Departures of note

Menashe Raz was an Israeli journalist, broadcaster, and documentary director. Born in August 1946 in Gedera, he joined the IDF's academic reserve and later served at Galei Tzahal (army radio) as a military correspondent, editor, and program host. After his discharge he completed studies in political science and international relations at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and joined Kol Yisrael, where he presented news bulletins, light music and pop programs, the Hebrew hit parade, and was the first host of the program Shirim VeSha'arim. In late 1972 he joined Israeli Television as a news correspondent and documentary director. He won the Kinor David (David's Harp) prize in 1979 for the best documentary film of the year, for a series he directed on the state of Israeli prisons, whose broadcast led to the establishment of a Knesset committee examining prison conditions. At Channel 1 he served in various roles, including editor and host of the Mabat news program and editor and host of Mishpat Iona and Mishak HaShabbat. During reserve service he was responsible for the operational documentation of the Israeli Air Force, taking part in documenting operations including the airlift of Ethiopian Jews. He also lectured at Tel Aviv University's film and television department and at other institutions. After retiring from the Israel Broadcasting Authority in 1999, he handled communications for the Center Party and later served as communications director of IMAGESAT, returning to journalism in 2003 as a host and reporter for Channel 10's news company.