Its three members were Yeshayahu Levi ("Shaike"), Yisrael Poliakov ("Poli") (deceased) and Gavriel "Gavri" Banai [he].

They also starred in comic Israeli movies which became major hits, such as Givat Halfon Eina Ona and recorded many famous Hebrew songs.

[4] Some of Israel's greatest authors and playwrights, including the late Nisim Aloni, prepared material for the trio.

[5][6][7] The judges who awarded the prize, wrote of their decision to bestow the award on the group: "The uniqueness of Hagashash Hahiver is in its two faces: On the one hand, it reflects the life and the culture that were created in Israel during its first 50 years and in the course of wars, immigration absorption and the struggle for its existence.

Israeli sociologist and scholar Baruch Kimmerling called the group "more significant for me than Shakespeare" in terms of this.