Following the death of legendary fitness coach Gilad Janklowicz at 71, his partner and colleague Chaya Halperin, also an iconic instructor from the show "Fitness Hour," shared her memories and grief in an interview with ynet. "We were soulmates for 40 years," Halperin said.
She described how their relationship began: "It really started through the profession. I was on a training tour in Japan and returned via Hawaii, and I decided I wanted to meet this amazing person on screen. I met Gilad at a place called Honolulu Club. I took classes with him, and a very deep friendship developed between us."
Halperin reflected on his professionalism and presence: "He had that athletic look and was so precise in everything he did, yet very careful with exercises suitable for everyone. He always advocated keeping things simple. I was impressed by everything — his look, his delivery, his approach, and of course the beauty in the aesthetics he chose, set against the backdrop of Hawaii's beaches."
Over the years, the two maintained daily contact: "We stayed in touch all those years, with frequent visits — either I was in Hawaii or he came to Israel. The last time I spoke with him was three days ago. We always greeted each other for Shabbat, but that Saturday, he didn’t answer. I called him, and he said, 'I just want to sleep, I’ll call you in a few minutes.' But those minutes never came. That was it."
Halperin emphasized that there were no signs leading up to his death: "No, absolutely not. He was planning new projects, filming new workout tapes, and developing exercise equipment. He was in a really good period. But perhaps there were things I wasn’t aware of, despite him sharing so much with me. This is a terrible loss and an immense shock. I still can’t process it — it will probably hit me eventually."
Janklowicz had recently been in advanced talks to produce new fitness programs for Sport 5 in Israel and the U.S., including filming at locations such as Masada and working with Israeli women, continuing the legacy of his globally recognized televised workouts.