Ehud Manor

EHUD MANOR
Official Medal, 2006/5766

Songwriter-lyrist, translator, radio and TV personality Ehud Manor was one of Israel’s best-known and loved figures. A prolific contributor to the Israeli music treasury, he wrote more than 1000 songs; collaborating with many of Israel’s leading artists. Among his most famous songs are: “My Kid Brother Yehuda” dedicated to his brother who died on the Suez Canal in 1968, “When You Will Come” written for the Free Ron Arad Campaign, and “Abanibi Obo E Be” which won the 1978 Eurovision Song Competition. His song “I Have No Other Country” is a national theme during times of trouble. He also translated many songs from abroad, including those from Russia, South America, and the U.S., as well as Gypsy and Arabic songs.
Ehud Manor was an acclaimed translator of plays for the theatre including those of Shakespeare, Harold Pinter, and Tennessee Williams. He also translated numerous musicals including “Hair”, “West Side Story”, “Chicago”, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”, “Les Miserables”, and “Caberet”.

Born in Binyamina, Israel in 1941, Ehud Manor acquired a BA degree from the Hebrew University, studied at New York University, and earned an MA from the University of Cambridge in the UK. A week before his sudden death in 2005 he was awarded an honorary doctorate by Bar Ilan University. He was awarded the Israel Prize in 1998 for his unique contribution to Israeli Songwriting and in 1995 the “Acum” prize for Lifetime Achievement.

Obverse: On the medal face, the likeness of Ehud Manor and a line from the song “Binyamina Days”: “What happened to the boy who spoke to the stars” and his signature.

Reverse: On the medal reverse, a view of Binyamina and the words “I Have No Other Land”.

Designer: Meir Eshel.