Israeli News Icon Chaim Yavin Dies at 93 After Decades Shaping National Media

Chaim Yavin, known as "Mr. Television" and a central figure in Israeli media for over 40 years, passed away at age 93. Yavin was the longtime anchor of the iconic "Mabat" news program from its inception in 1968 until 2008, becoming the familiar face and authoritative voice during pivotal moments in Israeli history. He famously coined the term "Mahapach" (upheaval) during the 1977 election night when Menachem Begin's Likud came to power and was the one to announce Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's assassination in 1995.

Born Heinz Kluger in 1932 in Beuthen, Germany (now part of Poland), Yavin immigrated to Israel as an infant in 1933. He began his media career in 1956 at Kol Yisrael and was a founding member of the "Gal HaKal" radio network in 1962. He joined the Israeli Television establishment in 1968, presenting the first "Mabat" broadcast covering the El Al plane hijacking to Algeria. Yavin also produced acclaimed documentary series such as "Eretz HaMitnachalim" (2005), which won an Israeli Academy Award, and others exploring Soviet Jewry, Israeli Arabs, and the Israeli military ethos.

Yavin served as director of Israeli Television from 1986 to 1990, overseeing key programs like "Ro'im Olam" and "B'Sidur Choker." He was also a broadcast envoy to the United States between 1970 and 1975. His contributions earned him the Israel Prize for Communications in 1997, lifetime achievement awards from the Israeli Film and Television Academy and the Journalists Association.

Despite his professional acclaim, in 2016 multiple women accused Yavin of sexual harassment during his tenure at the Broadcasting Authority, describing unwanted touching and inappropriate behavior. Yavin denied these allegations.

He was married to Yossefa Kronfeld since 1967 and had four children, including journalist and author Yonatan Yavin. Even after retiring from news anchoring, he continued creating documentaries and teaching media at academic institutions. His last documentary, "Jerusalem - City of Broken Dreams," aired in 2016.