Israeli literature
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Israeli literature, generally referred to as Hebrew literature, is poetry and prose written in modern Hebrew, as part of the renaissance of the Hebrew language in modern times.
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[edit] History
The first modern Hebrew poetry and prose was the work of 19th century Jewish writers from countries in Europe whose mother tongue was not Hebrew. Scholom Aleichem wrote in Russian, Hebrew and Yiddish; I.L. Peretz and Mendele Mocher Sforim wrote in Hebrew and Yiddish; Chaim Nachman Bialik grew up in Russia, but wrote in Hebrew. Some of these authors first published their work in Hebrew language newspapers published in Europe. Many of the pioneers of Hebrew literature were Zionists, and eventually made their way to Israel. Some wrote in Hebrew before their arrival, while others adopted Hebrew as the vehicle for their literary endeavors only after settling in Israel.[1]
[edit] The 1940s and 1950s
During the 1940s and 1950s: "the War of Independence Generation" (he:סופרי דור תש"ח). Native-born writers were conflicted "between individualism and commitment to society and state"; characterized by "social realism".
- S. Yizhar (he:ס.יזהר)
- Moshe Shamir (he:משה שמיר)
- Hanoch Bartov (he:חנוך ברטוב)
- Haim Gouri (he:חיים גורי)
- Benjamin Tammuz (he:בנימין תמוז)
- Aharon Megged (he:אהרון מגד)
- Igal Mossinsohn (he:יגאל מוסינזון)
- Yitzhak Shami (he:יצחק שמי)
[edit] The 1960s
During the early 1960s: "Very influential" writers followed less "ideological patterns", and wrote more about the individual; "psychological realism, allegory and symbolism"; "speculation and skepticism regarding... conventions".
- A. B. Yehoshua (he:א.ב.יהושוע)
- Amos Oz (he:עמוס עוז)
- Natan Yonatan (he:נתן יונתן)
- Yoram Kaniuk (he:יורם קניוק)
- Yaakov Shabtai (he:יעקב שבתאי)
- Yeshayahu Koren (he:ישעיהו קורן)
[edit] The 1980s and 1990s
During the 1980s and 1990s: "Intense literary activity", aimed at "enabling readers to understand themselves", characterized "three generations" of authors, including Oz, Yehoshua, Kaniuk, as well as:
- Aharon Appelfeld (he:אהרון אפפלד)
- David Shahar (he:דוד שחר)
- David Grossman (he:דוד גרוסמן)
- Meir Shalev (he:מאיר שליו)
[edit] Holocaust fiction
The Holocaust was put in fresh perspective by Appelfeld and Grossman, as well as (among others):
- Yehoshua Kenaz (he:יהושע קנז)
- Yonat and Alexander Sened (he:יונת ואלכסנדר סנד)
- Nava Semel (he:נאוה סמל)
- Esty G. Hayim
[edit] New themes
New themes arose:
- Anton Shammas (he:אנטון שמאס), "an Arab-Christian writer": "the Arab village"; however, popular Israeli Arab writers such as Emil Habibi (a recipient of the Israel Prize) continue to prefer writing in Arabic.
- Yossl Birstein (he:יוסל בירשטיין): the Haredi world
- Haim Be`er: "Jerusalem's Hassidic courts"
- Dov Elbaum, Michal Govrin: additional writers in the "religious dimension" (Furstenberg)
- Yitzhak Orpaz-Auerbach: the "unbeliever" when "fundamentalism is gaining"
- Sami Michael, Albert Suissa (he:אלברט סויסה), Dan Benaya Seri (he:דן בניה-סרי): "the place of... new immigrants from Arab countries"
- Shimon Ballas (he:שמעון בלס), Eli Amir (he:אלי אמיר), Amnon Shamosh, Yitzhak Gormezano-Goren: additional writers about the Sephardi experience
- Yitzhak Ben-Ner (he:יצחק בן נר), as well as Kaniuk, Grossman, Oz: "universal themes such as democracy and righteousness" during "constant challenges"
[edit] Women authors
Women authors became more prominent on "general topics", as well as women's role within "Jewish tradition and... in the Zionist enterprise":
- Amalia Kahana-Carmon
- Hannah Bat-Shahar (he:חנה בת שחר) - erotica
- Shulamith Hareven (he:שולמית הראבן)
- Shulamit Lapid (he:שולמית לפיד)
- Ruth Almog (he:רות אלמוג)
- Savyon Liebrecht (he:סביון ליברכט)
- Batya Gur (he:בתיה גור)
- Eleonora Lev
- Yehudit Hendel (he:יהודית הנדל)
- Leah Aini
- Nurit Zarchi
[edit] Detective fiction
Some of the above women (Lapid and Gur) began writing detective fiction, as well as the following men and women:
- Michael Barak, pen name of Michael Bar-Zohar, writing Hebrew detective fiction at least as early as 1972
- Amnon Dankner (he:אמנון דנקנר)
- Ram Oren
- Amnon Jacont
[edit] The younger generation
A "younger generation" of authors that is "more universalistic", "alienated, surreal and idiosyncratic":
- Judith Katzir (he:יהודית קציר)
- Etgar Keret: mostly short stories
- Orly Castel-Bloom (he:אורלי קסטל בלום): mostly short stories
- Gadi Taub (he:גדי טאוב)
- Irit Linur: popular fiction, humorous romance and suspense
- Mira Magen (he:מירה מגן): experiences of Haredi women
- Shimon Zimmer
- Lily Perry (he:לילי פרי)
- Yitzhak Laor
Some postmodernist writers:
- Itamar Levy
- Yoel Hoffmann (he:יואל הופמן)
[edit] Late 1990s
A new front of young authors active in the late 1990s and new millennium (see also [1])
- Dorit Rabinyan (he:דורית רבינין)
- Yael Hadaya (he:יעל הדיה)
- Alon Hilu
- Dudu Bossi
- Eshkol Nevo
- Moshe Ophir
- Efrat Danon
- Alex Epstein (postmodern)
- Maya Arad (novel in rhyme)
- Shimon Adaf (poetry and a detective novel)
- Yuval Shimoni
- Avner Shavit
- Benny Ziffer
[edit] Hebrew children's books
Writing for children:
- Miriam Yalan-Shteklis
- Uri Orlev
- Yehuda Atlas (he:יהודה אטלס): set a trend of writing short poems from a child's perspective
- Ephraim Sidon: satirical writer, often writing for adults under the guise of children's books
- Nira Harel
- Tamar Bergman
- Gila Almagor: mostly autobiographical novels
- Daniella Carmi
- Dvora Omer (he:דבורה עומר): prolific writer for children and youth, awarded Israel Prize (2006)
- Dorit Orgad: prolific writer for pre-teens and young adults
- Michal Snunit: short illustrated books, allegories on spirituality and emotion, popular as gift books for adults
- Alona Frankel (he:אלונה פרנקל): "Once Upon a Potty"
- Galila Ron-Feder Amit (he:גלילה רון־פדר-עמית): prolific writer for pre-teens and young adults
- Smadar Shir: prolific writer for pre-teens and young adults
- Yehonatan Geffen
[edit] Publication of books in Israel
By law, the Jewish National and University Library of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem receives two copies of each book published in Israel. In 2004 it reported that it received 6,436 new books. Most of them were published in Hebrew, and most of those books published in Hebrew were original to the Hebrew language. Almost 8% of the 2004 crop were children's books and another 4% were textbooks. According to the type of publisher, the books were 55% commercial, 14% self-published, 10% governmental, 7% educational, and 14% published by other types of organizations. [2]
[edit] References
- Overview of Hebrew literature [3]
- Furstenberg, Rochelle. "The State of the Arts: Israeli Literature." Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 1998. [4],
- Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "CULTURE- Literature", 2003. [5]
- Weill, Asher. "Culture in Israel- On the Cusp of the Millennium." Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2000. [6].
[edit] See also
- List of Hebrew language authors
- List of Hebrew language poets
- List of Hebrew language playwrights
- Hebrew literature
- Jewish American literature
Literature of Asia | |
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| 1countries spanning more than one continent | |
fr:Littérature israélienne it:Letteratura israeliana he:ספרות ישראלית ja:イスラエル文学 pl:Literatura hebrajska pt:Literatura israelense
