Shefi Yishai

Shefi Yishai was born in 1954 in Jerusalem

Shefi Yishai was born in Jerusalem in December 1954 as Yishai Shefi. He was the eldest son of Esther Shefi and Dov Shefi, who later became the Military Advocate General. At 13 he entered a military boarding school, where his roommates and classmates included Gabi Ashkenazi and Yoav Kutner.

In the army he played piano in the Air Force band with David Broza and Dafna Armoni. He took part in making the album "HaKeves HaShisha Asar" and composed "Rivim Ktanim". He later graduated from the Academy of Music in Tel Aviv.

He arranged and produced the rock opera "Mami" in 1986 and again in 2002. He played piano and keyboards for Ehud Banai, Yehuda Poliker and others. He wrote music for many plays at theaters such as Habima, Beit Lessin, Cameri and Khan, and for films.

His first solo album, "Love and Hate", came out in 1992 and set poems by Yehuda Amichai, Yona Wallach, Naim Araidi and Natan Zach. His second, "A Man Won't Talk About It", followed in 2010. That year he won the Kipod Hazahav for theater music.

He is married to singer Yehudit Tamir and has a son. His brother Hagai Shefi was killed in the September 11, 2001 attacks.