It all started by chance, when Rami Beja, the artistic director of the comedy and humor festival, met Edna Caspi (85), a long-time music teacher from Rishon Lezion.
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Popik Arnon, Yigal Bashan, Sefi Rivlin
(Photographs: Alona Einstein, CEO, Yael Rosen)
“We were talking about the Nechalat Yehuda neighborhood, where I spent a lot of time as a child, and suddenly she told me about the piano lessons she gave to Sefi Rivlin, Popik Arnon and Legal Bashan,” he says. “It turned out that the three of them lived close to each other and studied with her.
“I was a music teacher in Kfar Nachelat Yehuda when it was still a village,” Caspi says. “Yigal Bashari, later Bashan, was a student of mine in his early days in music. Popik used to play with me – he on the guitar and I on the piano. The Rivlin family were our very close neighbors and Spinka and I had endless conversations about music and entertainment. With all three of them I got to do music”.
“When I heard the words, I said, wow, it’s amazing,” says Beja, “three icons grew up in one street, some of the most famous to come out of Rishon Lezion. Each of them became a household name and a phenomenon in itself. It’s totally worth a show.”
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Rivlin thresholds. Blue eyes speak
( Photo: Shaul Golan)
And so the idea came to the steering conference of the comedy and humor festival, which the municipal company produces every year: to put on a tribute show to the three friends who grew up in the Yehuda estate, became artists, developed impressive careers and will be remembered as three legends in Israeli culture. “The idea was received with applause,” says Beja, “it connects to the 140th celebrations of Rishon Lezion, the versatility of Safi Rivlin, the songs of Yigal Bashan and Popik Arnon’s repertoire.”
The comedy and humor festival named after Sefi Rivlin, which has become a tradition in Rishon Lezion, is starting for the ninth time and this year marks the tenth anniversary of Rivlin’s death.
“Even before Sefi passed away, he and I dreamed of establishing an acting school for comedians in Rishon Lezion,” Beja says. When Sefi died, and the dream of the school was dashed, Beja decided to initiate a festival in his name. He applied to the municipality, got the OK, and set off under the leadership of the Municipal Society for Recreational Culture and Sports, which is the main producer of the festival. He also received the blessing from the Rivlin family.
“One thing was important to them: that it wouldn’t just be a festival with performances by artists, but that added value be added to encourage young comedians,” Beja says. “This is how the comic monologue competition was born, which is the highlight of the festival. Acting schools work for a whole year and stand in line to participate in it.
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Popik Arnon
( Photo: Alex Kolomoisky )
“On the panel of judges sits the premier league from the pantheon of Israeli culture and the winners receive very generous scholarships. In addition, the festival knows how to make original productions and special combinations between artists, who join together especially for the occasion.”
The tribute show “Nachlat HaKtana – Music of a Neighborhood”, is dedicated as mentioned to the trio from Nachalat. It will be attended by Avi Dor, Aharon Ferrera, Oshik Levy, Hanna Leslau, Tovia Tzafir, Niki Goldstein, Einat Sharif, Rivka Michaeli, Shimon Buskila and more. Most of them accumulated a mileage of experiences with the three friends from Nachalat Yehuda, who are no longer with us, and bring up small memories of years of friendship and working together:
“My life is divided into two: until ‘Hopa Hai’ and after,” says Avi Dor. “All this is thanks to the one who became my guide, my mentor, and my trio friend, Aaron Ferrera. I mean the dear and beloved Bashan. We miss his mighty voice, smile, humor and friendship every day.”
“I had the great privilege of working alongside Yigal Bashan,” says Aharon Ferrera. “Everyone knew his songs and his wonderful voice. But the best performance with Yigal was behind the scenes, he had a rare sense of humor and endless giving to those around him. I miss him very much as a friend, as a mentor and a spiritual pain.”
“Sefi Rivlin lived in Nachalat, the neighborhood where I live in Rishon Lezion,” says singer Maya Avraham. “My favorite show, in which Sefi played, was a moment with Dudley. About 20 years ago, when I performed at a Shabbat kabbalah together, you met Sefi there, and also at performances at Rishon Culture Hall. He was always polite and sociable.”
“I had many years of friendship with Popik,” says Oshik Levy. “He was a true friend, a great actor and comedian and above all a human being with a soul.”
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Yigal Bashan
(Photography: Lior Bassan)
“Sefi was a dear, funny and smart man,” says Tzipi Moore, “how happy I am that I was able to have complete experiences with him for years in the series in which we appeared. How much we laughed and talked at the TV buffet. I also had sad moments after the elections, when the Likud won his favor. There was desire in him to help and contribute, and his huge blue gaze was full of laughter.
“More than once we improvised and continued filming and felt at home. Pistachio’s house thanks to Sefi and thanks to me reached the hearts of the people and they don’t forget it.”
“The most beloved character Sefi portrayed was that of Pistachio, we all grew up with her as children,” says the mayor of Rishon Lezion, Raz Kinstlich, “the late Sefi Rivlin was undoubtedly one of the greatest comedians in the State of Israel.
“A man with a huge heart, talent and rare virtuoso ability who paved the way for many comedians and actors in the country. I had the honor of serving together with Sepi on the city council, where I was also exposed to his serious, profound and human side. The caring and action combined with his eternal smile and rare sense of humor will remain with me as a memory forever.”
“Sefi was the funniest man I knew in my lifetime, even when he was sentenced to fasting for speech at the end of his life,” says Sorin Ganut, the deputy mayor and chairman of the board of the municipal society.
“About 20 years ago, when we joined the same path in urban activities, he used to make us laugh endlessly at every faction meeting, until we couldn’t concentrate. When Sefi started treatment and he was forbidden to speak, when we talked on the phone, he would write notes to his wife and she would read, and again, 90 There were impromptu jokes about the moment that made us all burst out laughing. And this is a threshold I want to remember: a brave and optimistic man who even in his most difficult moments continued to make those around him laugh and spread positive energy everywhere.”
Safi Rivlin, one of the greatest comedians Israel has ever known, starred on all stages, conquered the theater and television, served as a member of the Rishon Lezion City Council and will also be remembered for the extraordinary Likud campaign he led. Rivlin died in 2013 after a long battle with throat cancer, which damaged his vocal cords and prevented him from continuing to perform. He was 66 years old when he died.
Yigal Beshen, one of the greatest singers and composers, who won national success thanks to his songs, is remembered for his performances in the trio “Kemo Tsiani”, in the children’s group “Hopa Hey” and a host of hits that have become properties of the Iron Sheep. Bashan committed suicide in 2018 at his home, after five years in which he suffered from intense and continuous pain and severe depression. He was 68 years old when he died.
Popik Arnon, who became famous as a film and theater actor, appeared with the “twin trio” alongside Hanan Goldblatt and Oshik Levy. He repented in the mid-1970s and became ultra-Orthodox. About three years ago he died of cancer at the age of 78.
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The Rivlin family
(Photo courtesy of the family)
“A decade has passed without our father and grandfather Sepi, and we naturally miss and miss a little more and cry and cry a little less. Father would fill the whole room and the whole house with his presence, and it is hard to get used to the fact that we have no way or ability to fill the void.
“Besides the sadness and longing, we are happy to take part in the annual festival of wonderful humor, which there is no better time to hold than on the happiest holiday. For us, this is a commemorative project for the happiest man we knew, and this project is made possible thanks to the cooperation of the municipal society, headed by the municipality of Rasheltz and Raz Kinstlich , and Remy Beja, the huge producer with an even bigger heart.
“This year we are especially excited for the evening of the tribute, with the impressive representation of the friends on stage who appeared with Dad and worked with him throughout the stages of his life. We thank all those involved in the craft, it warms the heart to know that he will not be forgotten in the minds of his fellow professionals and the general public.”
The Sefi Rivlin Comedy and Humor Festival in Rishon Lezion is underway and presents 140 original productions and special combinations with the participation of the best artists and comedians. Nero Levy returns to the stage and will star in the comedy “A Lesson in Love” together with Anat Atzmon from the Hebrew Theater in the premiere for the festival. March 7-10.