{{Short description|Israeli musician and dancer (1937–2018)}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Abi Ofarim | alias = Abraham | image = Fenklup1968AbiOfarim.jpg | caption = Ofarim in March 1968 | native_name = אבי עופרים | native_name_lang = he | birth_name = Avraham Reichstadt | birth_date = October 5, 1937 | death_date = {{Death date and age|2018|05|04|1937|10|05}} | birth_place = Safed, Mandatory Palestine | death_place = Munich, Germany | associated_acts = *Esther Ofarim *Esther & Abi Ofarim | label = Philips, CBS, Warner Bros., RCA, Polydor, Sony Music | occupation = Musician, singer, songwriter, producer | instrument = Guitar }} [[File:Grand Gala du Disque . Esther en Abraham Ofarim, Bestanddeelnr 921-1481.jpg|alt=|thumb|244x244px|Abi & Esther Ofarim performing at the Grand Gala du Disque on March 8, 1968.]] '''Abi Ofarim''' (born '''Avraham Reichstadt'''; {{langx|he|אבי עופרים}}; October 5, 1937 – May 4, 2018)<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/artist/Abi+Ofarim Profile], Discogs.com; accessed 4 May 2018.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.express.co.uk/celebrity-news/955204/Abi-Ofarim-dead-death-cause-Esther-Ofarim-Cinderella-Rockefella-songs-age-latest-news|title=Abi Ofarim dead: Cinderella Rockefella singer dies at home after 'long illness' age 80|first=Jessica|last=Earnshaw|date=4 May 2018}}</ref> was an Israeli musician and dancer. He is better known for his work in the 1960s as half of the duo Esther & Abi Ofarim with his then-wife Esther Ofarim.
== Life and career == Avraham Reichstadt (later Abi Ofarim) was born in Safed, Galilee, then Mandatory Palestine, on October 5, 1937. Upon Israel's independence in 1948, he attended ballet school and made his stage debut in Haifa in 1952. By the age of 17, he was arranging his own choreography, and by 18 had his own dance studio.<ref>[http://www.onlineweb.com/theones/ofarim/ofarim_eng_trans.htm Abi and Esther Ofarim profile], onlineweb.com; accessed 4 May 2018.</ref> He was then recruited to serve in the Israeli army during the Suez crisis and the Sinai war.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/abi-ofarim-obituary-kdlfwmjhj|title=Abi Ofarim obituary|date=2018-05-18|work=The Times|language=en|issn=0140-0460}}</ref>
=== Esther & Abi Ofarim === In December 1958, Reichstadt married Esther Zaied.<ref name=":1">{{cite news |last=Achterfeld |first=Wilfried |date=1966-02-16 |title=Die Ofarims |trans-title=The Ofarims |url=http://www.esther-ofarim.de/ofarim-stern.htm |language=de |work=Stern magazine 16 Feb 1966}}</ref> He achieved international fame performing with her as a musical duo Esther & Abi Ofarim in the 1960s, playing the guitar and singing backing vocals. The couple relocated to Geneva, then eventually to Germany. In 1966, they 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.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Esther & Abi Ofarim together with the Bee Gees|url=http://www.esther-ofarim.de/beegees.htm|access-date=2020-06-03|website=www.esther-ofarim.de}}</ref> In 1968, "Cinderella Rockefella" hit the top of the charts in a number of countries including the UK.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book|first=David|last=Roberts|year=2006|title=British Hit Singles & Albums| edition=19th|publisher= Guinness World Records Limited|location=London, UK|isbn=1-904994-10-5|page=404}}</ref> The duo played live concerts in New York City and London, and they toured Europe before separating in 1969.<ref name="esther-ofarim">[http://www.esther-ofarim.de/bildzeit1.htm Esther Ofarim website], esther-ofarim.de; accessed 4 May 2018.{{in lang|de}}</ref><ref name=":0" />
=== Solo career === Abi Ofarim continued performing and recording in Europe. He also worked as a manager, composer, and arranger. In 1970, Ofarim launched his own record production and music publishing company Prom Music. He also worked with Liberty/United Artists Records in Munich.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Schuegraf|first=Ursula|date=June 20, 1970|title=From the Music Capitals of the World: Munich|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/70s/1970/Billboard%201970-06-20.pdf|magazine=Billboard|pages=50}}</ref> In 1972, he released an album with British singer Tom Winter. In 1975, Ofarim left Prom, selling his interest to ex-partner Yehuda Zwick.
His book, ''Der Preis der wilden Jahre'' ("The Price of the Wild Years") was first published in 1982. That year, Ofarim released the album ''Much Too Much'' on RCA Records in Germany. He released an album, ''Too Much Of Something'', in 2009.
Beginning in April 2014, Ofarim ran 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").<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kindervongestern.de|title=KVG-EV - Jugendzentrum für Senioren|website=kindervongestern.de}}</ref>
== Personal life == Ofarim married Esther Ofarim (née Zaied) on December 11, 1958.<ref name=":1" /> After their divorce in 1970, he accused her of "egotism and snobbery."<ref name=":0" /> He dated German singer Susan Avilés and actress Iris Berben,<ref>{{Cite web|date=August 7, 2010|title=Ex-Freund Abi Ofarim beichtet: "Iris Berben wäre fast gestorben"|url=https://www.bz-berlin.de/artikel-archiv/ex-freund-abi-ofarim-beichtet-iris-berben-waere-fast-gestorben|access-date=2020-06-04|website=www.bz-berlin.de|language=de}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=SUSAN AVILES Sängerin Susan Avilés ("ZDF-Hitparade") über das schier unvorstellbare Martyrium ihrer Kindheit und über Abi Ofarim!|url=https://smago.de/ws2/schlager/SUSAN-AVILES-Saengerin-Susan-A-107502/|access-date=2020-06-04|website=SMAGO.DE|date=21 January 2014 |language=de-DE}}</ref> before remarrying twice. His third marriage was to Sandra (Sandy) Reichstadt, who he divorced in 2004. Their sons, Gil Ofarim and Tal Ofarim, are also musicians. Gil Ofarim is the front man of the band Zoo Army.<ref name=":0" />
After his divorce from Esther, Ofarim developed a cocaine and alcohol addiction.<ref name="esther-ofarim" /> In 1979, he was arrested for possession of narcotics and tax evasion. He spent a month in prison and a year on probation.<ref name=":0" />
In 2017, Abi Ofarim developed pneumonia. He made a recovery and was able to return to his home in Munich to celebrate his 80th birthday in October 2017.<ref name=":0" />
Ofarim died aged 80 in Munich after a long illness on May 4, 2018.<ref name=":0" />
==Discography==
=== Albums ===
* 1972: Ofarim & Winter – ''Ofarim & Winter'' (CBS) * 1982: ''Much Too Much'' (RCA) * 2009: ''Too Much Of Something'' (Sony Music Entertainment Germany)
=== Singles ===
* 1964: "Shake, Shake (Wenn Ich Dich Nicht Hätte)" (Philips) * 1971: "Zeit Ist Geld" (Warner Bros. Records) * 1973: Ofarim & Winter – "Slow Motion Man" (CBS) * 1973: Ofarim And Winter – "Take Me Up To Heaven" (CBS) * 1973: Ofarim & Winter – "Speak To Me" (CBS) * 1973: Ofarim & Winter – "Why Red" (CBS) * 1982: "Mama, O Mama" (RCA) * 1982: "Heartaches" (RCA) * 1989: Abi Ofarim & Sima – "In The Morning Of My Life" (Polydor) * 2007: "Mama, Oh Mama" (White Records)
==References== {{reflist}}
*{{Commons category-inline|Abi Ofarim}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ofarim, Avi}} Category:1937 births Category:2018 deaths Category:People from Safed Category:Sephardi Jews in Mandatory Palestine Category:20th-century Israeli male singers Category:German-language Israeli singers Category:Israeli male dancers Category:Israeli dancers Category:Israeli expatriates in Germany Category:20th-century Israeli military personnel Category:Israeli guitarists Category:RCA Records artists Category:Sony Music artists Category:Philips Records artists Category:Warner Records artists Category:Polydor Records artists Category:CBS Records artists