Shoshana Damari

Shoshana Damari Was an Israeli singer and actress, recipient of the Israel Prize of 1988, who got the nickname “the queen of israeli song”. Damari, who was famous in Israel since before it was founded, was a household name for many years, and her songs became staples in Israeli culture.

Shoshana Damari was born as Shudia Damari on Passover evening in the village of Bashar (بشار) in Damar County In Yemen. The youngest of five, she went to “Haviv” school and accompanied her mother in singing and drumming in various events of the yemenite community. In the mid 30s, Shoshana joined the eastern theater band “shulamit”, following her older brother Saadia, who was a singer, actor and announcer. She then started to sing with the band, and to also perform in the program “the Voice of Jerusalem”.  In August of 1938 she had her first solo performance, singing Yemenite songs written by the poet Shalom Shabazi on the radio, accompanied by Oud and drums. In 1939, at age 16, Damari held her first solo concert.