Abi Ofarim

Abi Ofarim, born Avraham Reichstadt (5 October 1937 – 4 May 2018) was an Israeli musician and dancer.

Abi Ofarim was born Avraham Reichstadt in Safed, Galilee, in what was then the British mandate of 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. He was then recruited to serve in the Israeli army during the Suez crisis and the Sinai war.

Esther & Abi Ofarim

In December 1958, Reichstadtmarried Esther Zaied. He achieved 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.

They played many live concerts in New York and London, and in 1969 they toured around the world. The couple separated that year and their divorce was finalized in Germany in 1970.

Post Esther & Abi Ofarim

Abi Ofarim continued performing and recording. He also working as a manager, composer and arranger, through his company PROM.

His book, Der Preis der wilden Jahre (literally: "The Price of the Wild Years") was first published in 1982.

Beginning in April 2014, he 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").

After his divorce from Esther, Abi Ofarim developed a cocaine and alcohol addiction. In 1979, he was arrested for possession of narcotics and tax evasion. He spent a month in prison and a year on probation.

After his divorce from Esther in 1970 he accused her of "egotism and snobbery." He remarried twice. His third marriage was to Sandra (Sandy) Reichstadt, whom he divorced in 2004. Their sons, Gil Ofarim and Tal Ofarim, are also in show business. Gil leads the band Zoo Army and Tal is a musician.

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.

Ofarim died aged 80 on May 4, 2018.

As Esther and Abraham

• 1963: "One More Dance"

As Esther and Abi Ofarim

• 1964: "Schönes Mädchen"
• 1965: "Drunten im Tale"
• 1965: "Bye Biddy - Bye Bye Jack"
• 1965: "Noch einen Tanz"
• 1966: "Donna – Donna"
• 1966: "Sing Hallelujah"
• 1966: "Die Wahrheit (die Fahrt ins Heu)"
• 1967: "Morning of My Life" (Bee Gees' composition for the duo)
• 1967: "Garden of My Home" (Bee Gees' composition for the duo)
• 1968: "Cinderella Rockefella"

As Ofarim and Winter (with Tom Winter)

• 1972: “Ofarim and Winter”