About this episode
The Liat Show is rebuilding our world through storytelling, powered by readers. To receive new posts first and support my work, join as a free or paid subscriber and stay ahead of the next chapter before the door closes.Current Time.It’s been 25 years since Ofra Haza left us, 25 years with more questions than answers. The famous person the public knew was completely different from the private one. Ofra Haza's life was an enigma. She reached world stardom, but no one knew what was in her heart or mind.Ofra’s longtime manager, Bezalel Aloni, said many times that she was an innocent virgin until she married her husband. In a documentary on her life earlier this month, her longtime friend and fashion designer Dorin Frankfurt said, "How could such an open, warm, and passionate woman voluntarily commit to a life of virginity and not be in a relationship? I didn't buy it," said Frankfurt. "I think she feared the image of the 'national mummy' and the opinion of those close to her. That was the biggest problem at the end of her days."Two people who were close to her describe a completely different person. So how could this be? What do we really know, and what do we not? Could we ever know?Ofra Haza left us an arsenal of songs, video clips, movies, interviews, and memories. We all have memories connected to her, her songs, or her films. We remember how she fought discrimination with her music and wise words in interviews. She spoke with grace and wisdom, not arrogance or a sense of privilege. Ofra was one of a kind.What Can We Learn?I doubt that many great musicians who are no longer with us would believe the world looks the way it does today. If we could go back in time and tell them that in 2025, a globally famous rapper shared a public antisemitic manifesto and was still invited to high-profile industry events with no boycotts or real consequences, I don’t think any of them would believe it.Something changed in this world, and not for the better. Through music, Ofra Haza showed the world how to embrace different ethnicities and cultures. She also showed us how to bridge cultures with the arts and the importance of artists taking an active role in this process, especially when politics fails.Unfortunately, today, we see more artists who deepen the socio-cultural divide instead of bridging it. The arts had a sacred place in our cultures, but now it’s broken. Many artists are afraid to speak up; they only care about their financial status.Decades ago, artists used their voices to challenge injustice. Today, those same platforms reward silence, ensuring that no one disrupts the status quo. Reaching that point means politics has penetrated the entertainment world deeply, and they know how to silence artists to ensure there will never be criticism of what they do.To read the series of stories about Ofra Haza
