Veteran Israeli composer and arranger Moni Amarilio died Friday at age 93 at Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer.
Many of Amarilio’s songs became part of Israel’s cultural soundtrack, among them Ba’aretz Ahavati Ha’shaked Pore’ach, Ha’har Ha’yarok Tamid, Libabtini and Etz Ha’alon. Over his long career he composed music for Dorit Reuveni, Ruchama Raz, Chava Alberstein, the Parvarim duo and several military ensembles. He also wrote children’s songs such as Me’ever La’yam, Atzitz Perachim and Eitan.
“Amarilio was a beloved man who opened the door to his home for me with his wonderful songs—Hayom Hayom, Ha’ish Min Ha’bik’ah, Tzipor Ba’geshem, Rakevet Ha’emek and many more,” said singer Dorit Reuveni in her tribute. “I feel deep sorrow. I didn’t have the chance to say goodbye. To this day I know and feel that much of my success is thanks to his songs.”
Amarilio was born in 1932 in Skopje, then part of Yugoslavia and now the capital of North Macedonia. As a child he studied violin and accordion, as well as classical composition. At 20 he immigrated to Israel and settled in Kibbutz Merhavia. The kibbutz sent him to study composition and music, and later he continued his studies in Tel Aviv. In his early years in Israel he wrote classical works, but in the 1960s he began composing songs for the Hebrew music scene.
From 1963 to 1977 he participated every year in Israel Radio’s Festival of Song and Chorus, winning top prizes in most of them with pieces such as Etz Ha’alon performed by Yehoram Gaon, U’metok Ha’or Ba’enaim performed by Shai Kesten, Ha’shir Al Eretz Sinai performed by Shlomo Artzi and Rakefet performed by Ruchama Raz.
In 2004 he staged the show Moni and Friends, dedicated to his songs and enriched with stories and anecdotes about the circumstances behind them. That same year he received a lifetime achievement award from ACUM, Israel’s copyright society, and the following year he was honored with the Education and Culture Prize for his special contribution to Hebrew music.
In granting the award, the judges wrote: “Some 600 of his songs have been recorded, dozens of which are considered cornerstones of Hebrew music. His melodies, marked by lyricism and poetry, suit both the individual voice and the collective, and serve as a hallmark of the style known as Israeli songs.”
Upon hearing of his award, Amarilio told Yedioth Ahronoth: “I am excited by this recognition and grateful to those who remembered and chose me.”
In a 2022 interview with Ynet, Amarilio spoke of how creation remained central to his life even at an advanced age: “I can point to songs I wrote that I love, but the best song I have yet to write,” he said. “When I finish writing something and hear it, I am filled with joy. I’m far happier then than when I hear the song later on the radio.”