ...
, Yarkoni and Damari collaborated on several occasions. Yarkoni recorded children's music during the 1950s, including the 1953 album ''Children's Songs as You Request'', which featured Avshalom Cohen's "A Cart with a Horse" and Yehiel Mohar's "Dubon Yambo." Her 1957 album ''Shirim Mi Kinneret'', dedicated to
Naomi Shemer Naomi Shemer (; July 13, 1930 – June 26, 2004) was a leading Israeli musician and songwriter, hailed as the "first lady of Israeli song and poetry." Her song " Yerushalayim Shel Zahav" ("Jerusalem of Gold"), written in 1967, became an unoffic ...
's children's songs, introduced Shemer's work to a broader audience, with songs such as "The Mail Comes Today" and "Ahinu Little Brother". Yarkoni also released a record of holiday songs for children. One of Yarkoni's most notable children's songs was "Aba Shlei" ("My father has a ladder..."), written by Thelma Eligon. Yarkoni won first place at the 1965 Singer and Chorus Festival with "Ayelet Ha'Hen", and again in 1966 with "Autumn Night." During the 1960s and 1970s, she performed internationally in venues such as
Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhattan), 57t ...
,
Lincoln Center Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5  ...
,
L'Olympia The Olympia (; commonly known as L'Olympia or in the English-speaking world as Olympia Hall) is a concert venue in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, France, located at 28 Boulevard des Capucines, equally distancing Madeleine church and Opéra ...
, and the
London Palladium The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in Soho. The theatre was designed by Frank Matcham and opened in 1910. The auditorium holds 2,286 people. Hundreds of stars have played there, many wit ...
. She also spent four years in the United States, recording three albums and performing extensively. In Paris, Yarkoni met Boaz Sharabi and recorded his song "Pamela" for the first time. In 1969, Yarkoni performed "When We Were Children" (written by Uri Assaf and composed by
Moshe Wilensky Moshe Wilensky (, also, "Vilensky"; 17 April 1910 – 2 January 1997) was a Polish-Israeli composer, lyricist, and pianist. He is considered a "pioneer of Israeli song" and one of Israel's leading composers, and was a winner of the Israel Prize, ...
) on a television special for
Yom Ha'atzmaut Yom Ha'atzmaut (, , ) is Israel's national day, commemorating the Israeli Declaration of Independence on 14 May 1948. It is marked by a variety of official and unofficial ceremonies and observances. Because Israel declared independence on 14 ...
, which became one of her signature songs. During the 1970s, she recorded pop songs, including "All the Pigeons" (1971) and "Erev Stav Yaffe" (1976), a duet with
Svika Pick Svika Pick (, born Henryk Pick, 3 October 1949 – 14 August 2022) was an Israeli pop singer, songwriter, composer, and television personality. Pick first gained traction on a national level after playing a lead part in an Israeli version of ...
. (1976). She performed with Pick in a joint show, which was unsuccessful. She also participated in the Children's Song Festival thrice during the 1970s, performing the hits "En Den Dino," "I Like to Whistle," and "My Little Sister." In 1986, her career was celebrated in the program ''Such a Life''. Between 1991 and 1992, she appeared with her son-in-law Meir Suisa in the children's TV series ''Hag Sameah with Yafa Yarkoni''. Each episode was broadcast on one of the holidays.In 1994, she took on a supporting role in the film ''The Siren's Song'', based on
Irit Linur Irit Linur (; born 1961) is an Israeli author. Biography Irit Linur was married to Alon Ben David, Senior Defense Correspondent for Israel Channel 10 and Middle East Correspondent for Jane's Defence Weekly. Literary career Linur started her w ...
's book. In 1996, she released the duet album ''Singing with Yafa Yarkoni'', featuring collaborations with artists including Shoshana Damari, Aric Einstein, and
Chava Alberstein Chava Alberstein ( , born 8 December 1946 in Poland) is an Israeli musician, lyricist, composer, and musical arranger. She moved to Israel in 1950 and started her music career in 1964. Alberstein has released over sixty albums in Hebrew, Englis ...
. In 1998, Yarkoni received the
Israel Prize The Israel Prize (; ''pras israél'') is an award bestowed by the State of Israel, and regarded as the state's highest cultural honor. History Prior to the Israel Prize, the most significant award in the arts was the Dizengoff Prize and in Israel ...
for her contributions to Hebrew music. That same year, a five-volume collection of her songs, ''Yafa Yarkoni: Since Then Until Now, 1948–1998'', was published, including a new piece by Naomi Shemer inspired by Yarkoni's life. She performed as a guest artist at the 1999 Festigal and recorded her final song, "Now It's Been Years (and It's Hard to Remember)," in 2000. A triple collection of 62 hits was released that year. Throughout her career, Yarkoni collaborated extensively with songwriters Tuli Reviv and
Haim Hefer Haim Hefer (; 29 October 1925 – 18 September 2012) was a Polish-born Israeli songwriter, poet, columnist, translator and writer. He wrote for numerous composers and musical artists, as well as for military bands. Several of his songs are consi ...
.


Final years and death

In 2000, Yarkoni was diagnosed with
Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease and the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events. As the disease advances, symptoms can include problems wit ...
. In December 2006, a large tribute evening was organized for Yarkoni at the
Heichal HaTarbut Heichal HaTarbut (, ), officially known as the Charles Bronfman Auditorium and until 2013 as the Fredric R. Mann Auditorium, is the largest concert hall in Tel Aviv, Israel, and home to the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. History Heichal HaTa ...
, featuring performances by numerous artists. In 2007, she made her final television appearance on a program produced in her honor by the
Israel Broadcasting Authority The Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA; ) was Israel's public broadcaster from 1948 to 2017, succeeded by the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation. History The Israel Broadcasting Authority was an outgrowth of the radio station '' Kol Yi ...
. Yarkoni died on January 1, 2012, at the age of 86 in Reut Medical Center in Tel Aviv. She was buried next to her husband Sheika in the
Kiryat Shaul Cemetery Kiryat Shaul Cemetery () is a 320-dunam (32 hectares) Jewish burial ground in Northern Tel Aviv near the neighborhood of Kiryat Shaul. On the east side of the cemetery is a large military cemetery. Founded in 1943, it includes more than 80,000 gr ...
.


Personal life


Politics

Yarkoni was frequently performed for soldiers during Israel's wars and in peacetime. Her willingness to perform at the front lines of battles earned her the nickname "Singer of the Wars," a title she reportedly disliked, preferring instead to be called "The Soldiers' Singer." Yarkoni was also outspoken about her political views, which were often associated with the Zionist left. In 2002, during
Operation Defensive Shield Operation Defensive Shield ( ) was a 2002 Israeli military operation in the Israeli-occupied West Bank during the Second Intifada. Lasting for just over a month, it was the largest combat operation in the territory since the 1967 Arab–Israe ...
, she made comments on Israeli Army Radio's ''What's Burning'' program criticizing the marking of numbers on the arms of
Palestinians Palestinians () are an Arab ethnonational group native to the Levantine region of Palestine. *: "Palestine was part of the first wave of conquest following Muhammad's death in 632 CE; Jerusalem fell to the Caliph Umar in 638. The indigenou ...
by IDF soldiers. She stated, "We are a people that went through the Holocaust, how are we able to do such things?" These remarks were widely interpreted by the media as a comparison between the actions of the IDF and the identification of inmates in Nazi concentration camps. Yarkoni later claimed that she was not equating the two, but her statement triggered a media controversy, with some right-wing groups calling for a boycott. She received threats and hate mail, and an event in her honor organized by the Israel Artists Union was initially canceled. After the controversy subsided, the Union of Israeli Artists later held an event in her honor.


Family

Yarkoni married Joseph Gustin on September 21, 1944. The day after their wedding, Gustin volunteered for the British Army, serving in the
Jewish Brigade The Jewish Infantry Brigade Group, more commonly known as the Jewish Brigade Group or Jewish Brigade, was a military formation of the British Army in the World War II, Second World War. It was formed in late 1944 and was recruited among Yishuv, Y ...
during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. He was killed on March 29, 1945, during the campaign on the Senio River in Italy. The song "Uri," written by Raphael Kalchkin and composed by Issachar Miron, was performed by Yarkoni in memory of her deceased husband. In 1945, Yarkoni's mother and younger brother also adopted the surname "Gustin" as a tribute to her late husband. In 1948, Yarkoni married Shaika Yarkoni, originally from Tel Aviv.Yaffa Yarkoni, Israel's Queen of Song dead at 86
/ref> Shaika was also a member of the Haganah and later became a businessman. The couple had three daughters: Orit (1950), Tamar (1953) and Ruth (1956) and eight grandchildren, including Michael Swissa.Yaffa Yarkoni dies at 86; Israeli singer
/ref> Shaika Yarkoni died August 29, 1983. Their eldest daughter, Orit Shohat, is a former
Haaretz ''Haaretz'' (; originally ''Ḥadshot Haaretz'' – , , ) is an List of newspapers in Israel, Israeli newspaper. It was founded in 1918, making it the longest running newspaper currently in print in Israel. The paper is published in Hebrew lan ...
journalist. Shaika Yarkoni died August 29, 1983. Yarkoni had three brothers. Her sister, Tikva Handel, recorded several songs in 1947, accompanied by Nahum Nardi and Shmuel Fershko. Handel later relocated to
Caracas Caracas ( , ), officially Santiago de León de Caracas (CCS), is the capital and largest city of Venezuela, and the center of the Metropolitan Region of Caracas (or Greater Caracas). Caracas is located along the Guaire River in the northern p ...
, where she established a Jewish school. She eventually immigrated to the United States and settled in New York.


Recognition and commemoration

* 1989: Awarded the Union of Israeli Artists award. * 1998: Received the Israel Prize for Hebrew Song. * Honored as "The City's Dear" of Tel Aviv. In May 2014, a memorial plaque was installed at the entrance to her former home at 23 Dov Hoz Street in Tel Aviv. Streets were named after her in the cities of
Holon Holon (, ) is a city in the Tel Aviv District of Israel, located south of Tel Aviv. Holon is part of the Gush Dan, Gush Dan metropolitan area. In , it had a population of , making it the List of cities in Israel, tenth most populous city in Isra ...
,
Afula Afula () is a city in the Northern District of Israel, often known as the "Capital of the Valley" due to its strategic location in the Jezreel Valley. As of , the city had a population of . Afula's ancient tell (settlement mound) suggests habit ...
,
Kiryat Bialik Kiryat Bialik (, also Qiryat Bialik) is a city in the Haifa District in Israel. The city was established on July 18, 1934, during the Fifth Aliyah. It is one of the five Krayot suburbs to the north of Haifa. In it had a population of . The city ...
,
Kiryat Motzkin Kiryat Motzkin () is a city in the Haifa District of Israel, north of the city center of Haifa. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, in it had a population of . However, as of September 2024, the unofficial population count is 55 ...
,
Rosh HaAyin Rosh HaAyin (; ) is a city in the Central District of Israel. It is located in the eastern ravine of the Sharon River, opposite the Samaria Mountains. The city is named after its location at the source of the Yarkon River (“Ras” meaning sou ...
and
Rishon LeZion Rishon LeZion ( , "First to Zion") is a city in Israel, located along the central Israeli coastal plain south of Tel Aviv. It is part of the Gush Dan metropolitan area. Founded in 1882 by Jewish immigrants from the Russian Empire who were ...
. In Givatayim, a square at the intersection of Remez and Rambam streets was named after her.In 2018, an exhibition dedicated to Yarkoni was held at the Hava gallery in Holon. The exhibition included items from her life, such as diaries, album covers, photographs, dresses, jewelry, and other fashion accessories. Her archives are preserved in the music department of the National Library of Israel in Jerusalem. In 2021, the Tel Aviv-Jaffa municipality inaugurated a new inclusive elementary school in the northern part of the city, named in her honor.


See also

*
List of Israel Prize recipients This is an incomplete list of recipients of the Israel Prize from the inception of the Prize in 1953 - 2025. List For each year, the recipients are, in most instances, listed in the order in which they appear on the official Israel Prize website ...
*
Music of Israel The music of Israel is a combination of Jewish and non-Jewish music traditions that have come together over the course of a century to create a distinctive musical culture. For almost 150 years, musicians have sought original stylistic elements ...


References


External links

*Nathan Shahar
Yafa Yarkoni
Jewish Women Encyclopedia
Yafa Yarkoni "Songstress of the Wars", Exhibition in the IDF&defense establishment archives
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Yarkoni, Yafa 1925 births 2012 deaths People from Givatayim Singers from Tel Aviv Israeli people of Mountain Jewish descent Israel Prize in Hebrew song recipients Israel Prize women recipients Jewish Israeli singers Jewish women singers Jews from Mandatory Palestine Deaths from Alzheimer's disease in Israel Burials at Kiryat Shaul Cemetery 20th-century Israeli women singers 20th-century Israeli Jews 21st-century Israeli Jews