Arik Einstein

Born in Tel Aviv, Arieh Leib Einstein (known as Arik Einstein) is considered one of the most influential and popular musicians in Israeli history, a pioneer of Israeli rock and a beloved figure in the national imagination. Einstein began his career in the 1950s as a singer in the Naḥal Brigade army band, a group known for producing some of the country’s top musical talent. A prolific songwriter and artist, Einstein’s fifty-year career encompassed some five hundred original songs, at least thirty-four individual albums, and numerous collaborations with a variety of Israel’s most prominent musicians. In addition to music, Einstein played a leading role in the Israeli classic film Sallaḥ Shabati and performed as a member of the famed comedy troupe the Lool Gang.