Yardena Arazi Celebrates 75 Years With Career Retrospective

Israeli singer Yardena Arazi is marking her 75th birthday with a special performance titled "75 Isn't a Joke" at the Rishon LeZion Culture Hall on September 27th, as part of the Rishon LeZion Festival. The event will feature guest appearances by Miki Kam, Rotem Abuhav, Alma Zak, Hanna Laslo, and Odia Koren.

Arazi, born in Kibbutz Kabri in 1951, has had a multifaceted career deeply intertwined with Israeli culture. Her journey began in the 1960s with the group "Chocolate, Mint, Gum," and she later became a prominent solo artist. She represented Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1988 with the song "Adam," achieving seventh place. Arazi has won the "Singer of the Year" title from Kol Yisrael five times and from Galey Tzahal twice, and was named "Singer of the Decade" in 1990.

Her career also includes significant contributions to musical theater, such as the 1981 hit "Barnashim Ve'Chalomot," which ran for a record 52 weeks. Arazi also ventured into producing ambitious music videos early in her career, setting a standard for Israeli pop. In 1989, she released "Mizrahi Demion," an album of Arabic music classics, which sold 30,000 copies and earned her "Singer of the Year" on Kol Yisrael in Arabic.

Arazi's song "Habaita," released during the First Lebanon War, became an anthem for soldiers and later for the campaign to release abducted soldiers. The song has recently been associated with the efforts to bring back hostages taken during the October 7th Hamas attack.

Beyond her music, Arazi hosted the morning show "Cafe Telad" on Channel 2 from 1997 to 2005, establishing herself as a sharp and professional presenter. She has also hosted radio programs. Arazi is a vegetarian for ethical reasons and has a deep connection to nature and animals, which was honored by naming a young zebra after her at the Ramat Gan Safari.

Her personal life includes her marriage to Natan Tomer, her professional partner and producer, with whom she has one daughter and a grandchild. Arazi's family has been a central anchor in her demanding career. Documentaries about her life, including "Yardenna Arazi: The Untold Story" (2011) and "Yardenna's Journey" (2022), have explored her family history and personal experiences.