In memory of Prof Yehiel (Chilik) Ziv

Abstract

Yehiel (Chilik) Ziv passed away on December 2014, after approximately 3 months of courageous battle with a malignant disease. Dr. Yehiel Ziv, or as we all called him: ‘‘Chilik,’’ was born in Israel in June 1951, to a family of Holocaust survivors who immigrated to Israel. He earned his medical degree from the Hebrew University—Hadassah Medical School in Jerusalem, in a program of pre-military medical training, and served his country as a physician. Following his service, Dr. Ziv did his residency in general surgery at the Beilinson Medical Center, one of the top training programs in Israel. Following completion of his residency, he showed special interest in colorectal surgery, and had spent, in 1989, approximately 3 months at St. Marks hospital in London, enhancing his knowledge and capabilities in colorectal surgery. Between 1992 and 1994, he completed 2 years of colorectal surgery fellowship at the Department of Colorectal Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, headed by Dr. Victor Fazio. In addition to his clinical training, Dr. Ziv has made a significant effort to enhance the Ileoanal pouch registry of the Cleveland Clinic and published landmark papers on this topic. Upon return from his fellowship, Dr. Ziv served as the colorectal surgeon and head of colorectal surgery at the ‘‘Assaf Harofeh’’ Medical Center in Israel, where he rapidly established himself as a leader in this field. He was a renowned physician, especially known for his humane care of his patients and their families. Dr. Ziv has served as the president of the Israeli Society of Colon and Rectal Surgery for two consecutive terms and was a member of the editorial board of Techniques in Coloproctology and a member of the scientific committee of the ESCP. On November 2013, he was elected as the president of ECTA, a position he had held at the time of his death. Dr. Ziv was a teacher in nature, served as an associate professor at the Tel Aviv University faculty of medicine, and founded the Israeli fellowship program in colorectal surgery. No doubt that his professional achievements are remarkable. But above all, Chilik was a friend. A friend personally to me, and a friend to so many colorectal surgeons in Israel, Europe, Asia and the USA. We grieve his loss. Our minds are with his family and many friends. He will be cherished in our souls forever. Yehiel (Chilik) Ziv—1951–2014