Leila Murad, one of Egypt’s most popular performers, left her mark on Arabic music, and was also allegedly a clandestine backer of the burgeoning Israeli military.
Leila Murad was one of Egypt’s’ most popular artists in the 1940s and left an undeniable mark on Arabic music and cinema with 27 films and close to 1,200 songs.
Born in Alexandria in 1918, Leila began her singing at the age of 9 with the encouragement of her father, a respected cantor in the Egyptian-Jewish community.
As we approach November 30th, the memorial day to mark the departure and expulsion of Jews from the Middle East and North Africa, learn about Leila’s impactful career, and the accusations launched against her about support for the IDF.