Ilana Laor: a dear friend, a colleague, an inspiration to us all, a former head of the Israeli IARPP Forum, and a member of the IARPP board, died just recently.

It is still hard for us to say it out loud, as to admit it.

Ilana was a very live and playful person. It’s no wonder that she wrote a lot about vitalization, vital as she was.

Ilana was the opposite of a conventional person. Unconventionally she spoke, argued, wrote, dressed, loved, hated and lived. That is part of what was so genuine and unique about her, and sometimes it was not easy.

Ilana was full of humor, creativity, and huge passion, for knowledge, intellect, culture, and making and having fun. This is another reason it is hard to talk about her in a past tense.

Ilana made her personal and professional way, exactly her way. At university, she studied English literature and psychology. Her master’s degree was in social psychology. For many years she worked in the navy, and she became head of the psychological service in the army.

In her forties, she decided to become a clinical psychologist, and how much she became one.

A prominent and influential teacher, a relational writer, a group analyst who combined individual, group, cultural and social thinking. We had just celebrated with her, less than two months ago, the publication of her new and important book.

We will remember Ilana, for her wit, humor, good heart, creativity, and uniqueness. We grieve with her family. She was, in addition to all I have written, a family women, a loving and a proud wife, mother and grandmother.

We are happy for her that she lived fully to the very end.

Udi Chen
Head of the Israeli Forum,
on behalf of the Forum

Udi Chen, MA
Pardes Hana, Israel
Email Udi Chen