Abi Ofarim

Esther and Abi Ofarim (1963)
Esther and Abi Ofarim (1968)

Abi Ofarim (born Abraham Reichstadt, 5 October 1937, Safed, British Mandate of Palestine)[1] is an Israeli musician and dancer.

At age 12, he attended ballet school, and he made his onstage debut in Haifa at 15. By 17 he was arranging his own choreography, and by 18 had his own dance studio.[2]

Duo: Esther & Abi Ofarim

After he married Esther Ofarim he achieved some international fame performing with her as a musical duo Esther & Abi Ofarim, playing the guitar and singing backing vocals. In 1966 the duo had their first hit in Germany with "Noch einen Tanz". Their greatest success in Germany came the next year with "Morning of my Life", written by the Bee Gees. In 1968 "Cinderella Rockefella" hit the top of the charts in a number of countries including the UK.[3] They played many live concerts in New York and London, and in 1969 they toured around the world. The couple divorced in Germany in 1970.[4]

After break-up

Some time after his divorce, Ofarim developed a drug and alcohol addiction.[5] Nevertheless, he continued performing, releasing a number of albums, and also working as a manager, composer and arranger, through his company PROM.

In 1982, Ofarim wrote a book, Der Preis der wilden Jahre (literally: "The Price of the Wild Years"). He remarried twice. His third marriage was to Sandra (Sandy), whom he divorced in 2004. Their sons, Gil and Tal Ofarim, are also in show business.

Since April 2014, Abi Ofarim runs a "Jugendzentrum für Senioren" ("Youth Center for Elderly People") in Munich, a social project against poverty and solitude of the elderly, together with his organization "Kinder von Gestern e. V." ("Children of Yesterday").[6]


Discography

As Esther and Abraham
As Esther and Abi Ofarim

References

  1. ↑ Discogs.com
  2. ↑ Esther and Abi Ofarim
  3. ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 404. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  4. ↑ Esther-Ofarim.de
  5. ↑ Abi Ofarim
  6. ↑ Kinder von Gestern e. V.
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