Nissan Nativ
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nissan Nativ (1922 - 20 April 2008) was an Israeli actor, director and acting teacher.[1]
Nativ was born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands in 1922 and first moved to Mandate Palestine in 1937.[1] He joined the Jewish Brigade during World War II and served in the Armor Corps. He was a commander during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.[1] After the war, Nativ enrolled at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.[1]
Nativ moved from Israel to Paris where he studied mime.[1] He worked as an Israeli theater director and at Israel Radio when he returned from France.[1]
Nativ founded the Nissan Nativ School of Acting in 1963.[1] The renowned acting school holds classes in both Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.[1] Many of Israel's best known actors, such as Keren Mor, Tiki Dayan and Moshe Ivgi are alumni of Nativ's school.[1] However, despite its success the school has suffered from financial difficulties during the 1990s and 2000s, which nearly forced it to close.[1]
The Israel Prize committee decided to confer the award on Nativ in 2008 citing his contributions to Israeli theater and culture.[1] The committee stated in its opinion that "You cannot imagine Israeli theater without Nissan Nativ."[1] It also cited Nativ's training of generations of Israeli actors and directors through his Nissan Nativ School of Acting.[1]
Nativ died before he could receive the Israel Prize in person and died just weeks before accepting the award.[1] He was found dead of an apparent heart attack at his apartment in Tel Aviv at the age of 86 on 20 April 2008.[1]
