She had a severe complication at birth, experienced sexual assault at a festival abroad, knew failures in choosing mates and hunger success, quarrels and impeachment on the island of "survival"
"I feel like a 30-year-old, alive and kicking and looking for challenges." Avital
Photo:
Eric Sultan
"After cutting my stomach without anesthesia, to get a baby out of me, a little 'survival' is on me," Ilana Avital extends her famous smile.
This happened to her 27 years ago, at the birth of her second son, Barak, in the Kiryat Maternity Home in Tel Aviv. "I was in my seventh month and I felt contractions. When I arrived, I was told that the embryo was in distress and needed to be born immediately, in Caesarea.
"Because he was in life-threatening condition, the doctors feared that if they put me to sleep - he would fall asleep, too. So I cut my stomach with a surgical knife, without anesthetic, and screamed with pain like crazy. But I remember a lot of blood.
"We stayed two months in intensive care, with lightning connected to the ducts. His lungs were still underdeveloped, so he occasionally stopped breathing. I kept sitting next to him, and every time he turned blue, I would touch his foot, irritate him to come back to breathe.
"I sat next to him 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with stitches in my abdomen from my cut. I didn't sleep for two months, fighting for his life. Then, when we were home, I slept for six months with a monitor attached to my ear, hearing him breathe. That, and today he's a man, tofu tofu. "
This is not the only time that Avital, 60, has faced death in her life. "In 1982, at the age of 22, I went to represent Israel at the Chile Festival, as a singer. I was there alone and had a rocking experience," she recalls with red eyes.
"I never talked about it in my life, and even now I don't want to elaborate on the affair that happened there. Even before the festival, I had a bad event in Chile, an unpleasant experience."
Violent?
"Yes. I fell physically and ended up there in a hospital. After two days I went out with a fixation collar around my neck, and after two days I was already on stage to perform."
Have you been attacked? You raped?
"There was a case that I didn't want to expand on, and that kept it quiet. When I came back to Israel, Shlomo Zach, who was my husband at the time, helped me overcome it. We decided, he, my parents and I, that we would never talk about it. It's a secret that will go with me to the grave."
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She has been in the public consciousness for 43 years. Singer, writer, composer, actress, celeb, gossip columnist. She is currently starring again on the new season of "Survivor VIP" (Network 13, Tuesday and Saturday), alongside celebrities such as endearing, Adi Beatty, David Dvir, Jordan Jarby, Semyon Grafman and former Knesset Member Nava Booker. This season, filmed last summer in the Philippines, receives a fine rating of about 20 percent per episode.
One of Avital's highlights was her quarrel with "Big Brother" winner Israel Oglovo at the Capra Tribal Council, where she was ousted by members of the tribe.
Were you surprised by the early impeachment?
"Very well, none of the viewers thought they would reject me. Why do I have to be deported? Who lacks who to oust? But they made a nice move there."
Impaired?
"Very. Because I was in a great relationship with everyone except Israel. I am a clean person who comes from love, cannot hurt a fly, and I believed in this purity. So when I am hurt, I am hurt more than others."
Did you cry?
"About two hours. It really hurt my heart. I felt humiliated. Out of this bad feeling was born the new song I wrote, composed and released now," Just Breathe ", which speaks of female empowerment (" The dark experiences flood you again, too bad ... but .. "You lost faith in people and yourself, too." When I fought with Israel, no one in the tribe came out on my own, out of fear. They really wanted to like him. "
With her impeachment, Avital became "the queen of the cabin," and in the meantime returned to the game. Oglovo, for his part, embraced her in front of the cameras with a kind of forgiveness, in which Avital complimented him with the words: "You are truly amazing."
What really happened between you?
"He went on to tell the rest of the tribe that I was interfering with him in the prime. I am older and weak, so why should she. I felt a negative attitude from him because of my age.
During the fight you both rose to high tones.
"He didn't respect me. Like, what I did in life, and what he did. I think he just didn't have the tools to deal with stress situations. That was obvious in Big Brother, too. I stole the show for him, and he had to keep Pason .
"Today I think he realizes he was wrong for me, because of all the reactions and hugs I received from the audience. People identified with my pain. But ever since, every time I see Israel we embrace. We've closed the matter between us already.
"In my life I always close circles, never leave open edges to be complete with myself and so I can move forward. I believe that until you step aside the spikes and spurs that bother you, you will not succeed. I do not resent and forgive. Forgive but do not forget.
"I have experience with this. For years I have been dealing with personal empowerment. I studied every course and went through every possible workshop. Now I am going out on an empowerment show called 'My Survival', where I will tell about my life and all the upheavals I went through."
Why did you even go to Survival?
"After two previous refusals, I agreed to participate this time. This is my gift to myself at 60, this crazy adventure. During the 'Touch of Happiness' period, I couldn't go out on the street because they were being attacked. Now it's happening again. Lots of kids ask me for selfie - and I take pictures with everyone.
"Nine years ago, I participated in the singles reality hall of fame (obliterated sixth and failed to qualify; I), and I wanted a bigger challenge. I wanted to prove that I can survive when physical coping is much harder. That's my character, I survive. True, it is masochistic, but it can be intensified by the difficulty. I considered that I would suffer. I went for the diet, but I must not find out how many pounds I lost. "
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Although she hates doing sports and struggling, as she puts it, she trained for two months at sea, power and kickboxing to be strong on the island. "I was relatively fit. I also went into dieting, although I did look a little 'kubbe' when I arrived. I relied on my ability to cope and stay optimistic. My attitude was that I was going to win, mainly through my mental strength."
At first the hunger bothered her, "but the stomach gets used to it. After a week I got used to eating a small dose of rice a day, and I was no longer hungry. Also in the cabin I received one dose of rice, which I prepared myself, and I had to light a fire myself. Alone, and loneliness is no less severe than hunger.
"I'm a woman of food. She loves to eat, enjoys every bite. For me it's wow at the highest levels, like good sex. You can only talk to me about food, buy me a meal. My friends know that sushi is the way to indulge me. I think my previous incarnation I was in the Holocaust, I swear, because it's very hard for me to throw food. And I'm in charge of life. I'll go to Master Chef too if I can. "
On the island in "Survivor", she was confronted mainly by the longing for her two sons, Amit (41), a musical producer who lives in the US, and Barak (27), a publicity man, as well as her parents, David (87) and Vivian (77). Connected to parents. Every Friday I go to the kiddush with them, since I got married at 18. No way.
"In Survival, it hurt the most to sit alone in the cabin and hear from the 'Anting Anting' tribe, with singer Regev Hod, singing really loudly, 'Peace be upon you, angels of peace.' Because of my longing for family and consecration, I cried that night until I fell asleep."
Who did you keep in touch with after "survival" photos?
"Jordan Jarby, Little Smadja, Nicole Reznikov, Asi Buzaglo, Ido Kozikaro, Adi Beatty and Dana Ron. Adi voted for my impeachment, even though she didn't want to, and when we returned to Israel we performed together in the Little Mermaid musical at Chanukah, Every day. I couldn't show up with her until we talked to close the circle - and forgive her. "
In "The Little Mermaid," by the way, Avital was cast in the role of the evil witch. "I'm always taken to the witch role. It's very fun to play a bad woman. After the play, the kids don't want to be photographed with me, only the parents."
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We meet at her three-level villa in Ramat Hasharon, which she bought 20 years ago ("To this day, I pay a crazy mortgage"). The basement level is full of sofas and luxurious armchairs, and the walls are decorated with pebbles reminiscent of an ancient palace. This is Avital's private fortress. Here she brings friends to karaoke evenings and watching movies on the huge screen opposite, across an entire wall. Here she calms down as she plays natural tigresses and yawning lions in the sun with soothing chill-out music in the background.
She offers coffee and yeast cake she bought specifically ("I usually bake"). With styled blonde hair, black pants, a white tunic decorated with blue flowers and a timeless smile, she looks younger than she is.
"This basement is also my studio, here I rehearse for shows," she explains. "Because of the Corona, all the shows were canceled - a show with my songs, a French chanson show, a 'My Survival' empowerment show, a Ziv Ben Simchon cabaret show that hosts Me and voice development lessons I have been teaching for 20 years in Kfar Saba, in Modi'in, Yavne, Holon, Rishon Lezion. I have more than 500 students, of all ages, who I haven't seen in two months. "
In the empowerment show, she talks about everything. "Including my failed marriage and the wrong men's choice I made in life, which was wrong from beginning to end (Avital married at 18 to Amarga Shlomo Tzach, and at 28 to businessman Shay Tochmeyer; AA). I am twice divorced and explain to the audience how I came to the point that it always happens to me.
"It happens because in my character I am a caring woman, who has chosen to take care of men. Every time I choose a man I need, but he is not doing me any good. I get angry because my choices were shit."
Falling in love, according to you, is that a choice?
"Obviously. I chose to fall in love with 'problematic' men whom I have been attracted to all my life. There is no such thing as falling in love without choosing. You choose someone and then develop feelings for them. I fell for each and every time. I did not find a man to make me truly happy."
Which man will make you happy?
"First of all, I'm not looking, because I don't have time to breathe. But I do want a man with a shoulder, because I'm tired of being their shoulder. I need an Alpha male to be the boss, the lead. I want to fall in love with a man who suits me, not a man who needs me. If he comes, he will come, if not, then no.
"I really want to fall in love and love. True love is the thing I miss most in life, but if it's not meant to happen now, it will probably happen in the future. I really don't lose hope.
"It's hard to find 'the one' today. There is too much supply of women looking for men. Nowadays everything is too accessible and too accessible. Each one gives herself too quickly, and that's what ruins. A man says to himself, 'What to do' - and jumps to bed Next. I'm not like that. I need quality to fall in love. I'm a nerdy patient, sick of them. Want some square hi-tech. "
Just a minute ago you wanted an alpha male.
"There will be both a nerd and an alpha male. No such men are missing, just that everyone is busy (laughs).
In short, Mark Zuckerberg is like that.
"He's too young."
It never seems to bother you.
"Right! (Laughs)".
What's the limit? Age 40?
"My son is 41, it's unpleasant (laughs). I prefer 60-45, provided the man is in good shape. It is important for me not to be bored with him and to appreciate me and what I do, and to put me on a platter with the crown. the Queen".
Is your attraction to young people related to the fact that you established at 18?
"Exactly. I married the first man I ever had. I was a virgin girl who hadn't seen a naked man in her life. At 19, I was already a mother, so I didn't experience my lost youth. So I want to experience them now."
She got married at an early age due to the stress of her parents. "They are religious people, did not want me to make an army, so the wedding with Solomon was appropriate. In the 1970s, in the Eastern testimony, they thought that a girl who does an army is going to sleep with all the (laughs) guys, so they didn't let me. I was thirsty to do an army, and when my parents Mine told me not to enlist, I was terribly hard. "
Why?
"Because I am a patriotic soul, who immigrated to Israel at the age of 11 and remembers how we waited with flags and sang 'We brought peace on you' when we got off the ship in Haifa port. I really wanted to stand with a rifle and guard our country, so it hurt so much."
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She was born in Paris as Brigitte Abitball, a scion of a Tunisian family of butchers. "I'm the sandwich girl. My mother gave birth to my older brother when she was 15, and by the age of 21, she already had five children." When she was 11, her entire family immigrated to Israel and settled in Netanya, where her father operated a restaurant. "He is also an amateur renovator and my mother is an amazing painter, and I have taken the attributes from both: I am passionate about design and sculpture, including sculpture exhibitions."
At the age of 13, she recorded songs in French for a record company in France. When she was 16, the producer discovered her fresh, and a year later burst into the unforgettable performance of "You", which came in third place at the Singer and Chorus Festival in 1977. She also specialized in pop, disco and dance, and was considered one of the most prominent singers in the country in the 1980s.
Over the course of her career, she has released 11 albums and three collections, with hits such as "Loving," "Return to the Sea," "Enough of Me," "Touching Bliss," "Touching Happiness," and "Best of You," dedicated to immigrants from the Commonwealth. She starred in festivals with hits such as "Dad, Mother and Eretz Israel" and "Come to the Celebration", composing quite a few of her songs and also hits for others, such as "My Flag" for Edna Heart. She later starred in the successful musical "Mary Lou," from Zvika Peak's songs, Habima, and played television on Telenovelas "Touching Happiness" (in a white role) and "City Tower."
What did you mean when you said before that you "survived"?
"Most of my career is in the middle. Not too high and not too low. I maintain that middle, which doesn't just survive, more than 40 years of career. There are so many artists who don't hear about them today, and I'm always there. That's why I'm so proud of it. I survive because I'm constantly running shows, taking out videotapes, writing books (the children's book 'I Ever Had a Dream' and the book of books, 'God, it's between you and me'; AA). I'm constantly active. "
Do you think you received the respect you deserve in Israeli music?
"I see the pain in my father's eyes all the time. Every singer he sees on TV, at a beacon or some state event, he tells me, 'You should have been in place, you don't appreciate you in this country.' I reassure him that I'm constantly busy And don't rest for a minute, and I'm safe in my middle place all the time. "
Casting for "survival." Are you playing in Galgelt?
"It's the pain. But on the other hand, I'm probably more interesting than other chants because they are played in Gallez. I probably have something to sell that others don't have. Maybe I'm more daring, I've always dared."
Dare, for example, broadcast a sexy image in an age that was conservative.
"True, I had to produce a situation that if it didn't go that way, then I would bring it in sexy. It worked. I really have no problem with it. I'm a sexy woman and I'm good with it. But I didn't only sell sexy, I also sold beautiful songs. "We are elsewhere. Today if you do not sell sex, you do not count. It is already excessive to me. Far from what I broadcast."
Do you mean young women like Noa Kirl?
"It's a completely different generation. We used to be conservative. Today without it you can't succeed, unfortunately. Have you seen a successful contemporary singer without a sexy segment?"
Have you experienced harassment throughout your career?
"There were no harassments in the profession, physically and verbally, and it was precisely from people who are part of the music and entertainment industry. In retrospect, I understand that these are harassment to the oil, but then I didn't think so, because the definitions of sexual harassment were different then.
"I didn't let them do anything to me. I did a lot of flicking on my hands that were sent to me, but I didn't complain because it wasn't acceptable then to complain. Once, in the '80s, loads of women, unfortunately, took sexual steps in their lives to advance in the profession. Lots of cases, which was also very acceptable. "
Today they will say they fell victim to sexual blackmail.
"But then we didn't see it that way. It was common, all over the world, that if you wanted to move forward, you had to sleep with somebody, all kinds of directors and producers. I remember being nominated for something, and when I refused the accompanying demand, the man told me: "There are no such shortcomings in the profession. Today I am in favor of 'who's doing', but it's all about dosing. You don't have to overdo it. It's permissible to compliment a woman, not all pips are harassment."
In Israel's Great Singers List, Where Are You Located?
"I don't know, and I don't care either. I've already developed elephant skin."
Have you ever been jealous of Glee Atari, Yardana Arazi, Judith Ravitz, Nurit Galron, Corin Alal?
"I never envied because I know what my qualities are. Not much can sing like me. At the show I sound like a record, which doesn't happen to many singers. I was always told that I was ahead of my time, that I brought abroad to Israel. Until I arrived, they did not sing with a larger than life voice. I paved the way for the great singers who came after me - Rita, Songs of Finances, Miri Messika, Keren Peles.
"In 1985, I already sang 'Connection' in English, which was a hit by clubs before a language in Israel knew what it was. My three children's songs, which I composed, are sung today in kindergartens and schools, and for me this is a huge pride. I definitely made an imprint in Israeli music. I did mine.
"Appreciate me for that, but not enough. But it doesn't hurt me anymore. Semion from Survivor told me that his mom didn't talk to him for a week because he dared to oust me, and I think she is the greatest singer in the country. "My management may have been unsuccessful. It could be that if I went to a well-oiled machine, I would be somewhere else today. But I don't blame anyone, just myself."
Who are your good friends in the Artist Barge?
"I have no friends among the artists. I don't believe it, because everyone is busy with their own ego. I don't remember ever having friends in the profession. Maybe Yael Bar-Zohar, who we performed together for five years at Mary Lou, but we didn't keep in touch "I love Nancy Brandes, Shimi Tabori, Daphne Dekel, Adam and Ilanit, who were all in Shlomo Tzach's office. Unfortunately, there are no members of the profession, and everyone is interested. It's really very sad."
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Avital never reached the stage of Eurovision, although she tried. She participated in the preliminary competitions in Israel four times, but reached her second place only ("Enough of Me" in 1987). Even before the Eurovision Song Contest of France, in which she participated in 1984, she only picked sergeants.
"I've always been around, but I don't see it as a miss. I really wanted to represent Israel, my country, or France, where I was born, but that's probably not meant to happen. I don't deal with things that didn't happen, just what they did - and that goes for me, too. To the building. "
Are you 60 years old?
"Not at all. I feel like a 30-year-old girl. I am alive and kicking for life and looking for challenges that give me strength to grow. If I am now offered to take part in the Race for a Million, I go with my son like a big one."
Dreaming of becoming a grandmother?
"When it happens, it will happen. I really don't click. Benny Amit has been living in New York for ten years, closed at home because of the Corona, and I haven't seen him for a year. We talk in Wetsap. , Who sings 'It's Raining Men.' My other son, Barak, works for a publishing company as a media person. I am also in touch with Shlomo Tzach and every week I call him to wish him a Sabbath peace. "
How do you maintain your appearance over the years?
"It depends on how you feel, and I feel young. When I came back from Survivor, I did a neck stretch, because I slipped and fell on my neck, so I was stressed. I went to surgeon Dov Klein, who fixed it for me. At age 17, after the singer's festival, I recently wanted to do a breast reduction, but I was shouted, 'What do you need, a big breast is the pinnacle of fashion.' I wanted to reduce, because it is a heavy load and a burden that is always in front of me. "
We'll end up in politics. Are you in favor of the unity government?
"I wish it would last, although I can't believe it. Unfortunately I didn't vote in the last three elections, I didn't know who. If I could, I would bring back Menachem Begin, who I loved so much. His truth and humility do not already exist. Today, everything is humiliation.
"But to me, artists don't have to talk about politics. Look at what this has done to Sephi Rivlin, his uncle Topaz, the fumble of the pale. You're burning part of the audience. We have to deal with art and what is good for people, and that politicians will break their heads."
shishabat@israelhayom.co.il
