Ezra Fleischer
Encyclopedia
Ezra Fleischer (born 14 July 1928; died 25 July 2006) was a Romania
n-Israeli Hebrew-language poet and philologist
.
, in the Banat
region of western Romania
, and studied in the Jewish school that his father, Judah Loeb Fleischer, had founded in 1918.
After World War II
, Fleischer was active in the Bnei Akiva
movement in Romania and was imprisoned for his Zionist activities. While in prison, he wrote an epic Hebrew poem, “Massa Gog,” in which he predicted the downfall of Communism
. The poem was smuggled out of Romania and was published in Israel, under a pen name
, where it caused somewhat of a “literary sensation”. Further books of poetry followed in Romania, all under a pen name.
In 1960, Fleischer emigrated to Israel, where he researched medieval Hebrew literature. He received a doctorate from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
, where he also subsequently lectured until 1997.
He was also the director of the Geniza
Research Institute for Hebrew Poetry of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities
. His student Shulamit Elizur
has succeeded him in this position.
His published work, most of it on poetry and prayer, covers a wide range of ancient and medieval Jewish life from Andalusia and Amsterdam to Syria and Cairo. He also wrote extensively about Judaism’s encounter with Islam and Christianity.
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n-Israeli Hebrew-language poet and philologist
Philology
Philology is the study of language in written historical sources; it is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics.Classical philology is the philology of Greek and Classical Latin...
.
Biography
Fleischer was born in 1928 in TimişoaraTimisoara
Timișoara is the capital city of Timiș County, in western Romania. One of the largest Romanian cities, with an estimated population of 311,586 inhabitants , and considered the informal capital city of the historical region of Banat, Timișoara is the main social, economic and cultural center in the...
, in the Banat
Banat
The Banat is a geographical and historical region in Central Europe currently divided between three countries: the eastern part lies in western Romania , the western part in northeastern Serbia , and a small...
region of western Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, and studied in the Jewish school that his father, Judah Loeb Fleischer, had founded in 1918.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Fleischer was active in the Bnei Akiva
Bnei Akiva
Bnei Akiva is the largest religious Zionist youth movement in the world, with over 125,000 members in 37 countries. It was established in Mandate Palestine in 1929.-History:...
movement in Romania and was imprisoned for his Zionist activities. While in prison, he wrote an epic Hebrew poem, “Massa Gog,” in which he predicted the downfall of Communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
. The poem was smuggled out of Romania and was published in Israel, under a pen name
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
, where it caused somewhat of a “literary sensation”. Further books of poetry followed in Romania, all under a pen name.
In 1960, Fleischer emigrated to Israel, where he researched medieval Hebrew literature. He received a doctorate from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
, where he also subsequently lectured until 1997.
He was also the director of the Geniza
Cairo Geniza
The Cairo Geniza is a collection of almost 280,000 Jewish manuscript fragments found in the Genizah or storeroom of the Ben Ezra Synagogue in Fustat, presently Old Cairo, Egypt. Some additional fragments were found in the Basatin cemetery east of Old Cairo, and the collection includes a number of...
Research Institute for Hebrew Poetry of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities
Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities
The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, based in Jerusalem, was set up in 1961 by the State of Israel to foster contact between scholars from the sciences and humanities in Israel, to advise the government on research projects of national importance, and to promote excellence. It comprises...
. His student Shulamit Elizur
Shulamit Elizur
Professor Shulamit Elizur , born April 6, 1955, is a scholar of ancient and medieval piyyut . She is the head of the Fleischer Institute for the Study of Hebrew Poetry, a member of the Academy of the Hebrew Language, and a member of the editorial board of the Mekize Nirdamim publishing house.She...
has succeeded him in this position.
His published work, most of it on poetry and prayer, covers a wide range of ancient and medieval Jewish life from Andalusia and Amsterdam to Syria and Cairo. He also wrote extensively about Judaism’s encounter with Islam and Christianity.
Awards
- In 1959, Fleischer was awarded the Israel PrizeIsrael PrizeThe Israel Prize is an award handed out by the State of Israel and is largely regarded as the state's highest honor. It is presented annually, on Israeli Independence Day, in a state ceremony in Jerusalem, in the presence of the President, the Prime Minister, the Knesset chairperson, and the...
, for literature, primarily for his poem “Massa Gog”. - In 1986, Fleischer was awarded the Bialik PrizeBialik PrizeThe 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 Hayyim Nahman Bialik. There are two separate prizes, one specifically for "Literature", which is in the field of fiction,...
for Jewish thought. - In 1992, he was awarded the Rothschild Prize, for Jewish studies.