Orit was born and raised in Haifa, and she studied at the Reali School and the Technion.

In 1984, after a two-year stay in Paris, Orit joined the “Israeli Forum”,  whose goal was to promote awareness and assist in the absorption of new immigrants. There, she had her first encounter with the immigrant musicians, who found it difficult to integrate into the Israeli labor market,  and the great potential of immigrant musicians.

In 1990, in cooperation with Dr. Yaacov Israel (now the Chairman of the Raanana Symphonette Board of Directors), and Mayor of Raanana Mr. Ze’ev Bielski, orit has established the Raanana Symphonette Orchestra. The Orchestra’s goals were both social and musical – the absorption of immigrant musicians, increasing awareness to classical music in wide circles and all ages, and the promotion of Israeli and Jewish music.

Orit’s special perception of the orchestra’s cultural and social roles, along with familiar and new classical works, has also produced many unique musical fruits, which are now a role model among the leading orchestras in Israel. Under the direction of Orit Fogel, the orchestra opened the gates to populations where classical music is foreign, by creating original combinations of Western and Eastern music, such as the piece “At the End of the West” written by composer Yoni Rechter. The work “Children of God” was written for David D’Or by the composer Joseph Bardanashvili, “A Crown I’ll Give You” written by Ella Sheriff for the singer Yasmin Levy. As well as the first baby concert in the world in collaboration with the Baby Channel, a children’s theater concert in cooperation with the “Media Tech” Holon and more.

Our Jewish and Israeli heritage is a central theme in the way and content of the Raanana Symphonette Orchestra. Orit believes that the combination of meaning and action makes action meaningful because the way and path of the Jewish people into the future is when we turn to the past.

The orchestra won a prize for “its unique contribution to the cultivation of the Jewish music heritage throughout the ages, especially to all those great composers who perished in the Holocaust.”

In 2009, Orit was decorated with a medal by the then President of Poland, Lech Kaczynski, for her work in perpetuating the acts of kindness of Righteous Among the Nations.

She is married to Adv. Meshulam Shafran and mother to Daniel and Aviel, grandmother to Alma, Elianne, Yoeli and Anne Johanna.