Israeli Actor and Artist Rights Advocate Ili Gorlitzky Dies at 91

Ili Gorlitzky, a prominent Israeli actor, singer, and cultural figure, passed away on Monday at the age of 91. Gorlitzky was a significant presence on the Israeli stage for over seven decades, contributing to theater, film, music, and television. Alongside his artistic career, he dedicated a substantial part of his life to advocating for the economic and professional rights of performing artists in Israel.

Born in Tel Aviv on July 14, 1935, Gorlitzky began his acting studies at 17 and served in the Central Command military band, where he was a soloist. After his military service, he joined the Cameri Theater, performing in early productions like "The Good Person of Szechwan" and "He Walked in the Fields."

His breakthrough came in 1964 with the musical "King Solomon and the Cobbler" at the Cameri Theater, where he famously portrayed both King Solomon and the cobbler. This production, with lyrics by Natan Alterman and music by Sasha Argov, became a major success, staged hundreds of times in Israel and abroad. He continued a long artistic partnership with Yona Atari, with whom he performed in shows like "The Flea Market" in 1965, featuring songs by Alterman. Gorlitzky later collaborated with Yossi Banai in the show "Wise Men at Night."

Gorlitzky also appeared in films such as "A Gang Like That," "Three Days and a Child," and "Tuvia and His Seven Daughters," and worked as a voice actor. He authored books, including "Tahiro" and "The Hidden Secret." Throughout his career, he received three "David's Violin" awards and was honored as a "Distinguished Citizen of Tel Aviv-Yafo" in 2019.

Beyond his artistic achievements, Gorlitzky was a key figure in organizing professional artists in Israel. He co-founded AMI, the Association of Performing Artists of Israel, in 1979 and served as its first chairman. In 1984, he was instrumental in establishing Eshkolot, a company dedicated to collecting and distributing royalties for performing artists, which he managed as CEO for 37 years. This period coincided with the enactment of the Performing Artists' Rights Law, a significant step in recognizing artists' rights to compensation for the use of their performances. Gorlitzky consistently fought for fair royalties and the status of performers, stating in a 2016 Knesset discussion that "performers are the creators of the performance" and that royalties represent "their pension."

In 2021, he stepped down as chairman and CEO of Eshkolot and was appointed honorary president. He had previously noted that before collective organization, "artists fought each for his own problems," whereas the association provided a unified front for their rights. A farewell ceremony will be held for Gorlitzky on Tuesday at 12:00 PM at the Cameri Theater in Tel Aviv, followed by his funeral at 2:30 PM at the Menucha Nechona Cemetery in Kfar Saba. The family has requested no shiva observance.