Born in Bratislava, Slovakia, in 1928, Zemer was imprisoned in the Ravensbruck and Malchow concentration camps and lost most of her family in the Holocaust. She immigrated to Israel in 1950 and quickly became a major radio and television personality whose wit, elegance, and direct probing earned her a reputation as one who always had much to say and said it well.

Zemer won the title of Woman of the Year in 1978 for her work in communication and many other other prizes for distinguished reporting, including the Sokolow prize awarded by TAU, the Herzl Prize, the Nordau Prize, and the Ted Lurie Prize. Two months ago Zemer was awarded the Hadassah Women's Organization's award for outstanding women.

Journalist Daniel Bloch, a colleague of Zemer's at Davar, said Zemer helped advance other female reporters, including hiring the first female military correspondent.