Yafa Yarkoni
Encyclopedia
Yafa Yarkoni is an Israel
i singer, known as the "War Singer", due to her frequent appearances in front of Israel Defense Forces
soldiers, especially during Israel's wars. She is from a Caucasian Jewish family.
) to a Jewish family that immigrated from the Caucasus
. When she was 10 years old, she learned ballet
dancing under Gertrude Kraus, one of Israel's choreography
pioneers.
During the 1940s, her mother ran a café in Givat Rambam, where Yafa, with her sister Tikva and her brother Binyamin, formed an entertainment group and performed songs with piano accompaniment. On September 21, 1944, she married Joseph Gustin, a volunteer in the Jewish Brigade
, and was widowed when Gustin was killed in a battle for the Senio
River in 1945.
Yarkoni joined an IDF musical group in the Givati Brigade
, which was active during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. Bab el-Wad, a song she performed at the time which is still sung today on Yom HaZikaron
, became a major symbol of the war. After the war, she performed songs for a program on the Kol Yisrael
radio station.
Yarkoni was the main (or only) performer of hundreds of songs ever since. Most of them were written by Tuli Reviv and Haim Hefer
. Yarkoni also performed some of Naomi Shemer
's early children's songs.
The media has characterized Yarkoni as the War Singer, due to her performances during wars and in front of soldiers, and reported on an alleged feud between her and Shoshana Damari. In an interview, Yarkoni strongly rejected the report and said she resents the label of "War Singer".
In 2000 Yarkoni was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease
. According to her daughter, Orit Shochat, her condition became serious in 2007. In that year Yarkoni made her last performance during a show in her honor produced by Israel Broadcasting Authority
. Sinai told the Israeli television later on that her mother made special effort to make this performance. She said that during the following months, Yarkoni lost most of her memories and became disabled.
, for Hebrew song. In 2005, she was voted the 153rd-greatest Israeli of all time, in a poll by the Israeli news website Ynet
to determine whom the general public considered the 200 Greatest Israelis.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i singer, known as the "War Singer", due to her frequent appearances in front of Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
soldiers, especially during Israel's wars. She is from a Caucasian Jewish family.
Biography
Yarkoni was born on December 24, 1925 as Yafa Abramov in Giv'at Rambam (today a neighbourhood of Giv'atayimGiv'atayim
Giv'atayim is a city in Israel east of Tel Aviv. It is part of the metropolitan area known as Gush Dan. Givatayim was established in 1922 by pioneers of the Second Aliyah. It has a population of 53,000....
) to a Jewish family that immigrated from the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
. When she was 10 years old, she learned ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
dancing under Gertrude Kraus, one of Israel's choreography
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
pioneers.
During the 1940s, her mother ran a café in Givat Rambam, where Yafa, with her sister Tikva and her brother Binyamin, formed an entertainment group and performed songs with piano accompaniment. On September 21, 1944, she married Joseph Gustin, a volunteer in the Jewish Brigade
Jewish Brigade
The Jewish Infantry Brigade Group was a military formation of the British Army that served in Europe during the Second World War. The brigade was formed in late 1944, and its personnel fought the Germans in Italy...
, and was widowed when Gustin was killed in a battle for the Senio
Senio
The Senio is a 92 km river of Romagna in Italy, the final right-sided tributary of the river Reno. The mean discharge at its mouth is about 10 m³/s; however this can vary from a minimum of 0.3 m³/s to a maximum of 500 m³/s....
River in 1945.
Yarkoni joined an IDF musical group in the Givati Brigade
Givati Brigade
The Givati Brigade is an infantry brigade of the Israel Defense Forces, and serves as its amphibious force. Givati soldiers are designated by purple berets...
, which was active during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. Bab el-Wad, a song she performed at the time which is still sung today on Yom HaZikaron
Yom Hazikaron
Yom Hazikaron is Israel's official Memorial Day. In 2011, Israel honored the memory of soldiers killed in the line of duty and the civilian casualties too.-Observance:...
, became a major symbol of the war. After the war, she performed songs for a program on the Kol Yisrael
Kol Yisrael
Kol Yisrael is Israel's public domestic and international radio service, operated as a division of the Israel Broadcasting Authority.-History:...
radio station.
Yarkoni was the main (or only) performer of hundreds of songs ever since. Most of them were written by Tuli Reviv and Haim Hefer
Haim Hefer
-Biography:Hefer was born in Sosnowiec, Poland in 1925 to Issachar Feiner, a chocolate salesman, and Rivka Herzberg, a housewife. He had a private Hebrew tutor....
. Yarkoni also performed some of Naomi Shemer
Naomi Shemer
Naomi Shemer was a leading Israeli songwriter hailed as the "first lady of Israeli song and poetry."-Biography:Naomi Sapir was born on Kvutzat Kinneret, a kibbutz her parents had helped found, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. In the 1950s she served in the Israeli Defense Force's Nahal...
's early children's songs.
The media has characterized Yarkoni as the War Singer, due to her performances during wars and in front of soldiers, and reported on an alleged feud between her and Shoshana Damari. In an interview, Yarkoni strongly rejected the report and said she resents the label of "War Singer".
In 2000 Yarkoni was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
. According to her daughter, Orit Shochat, her condition became serious in 2007. In that year Yarkoni made her last performance during a show in her honor produced by Israel Broadcasting Authority
Israel Broadcasting Authority
Israel Broadcasting Authority is Israel's state broadcasting network.It grew out of the radio station Kol Yisrael, which made its first broadcast as an independent station on . The name of the organisation operating Kol Yisrael was changed to Israel Broadcasting Service in 1951...
. Sinai told the Israeli television later on that her mother made special effort to make this performance. She said that during the following months, Yarkoni lost most of her memories and became disabled.
Awards
In 1998, Yarkoni was awarded the Israel PrizeIsrael Prize
The Israel Prize is an award handed out by the State of Israel and is largely regarded as the state's highest honor. It is presented annually, on Israeli Independence Day, in a state ceremony in Jerusalem, in the presence of the President, the Prime Minister, the Knesset chairperson, and the...
, for Hebrew song. In 2005, she was voted the 153rd-greatest Israeli of all time, in a poll by the Israeli news website Ynet
Ynet
Ynet is the most popular Israeli news and general content website. It is owned by the same conglomerate that operates Yediot Ahronot, the country's secondleading daily newspaper...
to determine whom the general public considered the 200 Greatest Israelis.
External links
- Nathan Shahar, Yafa Yarkoni, Jewish Women Encyclopedia
See also
- List of Israel Prize recipients