Ofra Haza

Ofra Haza. (YouTube screenshot)
Riches to rags to virtual riches: When Mizrahi artists said ‘no’ to Israel’s pioneer culture
Upon their arrival in Israel, Mizrahi Jews found themselves under a regime that demanded obedience, even in cultural matters. All were required to conform to an idealized pioneer figure who sang classical, militaristic ‘Hebrew’ songs. That is, before the ‘Kasetot’ era propelled Mizrahi artists into the spotlight, paving the way for today’s musical stars. Part two of…
By Haokets December 14, 2013
"My Daughter," a joint work by Michael and Neta Elkayam. From the "Khut Shel Zahav" exhibition. (photo: Michael and Neta Elkayam)
Searching for song and identity, from the Maghreb to the Negev
Neta Elkayam, an upcoming artist and musician based in Jerusalem, tells the story of her multi-faceted identity and presents her own personal mixtape. Café Gibraltar sat down with Elkayam to discuss her experiences growing up in a southern Israeli development town, her life-changing trip to Morocco, and the power of North Africa’s female singers. By…
By Cafe Gibraltar July 9, 2013
Ofra Haza at a ceremony in Jerusalem, April 30, 1998 (Photo: Amos Ben Gershom/GPO)
The Ofra Haza enigma: How Israel’s greatest pop star is remembered
What does it say about Israeli society when 13 years after her death, Ofra Haza is best remembered for succumbing to AIDS and for a Mizrahi accent that Israelis just can’t help but mock? By Adi Keissar Some time in the 1980s, the world became divided into two camps. Either you loved Yardena Arazi or…
By Cafe Gibraltar March 23, 2013
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