Forem—who served as president from 1998 to 2000—had been ill for some time.
“Yitzchak Forem was a bridge builder, a kind and attentive man, who would give his time to his fellow diamantaires, extend his help to solve both their problems and those of the diamond business at large,” said WFDB president Avi Paz. “He was a public servant par excellence and he will be sorely missed by the diamond business community, which he regarded as his extended family.”
Born in Poland in 1938, he survived the Holocaust and emigrated to Israel in 1949. After finishing high school, he joined the Israeli army, reaching the rank of Lieutenant Colonel (Res.).
In 1961, Forem joined Union Bank, serving 16 years in various managerial roles before becoming an independent diamantaire. In 1987, he was elected to the board of the Israel Diamond Exchange (IDE), where he was chair of several committees and served one term as vice-president. In 1993, Forem was elected IDE president, serving three terms before being elected WFDB president.
