Departures of note

Israel Finks was born in 1935 in Sofia, Bulgaria, to Dora and Dr. Daniel Finks. After his father's death when he was six, he was raised by his grandparents before immigrating to Israel with his mother in 1944 during World War II. He spent his early years in Israel at the Ben Shemen youth village and later settled in Tel Aviv, where he lived for the rest of his life. His older brother Yitzhak was killed during the War of Independence in the battle for Ashdod.

Finks served in the Israel Defense Forces, including as a military correspondent. After his discharge, he worked as a night editor at United Press news agency while beginning his career in translation and editing for Am Oved and Sifriat Poalim publishing houses, and translating plays for theatre. He began publishing poetry in the early 1950s, with his first collection, "Fourteen Poems," appearing in 1961. Over the decades he published numerous poetry books including "Dinner in Ferrara and Other Poems," "To the Equator," "Inside the House," "Lecture on Time," and "Genealogy."

In 2005, Finks was awarded the Israel Prize for Literature, with the judges noting his poetry's restraint and refinement, his existential themes, and his rich dialogue with classical tradition, visual arts, and music. Beyond poetry, he managed two art galleries in Tel Aviv, wrote about Israeli art in the press, and served as a consultant and expert on 20th-century art after completing studies in London and Paris. His poetry was translated into multiple languages and published in anthologies worldwide. He is survived by two daughters, Daniella and Michal.