Liraz Charhi Opens Up About Divorce, Guilt, and Feeling Alien in Israel

Israeli actress and singer Liraz Charhi has spoken candidly about her recent divorce from Tom Avni after 16 years of marriage and two daughters, revealing feelings of guilt over breaking up her family.

In a new interview, Charhi shared that while the separation was amicable and a result of long consideration, the reality of entering their shared home alone is difficult. She expressed significant guilt not only about the divorce but more profoundly about raising her children in a country she feels is "broken" and may never recover. "My biggest guilt is that my children are growing up in a broken country, which I don't know if it can be fixed," she stated.

Charhi also discussed her complex relationship with her Persian heritage, stemming from her parents' immigration from Tehran. She recalled feeling shame and experiencing bullying, including being ostracized by peers in her youth, which led her to try and suppress her Iranian identity. This feeling of being an outsider persisted, and she found a sense of belonging and fulfillment in Los Angeles, where she has built an international acting career, including a notable nude scene in a film with Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Following the October 7th attacks, Charhi's ongoing musical project performing with Iranian women worldwide became more challenging. She revealed that she now requires security for international travel and experienced a severe panic attack at an airport before her first performance after the war. "I realized I need to take care of myself, that I have too much weight on my shoulders," she said, referring to the guilt of raising children in a perceived unstable Israel and potentially sacrificing her career.