Jews from Ukraine: Tamara Gverdtsiteli, the great Georgian singer and granddaughter of the Odessa rabbi

Tamara Gverdtsiteli: great Georgian singer with Jewish roots. Category 🔯 — Jews from Ukraine #jewsukraine

“It was Putin who killed my mother” – “My Odessa, Odessa my mother is being bombed – we say goodbye to Russia.”

But besides her creativity, her life and story are associated with deep personal dramas and difficult decisions, especially after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.

Tamara (Tamriko) Gverdtsiteli – a name well known in the post-Soviet space. This talented singer, actress and composer, People's Artist of Georgia and other countries, won the hearts of millions with her voice and soulful music.

Tamara's mother, Inna Volfovna Kofman, was Jewish and originally from Odessa, where her family was known for its Jewish heritage. Moreover, Tamara’s grandfather was an Odessa rabbi, which deeply connects her with Jewish culture and history.

After the start of Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the artist canceled her performance in Moscow at a festive concert dedicated to March 8th. According to Gverdtsiteli, she wanted to be close to her mother, who was born in Odessa and was very worried about Putin’s aggression.

“She cries often. All my ancestors are from Odessa. For my mother, all the streets there are native. It’s very hard for me to talk about this,” the singer said in an interview.

Tamara herself has mentioned more than once that with age she feels more and more her Jewish identity. In an interview she said:

“My father is Georgian, I was born and lived most of my life in Georgia, naturally, its culture had a tremendous influence on my life and work. But I was born and raised by a Jewish mother, and over the years I feel more and more my Jewish genes.”

This connection with the Jewish people was also evident in her work: she sang songs in Hebrew, emphasizing that for her it was “the call of the blood.”

The work of Tamara Gverdtsiteli: hits and achievements

Tamara Gverdtsiteli is not only a talented vocalist, but also an extensive creative heritage that spans several decades. Her musical career began in childhood: in the 1970s she became a soloist in the children's ensemble “Mziuri”, with which she traveled to many cities of the Soviet Union.

After graduating from the music school at the Tbilisi Conservatory, her solo career rapidly gained momentum. In 1989, she received the title of People's Artist of the Georgian SSR, and in 2004 – People's Artist of Russia.

Among her most famous hits:

• “Vivat, king!” – a song written by Ukrainian poet Yuriy Rybchinsky became the singer’s calling card.
• “Mom's eyes” – one of the most lyrical and touching compositions in her repertoire.
• “Children of War” – a song dedicated to the memory of the generation that survived the horrors of World War II.
• “Are you here” – a popular composition in Georgian.
• “How many years, how many winters” – a duet with Alexander Malinin, which occupied the top lines of the charts for a long time.

Her work was enriched with songs on Hebrewwhich have become an integral part of her repertoire. Among the most popular:

• “Jerusalem Shel Zahav” (“Jerusalem Golden”) – a legendary Israeli song performed with soulful depth.
• “Hallelujah” – a symbol of optimism and faith in a bright future, which won the hearts of her listeners.
• “Shir LaShalom” (“Song of Peace”) – a heartfelt hymn of hope, which she performed with special trepidation.

Tamara performs songs in eight languages, including Georgian, Ukrainian, Russian, French, English and Hebrew. Particularly notable are her performances in French, which have been compared to the traditions of Edith Piaf.

Tamara Gverdtsiteli actively collaborated with artists from different countries, including Ukraine and Israel, creating unique creative duets and projects.

Ukrainian artists

• Yuri Rybchinsky – legendary Ukrainian songwriter, author of many of Tamara’s songs, including her famous hit “Vivat, king!”which became one of her most famous works.
• Vladimir Grishko – world famous opera tenor. Tamara performed with him on the stage of the Dnepropetrovsk Opera House in 2011–2012, performing the role of Carmen in the opera by Georges Bizet. Their duet became a striking example of the synergy of pop and opera art.
• Nina Matvienko – cult Ukrainian singer. Their joint performances emphasized the deep connection between Georgian and Ukrainian musical cultures.

Israeli artists

• Itzhak Perelman – world famous violinist. Tamara performed with him at one of the charity concerts in Israel, performing traditional Jewish melodies.
• Shlomo Artzi – Israeli singer and composer. Singing Hebrew songs together, such as “Hallelujah” And “Shir LaShalom”has become an important part of Tamara’s repertoire.
• Noah (Achinoam Nini) – Israeli singer of Yemeni origin. Their joint concert included performances of traditional songs in Hebrew, Georgian and French, which emphasized Tamara's multicultural approach to music.

These duets not only enriched Tamara Gverdtsiteli’s repertoire, but also strengthened cultural ties between Ukraine, Israel and Georgia, creating bridges between peoples through music.

One of the highlights of her career was the role of Carmen in the opera by Georges Bizet, which she performed on the stage of the Dnepropetrovsk Opera House in 2011–2012.

The richness of her repertoire and ability to interpret songs from different cultures have made Tamara Gverdtsiteli a true legend, whose work is valued all over the world.

Israel and Georgian singer

Tamara first visited Israel in 1988 and has performed here several times since then. She sang songs in Hebrew, Georgian, Ukrainian and other languages, emphasizing the richness of the cultures with which her life is connected.

“The first time I sang in Hebrew, I felt as if I was speaking to my ancestors,” – she shared.

Her concerts in Israel invariably attracted full houses, especially among those who knew her work in Ukrainian and Russian.

Ukrainian influence: music and tragedy

Tamara's connection to Ukraine was especially strong thanks to her mother and collaborations with Ukrainian authors and artists. For example, Yuri Rybchinsky wrote the hit “Vivat, King!” for her, which became one of the symbols of her career.

Tamara performed with outstanding Ukrainian musicians, including the famous tenor Vladimir Grishko, with whom she performed the role of Carmen in the opera by Georges Bizet.

However, the war in Ukraine in 2022 changed her life forever. After the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, her mother, Inna Volfovna, left Moscow with her daughter and returned to Georgia. But the events in her mother’s native land, especially the bombing of Odessa, turned out to be tragic for Inna Volfovna.

Yuri Rybchinsky told:

“When the war began, her mother said: “My Odessa, my mother’s Odessa is being bombed. We say goodbye to Russia.” But this pain turned out to be unbearable for her, and she soon passed away. Tamara says that Putin killed her mother.”

Principled position: rejection of Russia

After the death of her mother, Tamara Gverdtsiteli no longer performs in Russia. She canceled all concerts in the aggressor country and excluded songs in Russian from her repertoire.

For the singer it was a painful but important step. She stated that she could not forgive those who destroy her native Odessa region and kill innocent people.

Today Tamara Gverdtsiteli lives in Georgia and continues to perform on the international stage, but her work now emphasizes the themes of peace, love and tragedies that befell her homeland.

Jewish and Ukrainian identity

Tamara Gverdtsiteli is a symbol of the cultural unity of the Georgian, Jewish and Ukrainian peoples. Her life and career show how closely these cultures are intertwined.

The singer, who has been surrounded by Georgian and Jewish culture since childhood, shows through her music how important it is to preserve your roots and remember your ancestors.

Why is this important to Israelis?

For Israelis, the story of Tamara Gverdtsiteli is a reminder of how important it is not to stand aside from the tragedies that happen to the Jewish people around the world.

On the website NAnews – Israel News you can find more materials about Jews from Ukraine, their influence on world culture and the tragedies caused by Russian aggression.

The story of Tamara Gverdtsiteli is an example of fortitude and cultural unity, which helps to overcome the most difficult trials.

This article was prepared specifically for the “Jews from Ukraine” section of the site NAnews — Israel News, where you will find even more interesting stories about prominent Jews from Ukraine, such as Tamara Gverdtsiteli.

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