Ili Gorlitzky, Pillar of Israeli Stage and Artist Rights Advocate, Dies at 91

Ili Gorlitzky, a prominent actor, singer, and theater personality, passed away on Monday at the age of 91. Gorlitzky was a foundational figure in Israeli culture, with a career spanning over six decades. His breakthrough role came in 1964 at the Cameri Theater, where he performed the dual role of King Solomon and Shlomi the Shoemaker in a musical by Natan Alterman and Sasha Argov, alongside Yona Atari. The production, staged over a thousand times, became a landmark in Israeli theater.

Throughout his career, Gorlitzky appeared in numerous classic plays, including "The Good Person of Szechwan," "He Walked in the Fields," and "Guys and Dolls." He also participated in successful revues like "Reality Market" and "Wise Men at Night," and acted in notable films such as "A Gang Like That," "Three Days and a Child," and "Tuvia and His Seven Daughters." His contributions were recognized with three "David's Harp" awards, and in 2019, he was honored as a "Distinguished Citizen of Tel Aviv-Yafo."

Beyond his artistic achievements, Gorlitzky was a revolutionary in advocating for the rights and economic standing of performing artists in Israel. He was a co-founder of the Association of Performing Artists in Israel (AKUM) in 1979, serving as its first chairman. He later established and led "Eshkolot," the society for performing artists' rights, for approximately 37 years, eventually becoming its honorary president.

Gorlitzky also pursued scholarship in Jewish thought and philosophy, authoring two books: "The Hidden Secret," on Maimonides and Averroes, and "Tahiro," concerning the Sabbatean movement. He was previously married to actress Gila Almagor, painter Doris Rau, and dancer Ruti Lerman. For the last thirty years of his life, he shared his life with Anat Globus. He is survived by four children, including musician Adam Gorlitzky.

A farewell ceremony for Gorlitzky will be held Tuesday at 12:00 PM at the Cameri Theater in Tel Aviv, his artistic home. His funeral will take place at 2:30 PM at the "Menucha Nechona" cemetery in Kfar Saba. As per his wishes, no shiva mourning period will be observed.