Singer and actor Arik Lavi dies aged 77

Singer and actor Arik Lavi died on Tuesday at Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva after a long battle with a serious illness. He was 77 years old. He was buried in Yarkon cemetery in Petah Tikva on Wednesday.

Lavi was born in Germany in 1927 and immigrated to Israel without his parents in 1936. In 1950 he was accepted by the Kameri Theater where he acted until 1957.

It was during his stint at the Kameri that he met his future wife, actress and singer Shoshik Shani. The two traveled to New York where Lavi studies film and writing at New York University. The two returned to Israel in 1963, and Lavi resumed his acting career and his career as a recording artist.

Yankale Mendel, chairman of the Israeli Union of Performing Artist, said on Tuesday he was very saddened.

"He died after a difficult period. Said with pain, we've lost one of the pillars of fire of Hebrew music. He was the man everyone loved to love, everyone was his friend. He was above the arguments and always had a smile on his face and was full of love," Mendel said.

One of Lavi's most memorable songs is 'Noa', written by songwriter Naomi Shemer, who died at the weekend.

Lavi was a resident of Tel Aviv. He is survived by his wife, Shoshik Shani and two daughters, Noa and Yael. His funeral is scheduled to take place at the Yarkon cemetery at 6 P.M. on Wednesday.

	Arik Lavi, 1927-2004.