Veteran Israeli Composer and Radio Editor Gilad Ben-Shach Dies at 85

Gilad Ben-Shach, a prominent composer and music editor who was a long-standing figure in Israeli radio, has passed away at the age of 85. He had been battling dementia for the past 15 years. His funeral is scheduled for Friday at 11:30 AM at the Gdera cemetery.

Born in Gdera in 1941, Ben-Shach began writing, composing, and translating songs in the 1960s. He notably penned songs for the popular duo Ilan Ve Ilanit, including "Every Person Has a Star" and "Cyclamens." His early work in radio began after meeting editors at Kol Yisrael's "Ha'Gal Ha'Kale" (later Reshet Bet) during his university studies. He joined Kol Yisrael in 1969, serving as the first music editor for the current affairs program "Ba'Haitz Ha'Yom."

In 1976, Ben-Shach was appointed the first director of Reshet Gimel, a dedicated Israeli music station. During his tenure, he edited popular programs like "Zemer She'Kaze," which featured nostalgic Hebrew songs. He also initiated and edited song compilations, such as "Tziyunim Ha'Derech" in 1979, a collection of beloved public sing-along songs. In 2007, he authored "Ha'Chizbatron," a book about the Palmach entertainment troupe that served as a precursor to military bands.

His sister, Lipsha, remembered him as "a man of Hebrew song, nurturing and preserving it since the beginning of his radio career," adding that "he brought new life to the entire field of Hebrew song."