Draft:ZION AZANI

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ZION AZANI (1924–2020)

ZION AZANI was born in 1924 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to a Yemenite Jewish family. During his life he was involved in cultural, theatrical and community activities, and in 1944 he founded MESACH Theater in Tel Aviv.

MESACH Theater

In 1944, during the British Mandate period, ZION AZANI founded MESACH Theater in Tel Aviv together with Shlomo Bushmi, husband of the singer Shoshana Damari.

AZANI was the entrepreneur, actor, director and producer of the theater. He assembled a group of actors, most of them members of the Yemenite community, including people from Molledet in the sands of Rishon LeZion.

The performances combined Yemenite tradition, language, music, humor and drama. Scenery and costumes were made by hand.

MESACH Theater received a license from the Government of Palestine to stage performances at Arlozorov House in Tel Aviv, dated 1 May 1944.

The theater's activity is also documented in a list-of-plays poster dated 10 March 1955.

The theater received attention in the press and from theater critics of the period. Among those who attended and reviewed its performances was Leah Goldberg.

Early life and immigration to the Land of Israel

ZION AZANI was born in Addis Ababa to Yemenite parents: Far’a-Sarah, née Benjamin, and Shimon AZANI, a coffee and spice merchant from the Rahaba area of Yemen. The family maintained homes in Yemen and Ethiopia, and many of their children were born in Addis Ababa.

At the time of his birth, his father recorded in the family book: “A flower was born to us” — Sunday, 5 Cheshvan 5685, 2 November 1924.

In 1935 the family immigrated to the Land of Israel. They first lived in a shack at Molledet in the sands of Rishon LeZion, and later moved to the Hatikva Quarter and Kerem HaTeimanim.

Marriage and family

On 21 Kislev 1944, ZION AZANI married Yona Tsabari, a descendant of the Tsabari–Tawil–Arikha families.

After their marriage they lived in permanent-army housing near Kiryat Shalom, and later built their home in Moshav Kadima.

ZION and Yona AZANI lived together for 76 years. They had four children, nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Their eldest grandson, Golan AZANI, a United States citizen, served as a lone soldier and was killed during the Lebanon War.

Community activity

After the establishment of the State of Israel, AZANI was active in community life in the permanent-army housing neighborhood near Kiryat Shalom.

As part of his activity on the neighborhood committee, he initiated and planned neighborhood squares, tree planting and the installation of public benches.

Military service and employment

During the British Mandate period, AZANI served as a Jewish auxiliary policeman within forces operating alongside the British police.

During the 1948 War of Independence, he participated in the fighting for Jaffa and served in the Engineering Corps.

In the years following the war, he was involved in the transport of heavy military engineering equipment and vehicles. This activity was documented in the BaMahane article “Order 209”, published on 6 November 1952.

He later worked for the Israel Electric Corporation until his retirement.

Death

ZION AZANI died in August 2020.

His wife, Yona AZANI, died in 2022.

Sources and documentation

Historical material relating to the life and activities of ZION AZANI includes original licenses, posters, photographs, films, family documents and documentation of MESACH Theater performances.

References

Sources

Archival materials relating to the life and work of ZION AZANI have been preserved and curated by his youngest daughter, Smadar AZANI. They include original licenses, posters, photographs, films and documentation of performances.