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© Ofra Haza
50th Anniversary of her birth
Tribute to Ofra Haza
She was voted Female Vocalist Of The Year four years in a row, from 1980 through 1983 and represented her country at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1983, with the song Chai (Alive), she finished 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 placed where 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.
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she missing
her voice was great 
Yiorgos: "other sources" may be wrong, and in this case I fear they are. Definitely no trace on Ofra on M/A/R/R/S, neither on the radio version, nor on the extended club mix. There is some pitched-up prayer-type wailing in both of those (during the break) but that sounds nothing like Ofra Haza.
The only sample that is featured in both discussed records (Marrs & Paid in Full) is the "Pump Up The Volume" sample itself, which may be the confusing factor here. 
I was shocked about her early death - great talented singer, she`s missed.
not to use other sources, i think MTV is ok for you
http://www.mtv.com/n(...)20000224/story.jhtml
Ofra Haza certainly didn't "sing" on the Marrs record (at least not the on the original extended 12" mix), the question was whether she was sampled on that record. Not quite the same thing. There are some easterly vocal snippets there but it's hardly Ofra, whereas of course Im Nin Alu is sampled prominently on "Paid in Full".
Keith is absolutely right, well spotted. 
She was great!
I am still listening to her songs...
R.I.P
Bepo, which part of the song?
Ofra will be always living in my heart. She had a great success in Spain between 1988 and 1990. She also visited my country several times.
if ofra haza did sing on pump up the volume she mustve been desperate for work cos thats a horrendously awful "song"
keith u re wrong about mars she did it with them pump up volume
Kris Fruyt
I don't know if this would be of any interest for you, but if so, Ofra Haza took part also in the IBA's Sefaradic Song Festival several times at early - mid 70's (the 70's was the era of big music festivals here, nowdays nothing is left, the IBA cannot even make a decent Kdam), with her first commercial success. If you are interested I'll upload those early songs on send space.
" hi " was a great eurosong. i wasnt so keen on im nin alu, i remember here in uk gary davies playin it on his radio show all the time until it became a hit
I don't think Ofra's voice was on "Pump Up The Volume" by M/A/R/R/S. Does anyone know for sure? I think Yiorgos is is getting it mixed up with "Paid in full" by Eric B & Rakim (from the same year) which features an obvious sample of an early version of "Im nin'alu".
Im Nin' Alu still rocks to this day and always will.
@ kernow
Ofra was nor pregnant at 1983 Eurovision. she was never pregnant in her life. the editor of the article is right. she did died childless.
you mix it up with another Israeli singer. Shlomit Aharon from the Habibi group who represented Israel in 1981 with "Halaylah".
she was the one who went up on stage in 8.5 months of pregnant. a week after they returned back from Eurovision in Ireland to Israel she gave birth.
Ofra haza and her husband addopted an urfin child. but he is not her flesh and blood child. only month ago there was in Israel a special tv show by the name "the secret child of Ofra Haza" and it was very thriling and touchy.
@ Kris Fruyt
Amir forgot to mention to you that Ofra Haza was the lyricsist of the 1992 Kdam song "ha'or" sang by Uri Fineman.
it won the 6th or 7th place if im not making any mistake.
there is also another thing a lot of Eurovision fans dont know about Ofra.
before Yardena Arazi (1988,1976 and presenter of eurovision 1979) joined the choclate menta mastik group (1976), Ofra Haza was one of the singers in this trio. but for a very shirt time. if she decided to stay more we might have been seeing her in the 1976 Eurovision. who knows?
Ofra is still alive in her music, and for me is the best ever Israeli representative in ESC.
Ofra was such a great singer. She passed away too early...
@Amir
Thanks a lot my friend,
Kris Fruyt
It is also worth mentioning that Ofra Haza took part in the Tokyo song Festival in 1987 for Israel, the biggest wold song festival which was then by its end. Israel has won the Tokyo song festival twice (1971 or 1970 if I recall well (hedav and David) and common share of first place in 1974 (Ilanit)), plus Israel had good achievments as well in some other years of this exciting festival.
Kris Fruyt,
Ofra Haza tried to approach the Israeli Kdam 3 times in total:
In 1980 she participated in the Kdam with her song "Al ahavot Shelanu" (About our loves). However, as you may know, the IBA has announced on November 24, 1979, that despite their commitment to host the ESc in Jerusalem in March 1980, they could not do so. Since the new date for the ESC was such that Israel could not take part, the "kdam" of 1980 (which was then called "the Israel Song Festival" was held but the winner went no where.
In 1981 Ofra haza submitted 3 songs to the Kdam, non of them was accepted.
In 1983 she won the kdam with "Chai".
That concludes her "Kdam" related history. I hope that was helpful
'dying childless' ??? She was 8.5 months pregnant when she performed on the night... to my memory she suffered contractions once off the stage and it was unclear as to whether or not, if she had won, that she would have been able to go on and sing the reprise.
Her son, as far as I know, is now a record producer in Israel.
Friends, anyone can tell me how often she tried to participate for Israel ? She only went onces, but did she had other songs in other years and where did she end up with them ?
She was thebreal DIVA from Israel
RIP dear Ofra we miss you
I didn't even know she's dead... R.I.P.
Her song "Chai" was really good.
I loved her entry and most of the songs she did afterwards, a big miss you,...
Amazingggggggggggggggggggggggg ggg voice.
R.I.P Ofra and u will live forever from ur songs.....!!!
One of the songs she has sung and i LOVE is:
http://www.youtube.c(...)/watch?v=lRijgRZmqvI
SHE WAS THE BEST!!!
I MISS HER VOICE SO MUCH
