As a child, her mother, Rosa, encouraged her acting career and enrolled her in a special school where she studied with the children of foreign diplomats.

[5]The family settled in Tel Aviv and her father became the first immigrant to be hired by the Palestine Electric Company.

During World War II, she volunteered for the Auxiliary Territorial Service of the British army, serving two years before joining the Jewish Brigade's entertainment troupe.

As a member of the repertory committee, she helped shape the company's repertoire, including new works by Israeli dramatists.

Early on, she appeared in supporting roles, but after her success as Mika in He Walked in the Fields by Moshe Shamir, she became one of Israel's leading actresses.

Sustaining serious injuries in a grenade attack, her leg had to be amputated, but she resumed her acting career a year later.

A new graphic novel biography is due to appear in German in September 2016: Barbara Yelin, Vor allem eins: Dir selbst sei treu.