Nissan Nativ, Israel Prize winner, found dead at Tel Aviv home

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Nissan Nativ, who was set to receive the Israel Prize on Independence Day for his contribution to the Israeli theater, was found dead on Sunday at his home in Tel Aviv. He was 86 years old. Nativ was considered an integral part of Israeli arts for his lifetime of work training actors and producers. In their decision for awarding the prize, the judges recognized his role as one who had developed generations of first-rate actors and producers. "It is impossible to think about Israeli theater today without coming across something connected to Nativ," the decision read. Nativ was born in Holland in 1922. After immigrating to British-mandated Palestine at the age of 15, he studied at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, was a student in the "Studio" at the Habima Theater, and joined the theater "Lahakat HaTzairim." After becoming one of the foremost Israeli producers, Nativ opened in 1963 a school of his own for training actors and producers.