Acclaimed Israeli Author and Poet Yehuda Atlas Dies at 84

Yehuda Atlas, a celebrated Israeli author, poet, translator, and editor, has passed away at the age of 84. His death was announced by the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Ichilov, on behalf of his family. The family described him as "an eternal child until his last moments" and noted his lifelong dedication to helping others through his work.

Atlas was known for his extensive contributions to children's literature, with his most famous work being "And This Child Is Me," published in 1977. This collection of children's poems, which presented the world from a child's perspective, won the Ze'ev Prize for Children's and Young Adult Literature. The book was also translated into English as "It's Me" and inspired a musical album in 1979 featuring prominent Israeli artists.

Throughout his career, Atlas also edited youth magazines and served as deputy editor for the "7 Days" supplement of "Yedioth Ahronoth," where he wrote a column about children's books for eight years. He held a deep interest in the study of children's literature, publishing works on its development and creators in England, the US, and Europe, and often giving lectures and workshops on the subject.

In his later years, Atlas focused his writing on at-risk youth, addressing themes such as child abuse and bullying. His books "Children of Nowhere" (2021) and "I Want to Talk to You!" (2015) explored these sensitive topics, aiming to provide a voice for vulnerable children. Atlas received numerous awards for his literary contributions, including the Prime Minister's Prize for Hebrew Writers in 2013 and a Lifetime Achievement Award for Children's Literature in 2020.

Born in 1937 in the moshav Ein Iron, Atlas had a varied life before his literary career, serving in the Golani Brigade of the IDF, living on Kibbutz Mazra, and studying Oriental Studies and Philosophy at Tel Aviv University. He is survived by three children. His literary archive has been transferred to the Gnazim Archive of the Association of Hebrew Writers in Tel Aviv.