Anat Atzmon on aging, family, fear and the return of a new song

Anat Atzmon says that after 19 years with musician Danny Sanderson, their relationship still feels fresh because it is based on choice. In a wide-ranging interview, she describes their playful nicknames, their separate homes in Tel Aviv, and how even during the coronavirus period she would sometimes return alone to her own apartment for a few quiet hours. She says that distinction helps them feel together by choice, not by necessity.

Atzmon, now 67, says she identifies first and foremost as Tel Avivian. Two weeks ago she released a new song, “B'oto HaNetiv,” written and composed by her and produced and arranged by her son Liam. It is her first recording in more than 25 years, and she calls it a nostalgic ballad about a changing Tel Aviv. She also says she is trying to return to the Cameri Theatre, where she once worked, while still performing in the play “Shiur BaAhava” and continuing her solo show “Panim LeAhava.”

She speaks candidly about family life, saying she married at 32, had Liam at 36 and her second son, Elad, at 40, and later divorced Dan Turgeman after 10 years of marriage. The split, she says, was orderly and without drama, and the two remain respectful co-parents. Both sons served in combat units, and after the October 8 mobilization she struggled with fear, especially while Liam was serving near Gaza. She says his request that she stay strong for him helped her cope.

Atzmon also discusses getting older, saying she has mixed feelings about cosmetic procedures and prefers boundaries, honesty and direct apologies in relationships. She admits to agoraphobia, which makes large protests difficult, though she and Sanderson did visit Hostages Square. She says her mother, Hania, died three years ago, she visits her father Shmuel daily, and she still feels the loss deeply. She closes with memories of “Eskimo Limon,” says a sequel is being discussed with Yiftach Katzur, and says the original film’s innocence is what made it endure.