Zehava Ben, one of the great voices of the Mediterranean singer in Israel, speaks candidly about the difficult times she went through, the sweet victory in "Big Brother" and the career that takes off again • And what will she do with a million shekels?
"I never thought my climax was behind me, I knew there would be a resurgence."
Zehava Ben
Photo:
Disposal pins
One night
at the Big Brother house, Zehava Ben met her mother in a dream.
"For many years I did not dream about her," she says, "and suddenly she came to me in a dream and said to me: 'Zehava, I am with you,' and left. And I say to her: 'Mother, do not go,' she begs. And she says to me: 'Do not be afraid, "I'm with you." And disappeared. When I woke up, I went into Big Brother's room and told him about the dream. "
Did her things strengthen you?
"Very. She promised and kept it. On the eve of the final, a million thoughts crossed my mind. Every time there was an announcement, I thought it was me who was about to leave. And slowly I see everyone leave, and I stay. The highlight was when Josie and I were left alone, then "I lost it at all. I did not understand what was happening. I cried, I was shaking, I was in complete shock. I felt I could not stand on my feet, my whole body was shaking. I was trying to pick myself up and understand what was happening."
Then they announced that you were the winner.
"Mom, you say that and I have a chill. I go home and say to myself, I do not believe, I do not believe. Over the years people who were more vocal, who stood out more, and I did not believe that my silence could win. I must say I felt created. "A world with me, that he heard my prayers. At that moment I felt that my father and mother were with me."
* * *
Zehava, 52, is the biggest Cinderella story in Israeli music.
A girl who grew up in a criminal environment in Be'er Sheva, in a destitute family, who overnight became one of the greatest singers in Israel, and one of the pioneers of Mediterranean singing in the country.
It is no coincidence that she is photographed in the Baha'i Gardens in Haifa, which symbolize a bridge that connects cultures and religions - as she sees herself as connecting East and West, between Hebrew and Arabic.
"We were a normal family living the day-to-day. There was no money, but there was love, and there was warmth, and there was respect. I had amazing parents. I remember buying the first dress and starting to cry. Suddenly I had money. I said to myself, I can not believe I bought Dress.
"My dad didn't get to see me advertise, and that's one of my misses.
I wanted my mother to see me in the front row in Caesarea and I would sing to her, but I did not win.
She was never at my show because she was a sick woman.
I believe that if they had seen me, they would have been very proud of me. "
She released her first album, "Tipat Mazal" in 1989, at the age of 21. After that, within ten years, she released ten albums, which sold hundreds of thousands of copies.
One of them is "Inta Omri", in which she entered the almost impossible shoes of Umm Kultoum.
These albums were accompanied by tour dates, which reached a peak of dozens of performances a month.
In the first decade of the millennium, she released five more albums, including "Real King", which was a great success, and "My Father's House", which included covers of classics from Hebrew music.
Over the years her career waned.
At the same time, heirs emerged, which moved her aside.
Wrong decisions and the replacement of managers one after the other led to the growth of a generation that did not know its rare voice.
"At the fireplace, I had a very open conversation with Lior Kalfon. I told him that there were years when I tried very hard to come back, and I couldn't. I told him everything, and I just suffocated. Then I went up to the nest (rest room; A.S.) and fell apart.
In one moment my whole past is floating to me. "
Until now I have refrained from talking about it.
" For many years I had something in me that did not dwell on what had already happened.
I did not agree to speak or be interviewed, and suddenly I came to the big brother, and everything opened up to me.
"I had a huge connection with the brother (played by Roi Oz, the show's editor; A.S.), he was like my father.
Suddenly I felt safe, and then everything came out for me.
When she was on Network 13 raising a glass for the holiday, I just hugged him and said to him, 'You were my dad, my psychologist, my guide.'
I do not know if without him and without Dror (Contento) I would have survived. "
Do you have an explanation for why this happened there?
" There was something there that made me gather myself, remember things.
I got there to the point where I forgot the gilding that I was.
I forgot the big stages I performed on, I forgot my success.
I was golden, simple, ordinary, equal among equals.
Anyone who knows me knows that I am a private person.
It's hard for me to be exposed.
But I realized that in order for them to listen to me, they need to know me.
"And in the fireplace house it happened. I went into the house because I wanted them to know Zehava, my face. They would listen to me, they would know my character, my values. Then, whoever does not know Zehava son of the singer, will know, and if they also liked what they saw - what Can I ask for more? "
* * *
Do you look at the past years with a sense of failure?
"Throughout the years there have been difficulties. I had a hard way, with difficult years that you can not even imagine, but I always embraced it with love. Always, even in the most difficult times, I believed in myself.
" I had many managers, some good and some less good. , But even in the most unpleasant partings I never slammed the door.
Even when I was hit, I was not angry.
I just kept going. "
There were managers who hurt you, who cheated on you. How can you not be angry?
" I will not tell you that it did not hurt me and will not frustrate me, but what is the point of delaying it?
what can I do?
All I wanted was to sing, and I couldn’t always get back on the track I was on.
Today I can tell you I forgave everyone.
Not because they deserved it, but because I wanted my insides to be clean, because I felt that was the only way I could move forward. "
Today you can tell where you went wrong?
" The main mistake was that the management was not right, and I did not stop it in time.
After the disappearance, it was difficult to return. "
What was the most difficult period you went through?
" The period when I did not have the money to pay rent.
To this day I do not understand where I had the strength to go through this.
There were nights I slept in the car.
And even then, I lie there and remind myself that one day it will be okay. "
What happened to you during that time?
" For months the phone did not ring.
No performances, no songs.
I said to myself, how can it be that I am being missed?
How can you not contact me? "
Were there moments when you thought of retiring from the profession and doing something else?
" No.
I never thought of retiring.
There was not a single moment I said to myself, go find a new job.
I knew that if I put it in my head, it could happen again, and then I would lose everything.
"I do not know if I will sing all my life, but I promise to be there until I run out of energy. This is the greatest gift I have received, I did not give it up even in the most difficult times. To give up such a gift is to be forced to be good. Today I am on a new path, In the world. "
* * *
We meet at her house in Rishon Lezion.
It is not yet 9 in the morning, and it is already after makeup, hair and measurements of ten dresses and suits, which will be used by her in the coming days.
At the end she returns to Mickey Mouse pajamas and a cup of coffee.
"For three years I ran myself," she says.
"After everything I went through, I didn't even want to argue with a manager. I didn't have the strength to start another relationship with another manager."
Has your history with managers made you lose faith in people?
"Yes, I'll lie to you if I say no. I was too good, and I gave my all. I remember they would hurt me, and I would say to myself, but why. Until June came (Yoni Drapner, her manager for the past year and a half; A.S.).
When I met him, I told him: I have no confidence in anyone. "
June:" We sat for two and a half hours, and the whole first hour she told me about everything she went through with the principals.
At last she said to me, are you interested in managing me? "
Zehava:" I told him: I'm looking for someone to be a partner.
Let Zehava Ben wake up and let Zehava Ben sleep.
Be a part of me, be a family.
He's the most beautiful thing I've ever known.
He fights for me so much and cares for me, I learn from him every day.
I see a lot of little things that sometimes people think I do not see, and with him I saw something very professional.
Something that puts me and my music at the forefront. "
June:" I knew an amazing person, with a crazy work ethic.
If she has to be somewhere at 9, she's going to be at 8.
Like a singer who started working yesterday.
I said to myself: There is no situation that she is not the biggest thing in the country.
I was waiting for this day, that everyone would see only 50 percent of what I see, and that would be great. "
That aspiration came true much faster than planned, and thanks to Big Brother." I was contacted in the past by the show, and I always said no, "she says." I never imagined I would be home. This one. "
June:" When they called me from the production and asked for a 'non-binding meeting', I called Zehava.
She immediately told me, 'No, there is nothing to talk about.' "
Zehava:" He repeated it several times, and each time I interrupted him.
It was not an option for me. "
June:" I dripped it slowly, until we got to the meeting, and from there the rest is history. "
* * *
Let's go back to the final night.
"I knew the final was near, but I did not know when. That day we were called to the living room, and I thought we should prepare a budget, and suddenly announced that the final in a few hours. I was shocked. The thought that in three hours I leave home to see my son, and leave the world - there is no such happiness ".
When did you realize you had a chance to win?
"For me, I won there a long time ago, and I also said it to the big brother. I said: when I have to go out, I'll go out, and I'll be fine with that. I always asked the brother what people say outside, what they think of me. I wanted to know if they were proud of me. See. But do not reveal to you.
"I wanted to show young girls that no matter how hard the road, it is possible, and to pass on values of respect and patience to each other.
I so wanted the younger generation to see it.
So not only did they see, but saw and connected with me.
I feel like I came out of there with my head held high. "
There was not a single moment that you fell into it.
" Anyone who knows me knows that I am not one to fight.
What is not mine - not mine, what is not my business - is not my business, and if I was hurt by someone, or he was hurt by me, I will take him aside and tell him quietly.
You can disagree, but you can also quietly disagree.
This is my character, this is the person I am.
I tried to be everyone's friend, mother and sister. "
Not to quarrel even once?
" It's not me, and if I had gotten into these situations, I would not have stayed there.
The brother told me: 'You just gave birth.
I do not see a 52 'year old woman.
I think I also had that side, naive and naive, and that's fine.
"" I told him, 'It's not me.
If I'm someone who's not me, I'm not here.
"That's what happened to Dror. As soon as he saw something that he was not, and that he was not okay with it, he picked himself up and went out. I most understand and appreciate him for that."
Did you watch your winning moment?
"I watched, and I still do not digest that it is me. Thank God, too many good things happened to me in such a short time - 'Big Brother', the victory, Caesarea, Eyal Golan. I did not digest, and so far I do not digest."
In the end you went out in pajamas.
"I said to my brother, 'I don't mind going out in my pajamas.' I did not mind going out even with rags. Who cares, atonement for you. All season I went with slippers."
* * *
What was the hardest moment at home?
"After a month and a half I felt like I wanted to go out. I went into the big fireplace and told him, 'I'm suffocated.' I had a hard time. But in retrospect I'm glad I was there, and even more glad I stayed. After going through this crisis, I knew that as long as the crowd left me, I'm staying. "
Who was the winner for you?
"Dror. And I told him that from the beginning."
How do you explain your connection?
"Dror and I knew each other before, he once designed a dress for me for a show, but inside the house the bond tightened. People rarely meet and there is a rare internal connection between them, and that's what happened to us. From the first moment, until the moment he left, we were together. "We held each other there."
When did he tell you he wanted to leave?
"We talked one night in the bathroom, and he kept crying. He told me it was hard for him, but did not say he was leaving because he was afraid of my reaction. He was afraid I would break down.
" When I found out he was leaving, I went home like crazy.
I went into the fireplace and cried for him not to let Dror leave.
That would convince him to stay.
It should also be remembered that his daughter's voice finished him off.
I remember he just leaned on me and cried.
He contained them all, and everyone loved him.
After he left, I did not fall asleep for two days.
I did not believe it was happening to me. "
Did you talk after the win? Are you in touch?
" Obviously. "
The connection with Gal Gvaram was also surprising.
" I am not sure that the viewers at home were able to fully recognize Gal's inner depth and beauty.
You do not know what a beautiful interior it has.
I saw it, and I kept telling her that.
As beautiful as she is on the outside, she is even more beautiful on the inside.
She went into my heart and I had a hard time with her dismissal. "
How do you explain her dismissal?
" I do not understand.
Gal should have been in the finals. "
Will you stay friends?
" Sure, what a question.
Yesterday I called her and told her, 'Let's meet.'
She came right away. "
What do you think of her connection to Tom Haimov?
"Tom is a prince. There are no people like him. He's a real gentleman. He's dead on her, and she's on him. I remember our conversation, in which she said to me, 'Zehava, I seem to be in love with him, and I really want it to work out.' "They are so appropriate. When she left, he sat in front of her picture and looked at her."
They already have a canopy singer.
"Unequivocally. I'm looking forward to it."
Even when Yehuda Yitzhakov left was difficult?
"Yes. Judah and I had a hard time digesting each other at first, but to his credit he immediately recognized me. I said to him, 'Accept me as a mother, I am a person who does not confront.' I did not come to educate anyone, it is not my job. But I always told him, 'Be more restrained and moderate. I love you like a mother, I offer it to you for you.'
"
Let you
know that I loved him very much.
he's a genius.
But I felt he did not love me.
I took him aside and told him, 'If you want to tell me something, be open with me.'
And he said, 'I did not know you at first, and I am so happy and proud for a son who has a mother like you.'
"When Almog was introduced to him, I saw another Yehuda. I told him I was glad he calmed down. He also has beautiful sides."
Did he call to greet?
"Not yet".
Who called to greet?
"Itai Levy was the first, and then Itzik Kala, Adi Leon, and many more. Once I reset myself, I want to give them back for all the love I received."
* * *
Your connection with Remy Rose was a bit surprising.
"I did not know Remy before the show. When it was announced he was coming in, they told me, 'Watch out for him.' Despite everything, we had an immediate connection. I kept reassuring him. I would tell him, 'Remy, atone for you, enough. Be restrained.' "Strengthens him. He kept wanting to go because he really missed his children, and I told him, 'Stay a little longer.' In the last days before he was fired, he was already broken. His longings for his son had finished him off."
There were also difficult moments with him.
"True, after the incident with Josie I told him: 'You told Josie hard things, and you know you're wrong.' Josie is amazing. His story tore my soul. In this house everyone was with his own package, and G. "And for me he is my second son. Ben's big brother. I cried my life over him, he has endless good in him."
What did you think of Remy and Linor?
"At home they did not look like a couple to me. They were good friends, he supported her and contained her very much. It was very difficult there, and they were for each other. Linor was a stunning girl, she really went into my heart."
One of your memorable moments in the fireplace room is when you spoke to him with your head down.
"True, it's education from home. When I was talking to my dad, I was with my eyes down. I grew up in a simple home, with values of respect for parents. To this day, when I talk to people, my eyes are down.
" This house opened me up.
The brother said to me: 'The day you get out of here, you promise me you will be with your head up, and be proud of yourself.' "
What reactions do you get on the street?
" People do not digest that this is the person who came out of me.
I finally got to know me, my insides.
They knew I was shy and closed, and when it opened, they discovered me.
The younger generation did not know me until the show.
Suddenly I see boys, young men and women who love me, and it's amazing.
I'm glad they saw my way, which proves it's possible otherwise. "
History proves that the adults in the house never win.
" True, I told June that I go maximum for a month. "
June:" She told me: 'We will meet in a month'.
I told her: 'We'll meet on Seder night.' "
Zehava:" I received the most support helicopters, I was shouted at every day from the outside, and I still did not understand what was happening. "" Is
it hard for you to accept this love?
"Absolutely not, I really enjoy it.
I have been waiting for her for many years.
People stop to take pictures with me, and June does not let me.
I really argue with him about it. "
June:" You walk with her on the street - it's like Bibi in the market. "
Does it remind you of the love you got in the beginning?
" I was always loved, even in my most difficult times, but now know me deeply, and I hug It with both hands.
I still can't believe it's happening to me, I swear to you. "
* * *
One of the most exciting moments of the season was the singer's encounter with Ben (23), her only son from her marriage to Assaf Rosen in the 90s.
Ben is a logistics manager at a maintenance company.
"The hallucinatory part was that I did not recognize his shoes, but I will explain to you why. Something on the screen was pixelated, and I did not expect to be brought in. For me, it was my most significant moment at home. When he told me he was fine and that he was proud of me - it gave me strength. "That's all I wanted to hear. Then I went in to Big Brother and said, 'I'm here to the end.'
Tell me about your relationship.
"Ben is my lover. He's my whole world."
What will happen when he has a girlfriend?
"He had a girlfriend, and I was like a mother to her. I did not get into his affairs, because they are his, and I can only support and advise. When they broke up, I asked him, 'What happened? She's actually cute.' I can advise, but I do not choose for him. "Whatever he chooses, I will support and promote."
Is he in touch with his father?
"His dad and I got divorced when he was two months old, nicely. Throughout the years I told him, 'Son, this is your dad, and your door is open to him all his life.' He has an amazing dad, and after winning he also came to my house to greet me. He has two more sisters from his father's second marriage, with whom he is in good contact. "
Does he live with you?
"Ben will leave me, atonement? The longing for him inside the Big Brother house was a longing that hurt my body. I do not know how to explain it to you. You are an hour away from him, and you do not see him. No matter how much I try to explain to you, until I "We are experiencing this, we do not know what it is."
* * *
Her diary is as busy these days as it has not been for years.
On the agenda: two performances in Caesarea, for the first time in her life;
Appearance at the Israel Award Ceremony on Independence Day;
And more.
"For many years I did not have it like that, but not as a cliché. I really believed it would happen."
Were there moments when you thought to yourself that maybe your climax was behind you?
"No. I knew there would be a resurgence. They would always tell me, 'Why don't you do Caesarea?', And I said, 'One day it will happen.' Eyal Golan called me at the brother's house and asked me if I wanted to do Caesarea, and that he would stay with me. I immediately said, sure. I cried my life out of excitement.
"I always wanted to perform in Caesarea, but it should be remembered that I have already performed on bigger stages, like a stage in France with 50,000 people.
I will make Caesarea, not Caesarea will make me. "
The industry also hugged you after the win.
" I heard that many of us were parried.
It's stunning. "
Sarit Hadad also praised you and posted a post in support of you.
" How amazing she is.
Sarit and I have known each other for many years, and her paragon did not surprise me at all.
I always said I was dying for her.
I saw Dikla pargana for me too, and it's stunning.
"Will you
do another reality show?
" I'm ready to come to Big Brother's house as a guest next season. "
What will you do with the million?
" For 15 years I have lived in rented apartments, now I want my corner.
A one-room apartment is enough for me.
Let me have my corner, with pictures of my parents and my sisters.
I am the same simple gold from Be'er Sheva.
I love that
gold
. "
Did the family cheer you up after the win?
" They were all here after the win.
With me too.
We have been in good relationship for many years.
We've had arguments in the past, ups and downs like in any family, but now we're fine. "
Are you happy?
" I always have been, not just now.
Even in my little place, and in my less good times, I was happy.
They just did not see it. "
erans@israelhayom.co.il
Makeup and hair styling: Studio Gili Algabi, dressing assistant: Mor Yaron, shirt: Asia Tali Revivo, pants: Bar Merom Brenda, jewelry: Saga Sagit Revivo, photographed at the World Baha'i Center. Copyright to the International Bahá'í Community
