Acclaimed Israeli Actor and Director Yossi Pollak Dies at 81

Yossi Pollak, a celebrated Israeli actor and director, passed away on Friday at the age of 81. Pollak is survived by his wife, Tami, and their five children, including director Shai Carmeli-Pollak and choreographer/actor Avshalom Pollak.

The National Theatre, Habima, issued a statement mourning his loss, saying Pollak "left a mark on the cultural world in Israel." Pollak was born in Rehovot in 1945 to parents who immigrated from Transylvania. He trained as an actor at the Beit Zvi School of the Performing Arts.

Throughout his extensive career, Pollak performed with numerous prominent Israeli theater companies, including Habima, Cameri, Haifa Theatre, Beit Lessin, and Khan Theatre. His notable stage roles included performances in "Othello," "Uncle Vanya," "King Lear," "Of Mice and Men," and "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time," for which he won Actor of the Year.

As a director, Pollak staged productions such as "Endgame," "Orphans," "Othello," "Romeo and Juliet," and "Of Mice and Men." He also appeared in films and television series, with credits including "The House on Shlosh Street," "Not for Broadcast," "The Silver Platter," and the series "Hedva and Shlomi."

Pollak retired from acting more than a decade ago.