Acclaimed Israeli Poet, Playwright Rachel Gil-Balban Dies at 75

Rachel Gil-Balban, a noted Israeli poet, playwright, and author, has passed away at the age of 75. Throughout her career, Gil-Balban published eight books of prose and poetry, and two of her plays were staged.

Her funeral is scheduled for Tuesday in the town of Even Yehuda, with the family observing the traditional seven-day mourning period in Tel Aviv. Born in Tel Aviv, Gil-Balban began her literary career in the 1980s. Earlier in life, she studied and worked in architectural engineering at the Technion before shifting her focus to editing and literature.

Gil-Balban's literary output included three poetry collections, a short story collection, and four novels. Her 2014 novel, "Kakh Ratziti Otakh" (This Is How I Wanted You), published by Kinneret Zmora, garnered significant attention. The book tells the poignant story of a mother whose child suffers from bullying and abuse by classmates. Another notable work, "Nof Im Isha Gevoha" (Landscape with a Tall Woman) from 2008, drew from her experiences living abroad.

Gil-Balban and her second husband, literary scholar Avraham Balban, lived in the United States for two decades before returning to Israel in 2014. She previously spoke about her deep connection to the Hebrew language, even while living overseas, stating, "Hebrew is one of the most constant things in my life, I have never managed to find a substitute for it." She is survived by two adult children from her first marriage and her partner.