Obituary

The king and the cobbler: How Illi Gorlitzky built the language of the Israeli stage

From defining Broadway-caliber theater to unionizing the nation’s performers, the legendary actor and advocate leaves behind a legacy that shaped Israel’s cultural fabric for seven decades.

Israeli actor and musician Ili Gorlizki. October 21, 2015.
Israeli editor, television and public radio reporter Menashe Raz. September 12, 2007.

Israeli TV presenter, journalist, director Menashe Raz dies at 80

Rabbi Albert Axelrad, shown above in 1982, was chaplain and Hillel rabbi at Brandeis University for 34 years, starting in 1965.

Albert Axelrad, Brandeis Hillel rabbi who championed pluralism and social justice, dies at 87

Rachel Rabin Yaakov, sister of late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin receives the Rothberg Prize from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem for her work in the field of education. June 07, 2009.

Rachel Rabin-Yaakov, Yitzhak Rabin's sister, Galilee settlement figure, dies at 101


Soldier with no bigger love than the Israeli flag killed by Hamas

Idan, a sergeant-major in Battalion 8208, Brigade 261, was among the 21 tragically killed when Hamas forces fired an RPG on multiple adjacent structures on Monday.

 The Israeli flag.

Fallen soldier Daniel Kasau Zegeye among first to enlist after Oct. 7

"He instilled in us immense motivation to succeed in life," family members said of their fallen loved one.

Warrant Officer (res.) Daniel Kasau Zegeye.

Innovator of AI rescue tech, fatally struck in Gaza battle

Adam Bismut founded and was the CEO of the start-up company SightBit, which developed a camera that helps rescuers see activities and signs of distress in the water from a long distance.

 Warrant Officer (res.) Adam Bismut.

IDF reservist, recently released, dies shortly after being honored with distinction

Berger was raised by a single mother and came to Israel as a lone soldier.

 Sgt. First Class (res.) Nicholas Berger.

‘He brought peace’: IDF officer Itamar Tal fell in Gaza

He relished spending time with friends, traveling abroad, savoring good food, engaging in sports, and holding a special bond with his five nephews.

 Warrant Officer (res.) Itamar Tal.

Boston writer Norm Finkelstein, whose YA books championed Jewish heroes, dies at 82

Finkelstein was an acclaimed author of nonfiction books and biographies for older children, including many on Jewish subjects.

 Norm Finkelstein was the author more than 20 nonfiction books for children and teens, including a forthcoming biography of the legendary Forward editor Ab. Cahan.

Zvi Zamir, Mossad director during Yom Kippur War, dies at 98

He is remembered as having warned of an attack before the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War, but was ignored by military intelligence.

 Zvi Zamir, Mossad chief from 1968-1974, who died January 2, 2024, at age 98.

Rabbi Laurie Phillips, founder of a Manhattan ‘synagogue without walls,’ dies at 55

 Rabbi Laurie Phillips founded the New York-based “synagogue without walls” Beinenu.

Remembering Avraham Avi-Hai: a man of many paths

From working in journalism at the Jerusalem Post to working in politics, Avi-Hai never tired in his love of Israel or his love for the Jewish people.

Avraham Avi-hai at his home in Jerusalem’s Yemin Moshe neighborhood.

Herbert Gold, novelist who mined his own Jewish upbringing, dies at 99

Herbert Gold, a prolific, San Francisco-based novelist and poet known for his story “The Heart of an Artichoke,” died on Nov. 19 at age 99.

 Novelist Herbert Gold.