Acclaimed Israeli Children's Author Yehuda Atlas Dies at 89

Yehuda Atlas, a celebrated Israeli author and poet renowned for his contributions to Hebrew children's literature, passed away on Thursday at the age of 89. Tel Aviv's Ichilov Medical Center announced his death, relaying a statement from his family that described him as an "eternal child" who acted out of a desire to help others. Atlas worked as an editor, children's author, and translator, and in his later years, he focused on writing about at-risk children out of a sense of mission.

News reporter Adva Dadon of Channel 12 shared a personal connection, revealing she had corresponded with Atlas just weeks prior and had planned to meet him. She expressed her sadness at the news, recalling their recent exchange and wishing him a happy holiday. Atlas was born in 1937 in the Ein Iron moshav and grew up near Karkur. After his military service, he studied Oriental studies and philosophy at Tel Aviv University before entering journalism and editing.

His career included roles at "Bamahane Gadna" and later at "Yedioth Ahronoth," where he edited the "Shiva Yamim" and "Shiva Leilot" supplements. He also edited the children's newspaper "Pilon." Atlas achieved widespread recognition in 1977 with the publication of "Ve'hayeled haze hu ani" (And This Child Is Me), a collection of poems from a child's perspective that became an Israeli classic.

This success led to a series of popular books, including "Gam hayeled haze hu ani" (This Child Is Also Me), "Verak ani lo" (And Only I Don't), "Ani rotze shif'am" (I Want Suddenly), and "Hayalda she'ani ohev" (The Girl I Love). These works offered a humorous and direct look at children's daily lives, thoughts, and their interactions with the world.