Yona Atari

Yona Atari was born in 1933 in Sanaa

Yona Atari was born in Sanaa, Yemen, the first of 8 children. Her family moved to Israel when she was 3 months old, and she grew up in Rehovot. Her mother sent her to study music, but her father forbade it.

At 15 she moved to Tel Aviv and lived in Kerem HaTeimanim. Composer Nahum Nardi took her into his girls' choir. From 1951 to 1955 she studied acting at the Habima Theatre studio.

She acted at Habima in plays such as Medea, then joined the Batzal Yarok troupe in 1958. In 1964 she starred in the musical King Solomon and the Shoemaker. In 1965 she performed with Illi Gorlitzky in a show that included Concertina and a Guitar.

From 1983 to 1987 she appeared on Rechov Sumsum. From 1999 to 2001 she played in the comedy series Mishpachat Azani. Her films included HaShchuna Shelanu in 1968.

She married pilot Uri Yaffe in 1960, and they had two children. Her sisters are Shosh Atari and Gali Atari. She died in Tel Aviv in 2019 from complications of Alzheimer's disease and was buried at Yarkon Cemetery.