Nisim Aloni
Encyclopedia
Nissim Aloni was an Israeli
playwright and translator.
which later became an inspiration for his work.
After graduating from high school, Aloni enlisted in the Notarot, a Jewish militia operating as an auxiliary police alongside the British. He wrote for the weekly BaMahane
, and fought in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
. Following his military service, he was appointed to the editorial board of the periodical B'Ayin and served as literary editor of Ashmoret. He studied history and French at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
In his later years, a stroke left him severely handicapped. He died on 13 June 1998 at a hospital in Tel Aviv.
, creating a stir amongst theatre goers. The play focuses on the figure of Jeroboam
. In 1961, Habima produced his play "The King's Clothes", which established him as one of the country's leading playwrights. In 1963, Aloni teamed up with Yossi Banai
and Avner Hezkyahu to create the "Seasons Theater", for which Aloni wrote and produced the play The American Princess. From that point onward, Aloni produced all his plays. He also began writing skits for the comedy troupe Hagashash Hachiver, and produced some of their programs, such as Cinema Gashash and Cantata for Shawarma.
Many of his plays involve royalty, such as The King's Clothes, The American Princess, The Bride and the Hunter of Butterflies (adapted for television by Ram Loevy
), Edi King. His other plays include The Gypsies of Jaffa, The Revolution and the Chicken, Lukas the Coward, The Raucous Dying, Napoleon Dead or Alive.
Aloni highly esteemed the actress Hanna Rovina
, and wrote a play, Aunt Liza, specifically for her to act the lead part.
He has also published a collection of prose, Notes of a Stray Cat
In 2005, he was voted the 191st-greatest Israeli of all time, in a poll by the Israeli news website Ynet
to determine whom the general public considered the 200 Greatest Israelis.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
playwright and translator.
Biography
Aloni was born in Mandate Palestine to a poor family in Florentin, a neighborhood in south Tel AvivTel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
which later became an inspiration for his work.
After graduating from high school, Aloni enlisted in the Notarot, a Jewish militia operating as an auxiliary police alongside the British. He wrote for the weekly BaMahane
Bamahane
Bamahane is a Hebrew-language weekly magazine published by the Israel Defense Forces...
, and fought in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
1948 Arab-Israeli War
The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...
. Following his military service, he was appointed to the editorial board of the periodical B'Ayin and served as literary editor of Ashmoret. He studied history and French at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
In his later years, a stroke left him severely handicapped. He died on 13 June 1998 at a hospital in Tel Aviv.
Literary career
In 1953, his first play, Most Cruel the King, was produced at the national Habima TheaterHabima Theater
The Habima Theatre , is the national theatre of Israel and one of the first Hebrew language theatres. It is located in Habima Square in the center of Tel Aviv.-History:...
, creating a stir amongst theatre goers. The play focuses on the figure of Jeroboam
Jeroboam
Jeroboam was the first king of the northern Israelite Kingdom of Israel after the revolt of the ten northern Israelite tribes against Rehoboam that put an end to the United Monarchy....
. In 1961, Habima produced his play "The King's Clothes", which established him as one of the country's leading playwrights. In 1963, Aloni teamed up with Yossi Banai
Yossi Banai
Yossi Banai was an Israeli performer, singer, actor, and dramatist.-Biography:Banai was born in Jerusalem, and grew up in the neighborhood of the Mahane Yehuda market...
and Avner Hezkyahu to create the "Seasons Theater", for which Aloni wrote and produced the play The American Princess. From that point onward, Aloni produced all his plays. He also began writing skits for the comedy troupe Hagashash Hachiver, and produced some of their programs, such as Cinema Gashash and Cantata for Shawarma.
Many of his plays involve royalty, such as The King's Clothes, The American Princess, The Bride and the Hunter of Butterflies (adapted for television by Ram Loevy
Ram Loevy
Ram Loevy is an award-winning Israeli television director and screenwriter since the medium first began broadcasting in the country in 1968...
), Edi King. His other plays include The Gypsies of Jaffa, The Revolution and the Chicken, Lukas the Coward, The Raucous Dying, Napoleon Dead or Alive.
Aloni highly esteemed the actress Hanna Rovina
Hanna Rovina
Hanna Rovina , written also Hannah, Hana, or Chana Rovina or Robina, Israeli actress, is recognised as the original "First Lady of Hebrew Theatre".-Biography:Born in Belarus in the Russian Empire, she originally trained as a kindergarten teacher, at a course for...
, and wrote a play, Aunt Liza, specifically for her to act the lead part.
He has also published a collection of prose, Notes of a Stray Cat
Awards and critical acclaim
- In 1983, Aloni was a co-recipient (jointly with Ozer Rabin) of 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 literatureHebrew literatureHebrew literature consists of ancient, medieval, and modern writings in the Hebrew language. It is one of the primary forms of Jewish literature, though there have been cases of literature written in Hebrew by non-Jews...
. - In 1992, he became honorary fellow of the The Sam Spiegel Film and Television School, JerusalemThe Sam Spiegel Film and Television School, JerusalemThe Sam Spiegel Film & Television School, Jerusalem was founded by the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Jerusalem Foundation in 1989, has become Israel's leading school of film and television, achieving international acclaim and standing....
. - In 1996, he 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 stage arts – dramatics.
In 2005, he was voted the 191st-greatest Israeli of all time, in a poll by the Israeli news website Ynet
Ynet
Ynet is the most popular Israeli news and general content website. It is owned by the same conglomerate that operates Yediot Ahronot, the country's secondleading daily newspaper...
to determine whom the general public considered the 200 Greatest Israelis.
Plays
- Nesikhah ha-Ameriḳaʾit (Tel Aviv, 1963) translated as "The American princess" by Richard Flantz (ISBN 965-255-011-6)
- Akhzar mi-kol ha-melekh (Tel Aviv, 1968)
- Edi King, a play in two acts (Tel Aviv, 1975)
- Ha-Kalah ṿe-tsayad ha-parparim (Tel Aviv, 1980)
- Napolyon, ḥai o met! (Tel Aviv, 1993)
- Dodah Lizah (Tel Aviv, 2000)
- Ha-Tsoʻanim shel Yafo (Tel Aviv, 2000)
- Bigde ha-melekh (Tel Aviv, 2004)
Further reading
*ʻAl melakhim, śaḥḳanim ṿe-tsoʻanim : meḥḳarim be-yetsirato ha-teʾaṭronit shel Nisim Aloni edited by Nurit Yaʻari.External links
- Nissim Aloni at the Institute for the Translation of Hebrew Literature