Acclaimed Israeli Film Director Yaakov Goldwasser Dies at 76

Yaakov (Yankul) Goldwasser, a prominent Israeli film and television director and screenwriter, passed away on Thursday at the age of 76. Goldwasser was responsible for some of the most iconic films in Israeli cinema, including "Abba Ganuv," "Me'at La'af," "Me'ever La'Yam," and "Shrochim," alongside extensive work in television.

Born in Tel Aviv in September 1950 to Polish immigrant parents, Goldwasser began making short films at age 15 with director Yaky Yosha. He entered the professional film industry in 1969, also working in editing and production. His directorial debut was the 1982 film "Me'at La'af," starring Moshe Ivgy and Uri Gavriel. Based on a true story and written by Haim Marin, the film became a cult classic in Israeli cinema.

Five years later, he directed "Abba Ganuv," starring Yehuda Barkhan and Keren Mor, which also achieved cult status and spawned two sequels. In 1991, Goldwasser directed "Me'ever La'Yam," a film about Holocaust survivors in the early days of the State of Israel. The film won multiple major Ophir Awards, including Best Film and Best Director, and was Israel's submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

Goldwasser's career extended to television, where he directed the drama series "Letzapot Et Ha'Shamayim" in 2000 and "Me'orav Yerushalmi" in 2003, which explored a traditional family and the relationship between religious and secular Israelis. He also directed the film "Ein Le Elohim" and his final film, "Shrochim," was released in 2018, starring Dov Glickman and Nevo Kani. Throughout his career, Goldwasser also engaged in writing, editing, and production, earning awards both in Israel and internationally. He also taught directing at Israeli film and art institutions.