Ofra Haza, also known as Bat-Sheva Ofra Haza (November 1957 – February 2000), was an Israeli singer, songwriter, actor, and Grammy Award-nominated recording artist who became known as “The Israeli Madonna” or “Madonna of the East” in the West. Her mezzo-soprano voice has been referred to as “tender.”

Of Mizrahi Jewish (Yemenite-Jewish) ancestry, Haza’s music is renowned for blending elements of Eastern and Western instrumentation, orchestration, and dance-beat, as well as lyrics from Mizrahi and Jewish folk tales and poetry. It also incorporates elements of traditional Middle Eastern and commercial singing styles.

How old was Ofra Haza when she died?

At the age of 42, Ofra Haza passed away from AIDS on February 23, 2000. Although it is now widely known that she was HIV-positive, Israel’s reaction to the Israeli daily Haaretz’s choice to publish the information soon after her passing was contentious.

Israeli radio stations played retrospectives of Haza’s music nonstop upon the news of her passing. She served as a cultural emissary and represented Israel’s success story, according to then-Prime Minister Ehud Barak, who appreciated her work in that capacity.