Yakov Epshtein

Yakov Epshtein (1921–2003) was an Israeli sculptor, monumentalist, and educator. Among his works were reliefs for the Maykop Cadet School, a memorial near Stalingrad, and a sculptural portrait of Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko (copies are held in Ukraine, Canada, and the US).

In 1957–1959, Epshtein lived in Poland and was a member of the Union of Polish Artists. He received a cultural grant from the Ministry of Culture. His portrait of Sholem Aleichem is held at the Israeli Embassy in Warsaw, with a replica in the Jewish Cultural Center in Wrocław.

In 1959, Epshtein immigrated to Israel with his wife and two daughters, settling in Bat Yam. He was one of the founders of the Bat Yam Institute of Art (1960) and led its sculpture department

His sculptures are part of the permanent collection of the David Ben-Ari Museum of Contemporary Art in Bat Yam.

Epshtein died in 2003. He is survived by his daughters Rachel and Bella. In June 2025, the Bat Yam Institute of Art was named in his honor.