Actress Bar Belfer, Who Overcame Severe Injuries, Dies at 37

By עמית אטיאס

Translated & summarized from N12 by baba

CenterCharged tone

Hebrew · 12 newsrooms covering

Plus

Israeli actress and journalist Bar Belfer died at 37. She rose to fame at 17 in "Someone to Run With," earning awards. In 2010, she survived a severe car accident that impacted her speech, vision, and memory, but she recovered and returned to her career. Belfer also worked in journalism and had a daughter in 2023.

The story in 6 lines · by baba

Actress and journalist Bar Belfer passed away at the age of 37.
Belfer gained fame at 17 for her role in the 2006 film "Someone to Run With."
She won an Israeli Television Academy Award for Best Actress in a miniseries.
Belfer survived a severe 2010 car accident that caused significant physical and cognitive injuries.
She recovered from her injuries and returned to acting and journalism.
Belfer was married with a daughter born in 2023.

Actress Bar Belfer, Who Overcame Severe Injuries, Dies at 37 — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

Israeli actress and journalist Bar Belfer has passed away at the age of 37. Belfer first gained recognition in 2006 at age 17 for her role in the film "Someone to Run With," based on David Grossman's novel. Her performance earned her a nomination for the Ophir Award for Best Actress and a commendation at the Miami International Film Festival. She also won an Israeli Television Academy Award for her role in a miniseries that same year.

Belfer's career included roles in films and television series such as "Masakim," "Angel of My Mother," "Virgins," "Don't Forget Me," and "Foreign Worker." In 2023, she collaborated again with director Oded Davidoff in the horror series "The Corrupt Angel." Beyond acting, she pursued journalism, working as a current affairs reporter and foreign desk editor for Galei Tzahal (IDF Radio). Later, she worked in writing, production, and broadcasting for Kan Tarbut radio and studied film and philosophy at Tel Aviv University.

In March 2010, Belfer was critically injured in a car accident on Highway 1 when a passing vehicle struck her car after it broke down. She spent three weeks in intensive care and underwent extensive rehabilitation, which affected her speech, vision, and mobility, and caused memory loss. Despite the severe injuries, she made a remarkable recovery, returning to broadcast on Galei Tzahal within months and regaining full function. She described her recovery as learning everything anew, including the meaning of love.

Belfer also studied at the Rimon School of Music, graduating in 2014 and writing songs. She married Shahar Cohen in 2018, and they had a daughter in 2023. One of her final roles was in the short film "Tell Me About That Day," which screened last month at the Jerusalem Women's Film Festival, portraying a woman with a physical disability.

Her parents were initially told she might not survive the accident, but her rapid recovery surprised medical staff. She recalled watching "Someone to Run With" repeatedly during her recovery, noting the disconnect between her physical presence and her memory of the events. Belfer also pursued higher education, earning a master's degree from Tel Aviv University's interdisciplinary arts program.