Espionage Allegations for Israel: Laila Murad Returns to the Spotlight

An Israeli theater in the heart of Tel Aviv has revived the biography of the late Egyptian artist Laila Murad, one of the most prominent icons of cinema and singing in the 1940s and 1950s.

This was done through a new theatrical performance that addresses her artistic career and personal life, as well as the controversy surrounding her Jewish origins and accusations of spying for Israel.

The Israeli newspaper "Maariv" said that the show, titled "Laila.. The Story of Laila Murad," is presented at the Cameri Theater Cafe in Tel Aviv, highlighting the story of the artist whose films and songs became part of the memory of an entire generation, before she faced accusations that affected her career and public life.

The newspaper added that Laila Murad, originally named Lilian Mordechai, was born in Egypt to a Jewish family, then converted to Islam after marrying producer and actor Anwar Wagdi, becoming one of the most famous stars of the golden age of Egyptian cinema.

According to the report, Murad found herself at the center of accusations of espionage and cooperation with the Israeli army, coinciding with the escalation of the Arab-Israeli conflict, noting that she later distanced herself from the spotlight and lived a period of isolation away from the stardom she had achieved.

A fictional interview revives Laila Murad's memories

The play takes place in 1979, coinciding with the visit of the late Egyptian President Anwar Sadat to Israel following the signing of the peace treaty. The events follow a journalist who succeeds in conducting an interview with Laila Murad, revealing stations from her life and memories, while presenting a collection of songs that made her famous.

The play was written by and starred Israeli actress and singer Yaffi Tossia Cohen, who is a distant relative of the Egyptian singer. Tossia Cohen began working on the play after the October 7 events, considering that Murad's story gained new significance amid declining hopes for peace and renewed tension related to the Arab-Israeli conflict.

"Maariv" explained that Tossia Cohen conducted research on Murad's life by reviewing books and various sources, along with speaking to people who witnessed her during her years of glory in Egypt, to present a work that blends drama and music, also addressing the legacy of Jews in Arab countries and the tension between personal identity, cultural belonging, and political reality.

The legacy of Egyptian music in the life of Yaffi Tossia Cohen

The newspaper noted that Tossia Cohen's interest in Egyptian music stems from her upbringing in an artistic family; she is the daughter of Egyptian Jewish singer Faiza Rashdi, who performed classical Egyptian music on Israeli stages.

She quoted her saying that she grew up in a home where Arabic music was the primary language, but it was also part of a complex identity, as she experienced in Tel Aviv the contrast between the Egyptian culture of her home and the surrounding Western Israeli world.

The play also addresses the status of Arab culture in the lives of Jews who emigrated from Arab countries to Israel, and the cultural gap that arose between the parents' and children's generations.

"Maariv" referred to the experience of musician Dodo Tassa, who revived the heritage of his grandfather Dawoud Al-Kuwaiti and his brother Saleh in the album "Dodo Tassa and the Kuwaitis," featuring audio recordings by singer Faiza Rashdi, the mother of the play's author.

Tossia Cohen previously presented the monodrama "I am Faiza," which addressed her mother's story, winning first prize at the "Theatronito" festival, and ran for 26 years, before returning in her new work to link music, identity, and family history through the biography of Laila Murad.

Date of the Laila Murad play performance in Tel Aviv

The work is directed by Alma Fakh, featuring Assaf Avraham Nev in the role of the journalist, alongside other roles, at the Cameri Theater Cafe on Shaul HaMelech Street in Tel Aviv.

According to the newspaper, one performance date was set for Sunday, December 13, 2026, at 8:30 PM, with a ticket price of 100 shekels, and another performance was announced for Wednesday, January 27, at the same time, although the year mentioned in the second performance date is unclear in the published text.

Laila Murad remains one of the most prominent symbols of Egyptian art in the twentieth century, having left a notable legacy in cinema and singing, while the Israeli play reintroduces an aspect of her life from an angle where artistic memory intertwines with issues of identity, politics, and the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Source: Israeli Maariv Newspaper