Israeli Actor and Artist Rights Advocate Ili Gurlitzky Dies at 91

Ili Gurlitzky, a veteran Israeli actor and creator whose career spanned over seven decades, has passed away at the age of 91. Gurlitzky was widely recognized for his leading role in "King Solomon and the Shoemaker" and also appeared in numerous other plays, including "He Walked Through the Fields," "Twelfth Night," and "Kinneret Kinneret." Beyond his stage work, Gurlitzky was a prominent figure in the fight for artists' rights in Israel.

Public relations figure Rani Rahav paid tribute to Gurlitzky on social media, remembering him as "the first who cared for the artists of Israel" and the founder of "Eshkolot." Rahav's post highlighted Gurlitzky's entrepreneurial spirit and his dedication to fellow artists, noting a personal friendship between them.

Gurlitzky's advocacy for artists' rights was a significant part of his public life. In the 1980s, he co-founded AMI and later was a founder of "Eshkolot," an organization dedicated to representing the rights of performers in Israel. Eshkolot collects royalties from broadcasters and entities using the performances of actors, singers, entertainers, voice actors, and dancers, distributing the funds to the artists. Gurlitzky led Eshkolot for approximately 37 years and later served as its honorary president.

His long-standing efforts included a 2016 Knesset discussion where he warned about the precarious situation of performing artists, whose rights he felt were being neglected amidst rapid technological and industrial changes. The "Eshkolot" website also describes his work as a protracted struggle for royalties and rights previously unavailable to artists.

Gurlitzky is survived by his four children, including musician Adam Gurlitzky. For the last three decades of his life, he was in a relationship with Anat Globus, a deputy editor for "Ofan Sheli," and they lived together in Tel Aviv. The Israeli cultural industry mourns not only a veteran actor but also a key figure who worked behind the scenes to secure the rights of artists.