Israel Eliraz (; born Israel Rothstein on 23 March 1936, ; died on 22 March 2016) was an Israeli poet who won the

Bialik Prize The Bialik Prize is an annual literary award given by the municipality of Tel Aviv, Israel, for significant accomplishments in Hebrew literature. The prize is named in memory of Israel's national poet Hayyim Nahman Bialik. There are two separate p ...

(2008), the

Brenner Prize The Brenner Prize is an Israeli literary prize awarded annually by the Hebrew Writers Association in Israel and the Haft Family Foundation. It recognizes and honors Hebrew literature Hebrew literature consists of ancient, medieval, and modern w ...

(2013), the ACUM lifetime achievement award (2003), the

Nathan Alterman Nathan Alterman (; August 14, 1910 – March 28, 1970) was an Israeli poet, playwright, journalist, and translator. Though never holding any elected office, Alterman was highly influential in Labor Zionist politics, both before and after the es ...

Award (2002), the

Jerusalem Foundation The Jerusalem Foundation (, ''HaKeren LiYerushalayim''; ) is a Foundation (non-profit), nonprofit foundation that promotes the development of the city of Jerusalem, by raising funds for social, cultural and beautification projects. Established in ...

Jerusalem Municipality The Jerusalem Municipality (), the seat of the Israeli municipal administration, consists of a number of buildings located on Jaffa Road in the city of Jerusalem. History British Mandate town hall (1930) Jerusalem's old town hall was bui ...

’s ''Belles-Lettres'' Award (1992 and 1999), the Award (1963 and 1965), the (2009), and the (1994, 2008, and 2009).

Biography

Born Israel Rothstein on 23 March 1936 to a religious family in the Knesset Yisrael neighborhood of Jerusalem his parents were Ya’akov and Shifra Rothstein. He attended

Alliance Israélite Universelle The Alliance israélite universelle (AIU; ; ) is a Paris-based international Jewish organization founded in 1860 with the purpose of safeguarding human rights for Jews around the world. It promotes the ideals of Jewish self-defense and self-suffi ...

and

Hebrew University of Jerusalem The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; ) is an Israeli public university, public research university based in Jerusalem. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Chaim Weizmann in July 1918, the public university officially opened on 1 April 1925. ...

where he specialized in Jewish literature and philosophy, received his master’s degree from

Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv University (TAU) is a Public university, public research university in Tel Aviv, Israel. With over 30,000 students, it is the largest university in the country. Located in northwest Tel Aviv, the university is the center of teaching and ...

where he specialized in comparative literary studies, started writing poetry in 1980, studied theatre at

University of Paris The University of Paris (), known Metonymy, metonymically as the Sorbonne (), was the leading university in Paris, France, from 1150 to 1970, except for 1793–1806 during the French Revolution. Emerging around 1150 as a corporation associated wit ...

between 1995 and 1996 on a stipend from the French government, and worked for a living as a teacher and principal at

Gymnasia Rehavia Rehavia Gymnasium or the Jerusalem Rehavia Gymnasium, by its Hebrew name Gymnasia Rehavia (), is a high school in the Rehavia neighborhood in West Jerusalem. History The high school's initial name was the Hebrew Gymnasium in Jerusalem. Gymnasia ...

and as an instructor at . Occasionally he would also lecture in France, Belgium, and the United States: for example he was visiting professor of drama at

Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is a Public university, public research university in Richmond, Virginia, United States. VCU was founded in 1838 as the medical department of Hampden–Sydney College, becoming the Medical College of Virgin ...

in 1980 and was invited to in 1999 and to in 1998. He lived in Jerusalem all his life and was married to Naomi née Brunner with whom he had three children. Eliraz died on 22 March 2016 in Jerusalem, Jerusalem District. His resting place is in Kiryat Anavim, Mateh Yehuda Regional Council, Jerusalem District, Israel. He wrote the libretto for

Josef Tal Josef Tal (; September 18, 1910 – August 25, 2008) was an Israeli composer. He wrote three Hebrew operas; four German operas, dramatic scenes; six symphonies; 13 concerti; chamber music, including three string quartets; instrumental works; ...

's opera ''

Ashmedai Asmodeus (; , ''Asmodaios'') or Ashmedai (; ; ; see below for other variations) is a king of demons in the legends of Solomon and the constructing of Solomon's Temple."Asmodeus" in '' The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chicago: Encyclopædia B ...

'' which premiered at the

Hamburg State Opera The Hamburg State Opera (in German: ) is a German opera company based in Hamburg. Its theatre is near the square of Gänsemarkt. Since 2015, the current ''Intendant'' of the company is Georges Delnon, and the current ''Generalmusikdirektor'' ...

in 1971, and was mounted at the

New York City Opera The New York City Opera (NYCO) is an American opera company located in Manhattan in New York City. The company has been active from 1943 through its 2013 bankruptcy, and again since 2016 when it was revived. The opera company, dubbed "the peopl ...

in 1976.

Publications

*אלירז, ישראל. '
דְּבָרִים דְּחוּפִים: מבחר שירים 1980–2010
'', עורך: ד״ר דרור בורשטיין, עם ״איך אלירז יכול לשנות את חייך,״ עמ׳ 380–390 מאת ד״ר דרור בורשטיין. תל אביב–יפו: הוצאת הקיבוץ המאוחד, ה׳תש״ע/2010, 392 עמ׳. ''

Haaretz ''Haaretz'' (; originally ''Ḥadshot Haaretz'' – , , ) is an List of newspapers in Israel, Israeli newspaper. It was founded in 1918, making it the longest running newspaper currently in print in Israel. The paper is published in Hebrew lan ...

'' critic Prof. Dr. wrote about this book that upon reading it he felt as if he “received endless letters from the poet regarding existential wonders" while ''

Iton 77 ''Iton 77'' () is an Israeli monthly literature and culture magazine published in Israel. History and profile ''Iton 77'' was established by the poet and editor Jacob Besser in 1977. The magazine also owns a small publishing company under the ...

'' critic said that it changed his life. *אלירז, ישראל. הֵבִּט: שירה מביטה בציור – בעקבות ציוריו של יהושע (שוקי) בורקובסקי. תל אביב–יפו: קשב לשירה, ה׳תשע״ב/2012, 132 עמ׳. ''Haaretz'' critic Ouzi Zur praised this book's “wonderful poetic introspection regarding the quintessence of seeing.” *אלירז, ישראל. '
כַּמָּה זְמַן עוֹד נִשְׁאַר אֵינֶנָּה שְׁאֵלָה אֶלָּא דֶּלֶת
''. תל אביב–יפו ובן־שמן: הליקון ו מודן הוצאה לאור, ה׳תשע״ג/2013, 96 עמ׳.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Eliraz, Israel 1936 births 2016 deaths 20th-century Israeli poets 20th-century Israeli male writers 21st-century Israeli poets 21st-century Israeli male writers Brenner Prize recipients Deaths from cancer in Israel Hebrew University of Jerusalem alumni Israeli schoolteachers Israeli expatriates in Belgium Israeli expatriates in France Israeli expatriates in the United States Israeli Ashkenazi Jews Israeli male poets Israeli people of Ashkenazi descent Jewish Israeli writers Jewish educators Heads of schools in Israel Israeli secular Jews Tel Aviv University alumni University of Paris alumni Virginia Commonwealth University faculty Writers from Jerusalem 20th-century Israeli educators Bialik Prize recipients

Biography

Publications

Further reading

References