A Portrait of Two Cultural Icons - Mother and Daughter - Hannah Rovina and Ilana Rovina

 I just had a chance to view a wonderful documentary, The Rovina Legacy, which is the story of the Rovina women -- Hannah Rovina, her daughter Ilana Rovina, and the third generation, Maya Weissman. The film, directed by Sigal Rosh, especially provides a portrait of two cultural icons, using family photos, Habima and TV archival footage, and interviews. I thoroughly enjoyed the history and nostalgia provided here.  I am also proud to have been on the committee of the Gesher Multi-Cultural Film Fund, which supported the production of this film.

Hannah Rovina (1888-1980) was a magnificent star of the stage, and a founding member of the Habima Theater since its inception in Moscow and then as it became the National Theater of Israel. She was a legendary figure with great stage presence, who appeared in multiple roles over the years and was awarded the Israel Prize for her contribution to Israeli theater. 

Rovina was born to a religious family in Russia.  They were shocked when she decided to become an actress during those early years.  She starred in the iconic 1932 film Sabra, shot in Palestine, and starred in the original stage version of The Dybbuk as the possessed girl, Leah. Rovina recalls that she played as many as 12 roles as the Jewish mother in plays such as The Eternal Jew, Mirele Efros, Mother Courage, and others.

But she, herself, was not a great mother. At the age of 45 and as the result of a brief love affair with the intriguing poet, Alexander Penn, Rovina gave birth to her daughter Ilana (1934-2020), who became a celebrated singer. Because her mother was too busy to care for her, Ilana was sent to a foster family in Jerusalem for a few years, and then to Kibbutz Geva where she virtually grew up.

Ilana started out her career with a small acting part in the 1962 film, I Like Mike, but was certain that she did not want to pursue a career as an actress.  After studying opera in Milan, she went on to become a singer. She sang with Arik Einstein, was married to Uri Zohar for a short time, and appeared together with Zohar in his famous skit Green Onion. She is well-known for her performance in the Hassidic Song Festival and her entry, Yivereh-checha השם מציון יברכך, which became a big hit.  During the Yom Kippur War, she toured and sang for the troops with Leonard Cohen and Matti Caspi. 

Much of the family story is told by Maya, the third generation, who is very humble in the face of what her mother and grandmother achieved.

This is a story of mothers and daughters, the love that they share, the strength that they embody, the difficult choices made in their personal lives, and the sacrifices that fame often necessitates.

While telling a personal story, The Rovina Legacy (documentary, 2025, 74 minutes) offers a glimpse into a fascinating chapter of Israeli cultural history.  It was produced by Pardes Films and is available from one of the producers, Itay Morag at moragitay@gmail.com.