50 years ago today, Ofra Haza, Israel�s representative in the 1983 Eurovision Song Contest, was born. She lived an often tragic life, dying childless from what is believed to have been AIDS on February 23rd 2000. It is said that she contracted HIV from her husband. Bezalel Aloni, Haza's manager and producer for 28 years recently published a book, L'Michtavim Ofra (Letters to Ofra), available only in Hebrew but soon there will be an English version.
She was voted Female Vocalist Of The Year four years in a row, from 1980 through 1983and represented her country at the Eurovision Song Contest in1983, with the song Chai (Alive), shefinished in second place Luxembourg's entry Si La Vie Est Cadeau, by Corinne Hermes, in a close battle, just six points separated the two highly talented singers.
Her album, Chai, became her biggest-selling album to date. John Kennedy O'Connor notes in The Eurovision Song Contest – The Official History that Haza's performance of this song was highly symbolic as it contains the lyric "Israel Is Alive", as the contest was held in Munich, Germany, the scene of the 1972 Olympic's massacre. The song became a hit in Europe, launching her career. Her greatest international recognition came with the single Im Nin'Alu which became a dancefloor favorite across Europe and the USA. As a featured background vocalist, Haza's voice was sampled on M.A.R.R.S.' international dance hit Pump Up The Volume.
On 22 March 2007, the Tel Aviv Jaffa Municipality and the Tel Aviv Development Fund renamed part of the public park in the Hatikva Quarter to Gan Ofra (Ofra's Park) on the seventh anniversary of her death, in honour of Haza. The park is placedwhere Haza's childhood home was built.
Ofra Haza remains one of the most influential and celebrated musicians in Israeli history. Although she is gone, her voice can often be heard on the radio and her songs are sung by millions of fans, both within and beyond her country's borders. Her music has helped to define Israeli music culture, and her memory lives on.
