Meir Banai, born מאיר בנאי on July 5, 1960, in Beersheba, Israel, was an Israeli singer. At 17, he began playing guitar and composing music. By age 23, he self-financed his first single "Eviatar." His debut album The First Album was released in 1984, followed by the commercially successful Rain in 1987, which achieved gold certification in Israel. In 1999, Banai collaborated with Arkadi Duchin on the recording of Eti's Night. He made his debut at the Jewish Cultural Center Makor in New York in March 2004. His album Shma Koli, released in 2007, featured traditional Jewish texts and orations with modern arrangements. The single "Lech Elay" from this album became an immediate hit. Banai passed away on January 12, 2017, at the age of 55 due to cancer.
