Israeli Actress and Singer Shoshik Shani Dies at 91

Shoshik Shani, a renowned Israeli actress and singer and the widow of singer Arik Lavie, passed away on Saturday at the age of 91, surrounded by her daughters Noa and Yael. Diagnosed with lung cancer four years ago, she chose not to undergo treatment, deciding instead to live her remaining years fully. Her daughter Noa shared with ynet that Shani lived "like a queen" and had planned her death meticulously, emphasizing her wish for the country to endure and for people to act with integrity. Shani's funeral will be held tomorrow evening at Shaar Chesed, where she will be buried beside her late husband.

Born Shoshana Sprung in Tel Aviv, Shani began performing as a child and studied acting at the school founded by Yosef and Yemima Milou at the Cameri Theater. She met Arik Lavie at age 17 while studying at the youth theater of Eliezer Ansky, and they remained together until his death in 2004 despite rumors. She served in the Nahal troupe and returned to the Cameri Theater after her military service, starring in notable plays such as "The Good Person of Szechwan" and "The Miller's Daughter." One of her career highlights was playing the miller’s daughter in the musical "Otz Li Gutz Li," which remains one of Israel’s longest-running productions.

In the 1950s, the couple studied in New York and returned to Israel to perform successful shows written by Ephraim Kishon. Shani also recorded popular children’s albums and performed Brecht songs with Lavie. In her 50s, she retired from the stage but continued acting in films and television, including "Hedva and Shlomik," "Operation Jonathan," and "The Hole in the Moon." She won Best Actress at the Sarajevo Film Festival in 2016 for her role in "The Window." Shani leaves behind two daughters and grandchildren.