Deathwatch: Ofra Haza, Singer, 41

["Deathwatch Central" <cdw@slick.org>]

http://www.cnn.com/2000/SHOWBIZ/Music/02/24/haza.obit/



Israelis mourn death of singer Ofra Haza

February 24, 2000
Web posted at: 1:40 p.m. EST (1840 GMT)

>From staff and wire reports

TEL AVIV, Israel -- Israelis are mourning the death of one of their first
international pop stars, Ofra Haza. She was 41.

Haza, known for blending Yemenite melodies with techno music, was buried on
Thursday in Tel Aviv. She had died the previous evening at Sheba Hospital at
Tel Hashomer of massive organ failure, Dr. Zeev Rortenstein said. He refused
to discuss what led to the failure, saying that was her wish.

Haza had been in serious-to-critical condition for two weeks, unconscious
and receiving intravenous drug infusions and dialysis treatment. A recent
article in the Jerusalem Post reported she was believed to have developed
pneumonia as a complication of untreated influenza.

Her flag-draped coffin was on public display in Hatikvah, the poor Tel Aviv
suburb where she was born. Thousands of people flooded the town on Thursday
to pay their respects, including Prime Minister Ehud Barak.

"The songs of Ofra were not meant for only our ears. She entered the hearts
of many in Israel and throughout the world," Barak said in a condolence
message. "Her contribution to Israeli culture and the honor she brought to
the country will be remembered always."

Former Prime Minister Shimon Peres was among the crowd that attended the
funeral Thursday at the Yarkon cemetery. He praised Haza as a figure who
bridged the traditions of east and west.

Israeli radio played Haza's songs throughout the day, and all the major
newspapers devoted their lead stories to her. The county's largest paper,
Yedioth Aharonoth, focused its first seven pages on her life.

Haza was the youngest of nine children born to Yemenite immigrants. She had
told a television interviewer she grew up in a home that was filled with
song -- her mother having been a well-known singer in Yemen.

A talent scout discovered Haza at age 12. But it wasn't until 1983 that her
career took off. That year, she won second place in the Eurovision Song
Contest with the song "Ani od Hai" ("I'm still alive").

Two years later, she released "Yemenite Songs," which became an instant hit
in Israel. Its signature track, "Im Ninalu," ("If the gates of Heaven were
locked") expanded a devotional poem by 17th century rabbi Shalom Shabazi
into a modern love song. U.S. rap artists Eric B. and Rakim sampled "Im
Ninalu" on their dance hit "Paid in Full" in 1988, bringing Haza onto the
international scene.

Haza's 1993 album "Kirya" was nominated for a Grammy, and she had the honor
of performing in Oslo, Norway, when Israel's Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin,
then-Foreign Minister Peres and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat won the
Nobel Peace Prize in 1994. She most recently sang the role of Moses' mother
in the 1998 film "The Prince of Egypt."

Haza is survived by her husband, businessman Doron Ashkenazi, whom she
married two years ago. They didn't have any children.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
This mailing list is brought to you by Slick.ORG at http://www.slick.org
to remove yourself from the list, send e-mail to majordomo@slick.org
and include the words "unsubscribe deathwatch" in the message (not in the
subject).  For web-based help, go to:

http://www.slick.org/cgi-bin/majordomo

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *