Rika Zaraï facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rika Zaraï
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Rika Zaraï in 1968
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Rika Gozman |
| Born | 19 February 1938 Jerusalem, Mandatory Palestine |
| Died | 23 December 2020 (aged 82) |
| Genres | Middle of the road |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, Writer |
| Years active | 1960–2020 |
| Labels | Philips Records |
Rika Zaraï (born February 19, 1938 – died December 23, 2020) was a famous singer and writer from Israel and France. She was known for her lively songs and for sharing her knowledge about natural health.
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Rika's Early Life
Rika Gozman, who later became Rika Zaraï, was born in Jerusalem. Her family had roots in different parts of Eastern Europe.
She finished high school at 17 and joined the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) a year early. While in the army, she was in charge of the entertainment group for the IDF Central Command. Rika also studied at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, where she won a top award for her piano playing.
Overcoming Challenges
In 1969, Rika was in a serious car accident. She was in a coma for six days and had to wear a cast for eight months. Doctors were not sure if she would fully recover.
However, Rika worked hard and got completely better after three years! During her recovery, she wrote a happy song called Balapapa. This song became a big hit and showed her strength in facing difficulties.
Sharing Natural Health Tips
Besides her music, Rika Zaraï also became known for promoting natural medicine. She spent eleven years studying alternative health methods.
In 1985, she wrote a book called Ma médecine naturelle (which means My Natural Medicine). This book was very popular and sold 2 million copies! Rika believed in using natural ways to stay healthy.
In 2008, Rika Zaraï had a stroke. She received medical care and worked on her recovery.
Her Music Career
In the 1950s, Rika Zaraï starred in a musical about soldiers and country girls. Her husband, Yochanan Zarai, wrote the music for it.
In 1969, Rika became very famous with her songs Casatschok and Alors je chante. She had a successful career in Europe. She helped make classic Israeli songs popular around the world. Some of these songs include Hava Nagila, Yerushalayim shel zahav, and Hallelujah.
After writing more books and continuing her health studies, Rika returned to singing in 2000. She released an album called Hava. Her oriental version of Hava Nagila became popular in nightclubs, where she performed until 2004.
In February 2020, twelve years after her stroke, Rika Zaraï sang in public again. She performed at a special event in Paris.
Rika could sing in many languages, including Hebrew, English, French, Italian, Spanish, and German. She lived in Paris but often visited Israel.
Rika Zaraï's Music Albums
Here are some of the music albums Rika Zaraï released:
- Chante Israël (1962)
- Rika Zaraï (1964)
- Un beau jour je partirai (1967)
- Alors je chante (1969)
- Moi le dimanche (1971)
- Les Dessins animés (1973)
- Chansons d'Israël (1973)
- Ma poupée de France (1975)
- Dad li di (1979)
- Chante l'ami (1982)
- L'Espoir (1983)
- Sans rancune et sans regret (1985)
- Story (1988)
- Hava (2000)
- Quand les hommes (2007)
Books by Rika Zaraï
Rika Zaraï wrote several books, mostly about natural health:
- Ma médecine naturelle, Michel Lafon, 1985
- 47 recettes de plantes, Mangina, 1986
- Soins et beauté par l'argile et les plantes, Mangina, 1987
- Mes secrets naturels pour guérir et réussir, J-C Lattès, 1988
- Ces émotions qui guérissent, Michel Lafon, 1995
- Le Code secret de votre personnalité, Michel Lafon, 1996
- L'espérance a toujours raison (memoirs), Michel Lafon, 2006
See also
In Spanish: Rika Zaraï para niños
- Music of Israel
- Culture of Israel
