In Memoriam

In Memory of Prof. Jacob (Jackie) Lomranz

Prof. Jacob (Jackie) Lomranz passed away in 2021, at the age of 84. Prof. (Emeritus) Lomranz was the founder of The Herczeg Institute on Aging, as well as its first director (1992-1997). Prof. Lomranz was a senior clinical psychologist and a faculty member at the School of Psychological Sciences at Tel Aviv University.

Prof. Lomranz contributed greatly to diverse fields within the science of aging. In his work as a clinical supervisor, he trained many therapists and established therapeutic frameworks in the community. In his role as a psychologist and academic, he proposed therapeutic interventions and developed theories in the field of the psychology of aging. The most prominent of these is the "A-Integration" theory.

He published many academic works on fascinating and important topics in aging, such as the psychological meanings of time, Holocaust trauma, events of stress and war, and many other subjects. He also served as a public figure, held the position of president of the Israeli Gerontological Society, and made a significant contribution to academic frameworks in universities and colleges. Thus, Prof. Lomranz's final project was the establishment of a master’s program in clinical-gerontological psychology at the Ruppin Academic Center.

In the 1980s, Prof. Lomranz founded the "Unit for the Psychology of Adulthood and Aging" at Tel Aviv University. The unit was a pioneering academic framework for promoting and conducting gerontological teaching and research, directed both toward academia and toward the community. This unit formed the basis for the establishment of The Herczeg Institute on Aging at Tel Aviv University in 1992. The Institute, established through the contribution of Rosita and Esteban Herczeg, was at the time the first of its kind in Israel, and Prof. Lomranz, its founder, also served as the Institute's director and a faculty member.

According to Prof. Lomranz's vision, the Herczeg Institute contributes greatly to the advancement of gerontological knowledge in Israel in various ways. Alongside its research activities, the Institute addressed the general public by organizing open study days for the dissemination of gerontological knowledge, organizing conferences for professionals in gerontology, and holding unique training courses for work in services for the aging population. It is also important to note the initiatives of the Herczeg Institute to encourage meetings and discussion in forums for scholars, physicians, and writers in gerontological contexts. This diverse activity, as shaped by Prof. Lomranz during his tenure as director of the Institute, continued and continues today under the leadership of the directors who followed him.

We appreciate the significant contribution that Prof. Lomranz made to the field of gerontology in general, and to the Herczeg Institute in particular.

In Memory of Prof. Nitza Eyal

Prof. Nitza Eyal was among the founders of the Herczeg Institute and worked there for many years as an initiating and influential researcher in important aging studies. Among other things, she was an active partner in multidisciplinary studies of the older population in Israel.

She worked extensively at the Institute to disseminate gerontological knowledge and to promote understanding of the processes of adulthood and aging among diverse and broad audiences. She contributed greatly to Israeli gerontology and received appreciation and thanks for this.

She was a gifted writer who knew how to convey scientific knowledge, alongside thoughts and emotions, in a clear and compelling manner. Above all, Nitza was a noble person, and in her personality she embodied humanity, wisdom, generosity, empathy, and dedication. She was a beloved and dear person to many and will be missed by all who knew and appreciated her.

Nitza Eyal passed away in 2019.