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Israel Efros Dead at 89

January 15, 1981
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Dr. Israel Efros, a Hebrew poet and educator in the United States and Israel and the first rector of Tel Aviv University, died here at the age of 89.

Efros was born in the Ukraine May 28, 1891 and came to the United States in 1905. He received a doctorate from Columbia University, founded the Baltimore Hebrew College and Training School in 1918 and was its dean until 1928. He later was professor of Hebrew at the University of Buffalo from 1929-1941, when he came to Hunter College in New York City. While at Hunter he also taught Jewish philosophy and Hebrew literature at Dropsie College in Philadelphia. He was also president of the Histadruth Ivrith of America.

In 1955, Efros moved to Tel Aviv after being appointed rector of Tel Aviv University a post he held until 1959. He later became honorary president of the university. Efros was coauthor of a Hebrew-English dictionary and the author of many books of poetry and philosophy. He received several Jewish and Israeli literary awards.

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