Tzmirah and Dudu Yerushalmi

Biography

Tzmirah Yerushalmi (née Kliman) is a graduate of the "Balfour" elementary school and the "Hey" high school in Tel Aviv. In 1968, after completing her service in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), she, along with Oded Zmira, formed the musical duo "The Blue Pearls" after their military service.

They released two albums together. In 1973, she and her husband, Dudu Yerushalmi, founded "Teddy Productions Ltd." (an acronym for their names), which began producing children's shows, including 'HaMefozer MeKfar Azar,' 'Dodi Simcha,' and 'VeHaYeled HaZeh Hu Ani.' In the late 1970s, she recorded a children's album with the songs of Leah Goldberg in the studio of Gery Eckstein.

The artistic connection led Yerushalmi to produce a rock show for Eckstein. Following the success of the show, Yerushalmi began representing other artists, including Yehudit Ravitz, Korin Alal, Yehuda Poliker, Shaike Levi, Rivka Zohar, and bands such as 'Benzin,' 'Portrait,' 'HaYehudim,' 'Tislam,' Chaim Tzinnovich, Yigal Bashan, and more. Yerushalmi was also a pioneer in bringing international artists to Israel.

Among the artists she brought to the country were the Argentine musician Astor Piazzolla, musician Ariel Ramirez, who performed 'Misa Criolla' in Israel for the first time, the witty comedian Jango Edwards, Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, and Mercedes Sosa. She organized performances both in Israel and abroad for Mercedes Sosa, with whom she maintained a close relationship.

In the early 1990s, the couple produced a stand-up comedy marathon, the "Comedy Store," held at the America-Israel Cultural Center, which became a home for original stand-up comedians and comedic productions like 'Menagvim BeSarval.'

When Channel 2 was established, their shows became successful television programs. Zvika Hadar, who also tried to produce a show called "Shishi Show," which failed, is considered a personal friend of Yerushalmi and has been involved in many of the company's projects.

In 2001, Yerushalmi, in collaboration with Haim Selovsky and Yehuda Talit, founded "Synergy," which operated "Channel Y" in Israel.

Over the years, Yerushalmi produced dozens of television programs, almost all of which enjoyed great success. These programs include "Shemesh," "Lo Nafsik LaShir," "Kochav Nolad," "HaPijamot," "HaShir Shelanu" (in which one of the characters is named "Yardena Tzmirah" as a tribute to her), "HaShminia," "Dani Hollywood," "HaNifilim," "Nolad LaRok," and more.

The most successful program with which she is signed and identified is "Kochav Nolad." Yerushalmi was the chief producer and artistic director of the show, launching the careers of many artists. Yerushalmi is considered one of the prominent influencers in the Israeli entertainment industry due to the central position of the programs in her production and the public discourse around them.

Family

She met her husband while they both served in the IDF's Central Command band. Toward the end of their military service, they got married and began studying theater together at Tel Aviv University.

While studying, she also pursued a short-lived singing career, recording several songs that didn't achieve significant success ("Mereg LeRega" and "Shir LeYeladim Gedolim"). Tzmirah and Dudu Yerushalmi had two children, Tal Yerushalmi, a musician and composer specializing in film soundtracks, and Li, who works in television production.