Arik Einstein

Biography

Arik Einstein was born in Tel Aviv in 1939 to actor Yaakov Einstein, and started out as a stage and comedy performer before becoming the central figure of Israeli rock.

With Shalom Hanoch he recorded 'Shablul' (1970), the album that turned Hebrew song toward rock, and he went on to record hundreds of songs that Israelis treat as a shared family album — 'Uf Gozal', 'Ani Ve'ata', 'Sa Le'at'.

He deliberately avoided the spotlight: almost no interviews and, from the late 1980s, no concerts at all — only studio albums, often with younger collaborators such as Yehuda Poliker, Shem Tov Levy and Yoni Rechter.

When he died in 2013 tens of thousands came to Rabin Square to say goodbye; he is widely called simply 'the voice of the nation'.

Quick facts

Born

Tel Aviv, 1939

Landmark album

'Shablul' with Shalom Hanoch, 1970

This song

'Le'an Parchu HaParparim', 1997

Signature songs

'Uf Gozal', 'Ani Ve'ata', 'Sa Le'at'

Songs by Arik Einstein with Hebrew lyrics

• Ha'or BaKatzeThe Light at the End · 1997

Culture quiz: Arik Einstein & Israel

Test what you know about Arik Einstein, the song's Hebrew words and Israeli culture.