Yehoshua Kenaz
Encyclopedia
Yehoshua Kenaz is an Israel
i novelist.
, in the British Mandate of Palestine, in 1937. During the Second World War, his father worked for the British Army
, and for a while the family moved to Haifa
. He learned to play the violin. His brother Hilik was born when he was thirteen. He was drafted to the Israel Defense Forces
and was sent to a basic training camp for physically unfit soldiers. He then served in the Israeli Intelligence Corps
. He changed his last name to Kenaz, after Othniel Ben Kenaz, a bibilical name with a similar sound.
He studied Philosophy
and Romance languages
at the Hebrew University, and French literature
at the Sorbonne
. He wrote his first story in Paris
and sent it to Aharon Amir
's Keshet journal under the name of Avi Otniel (literally "father of Othniel"). He became famous in Israel in 1986 when his novel Infiltration became a best seller.
He has translated many French classics
into Hebrew
, and has worked on the editorial staff of the Ha'aretz newspaper. He was awarded the Alterman Prize in 1991, the Newman Prize in 1992, the Agnon Prize (1993), the Acum Prize (1994) and the Bialik Prize
(1995). In 2007, Infiltration was named one of the ten most important books in Israeli history. Four of his novels have been adapted to film: Ahare Hahagim, directed by Amnon Rubinstein, in 1994; Alila (from the novel Returning Lost Lives, directed by Amos Gitai
, in 2003; On the Way to the Cats, directed by Jorge Gurvich in 2009; and most recently, Infiltration, directed by Dover Koshashvili, released to critical acclaim at the Jerusalem Film Festival 2010.
Kenaz has said he is not a Zionist because he does not believe a Jewish state
would solve the problem of antisemitism. He supports a two-state solution
to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
because he wants the Hebrew language and culture to be hegemonic and more cultivated in Israel.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i novelist.
Biography
Glass was born in Petah TikvaPetah Tikva
Petah Tikva known as Em HaMoshavot , is a city in the Center District of Israel, east of Tel Aviv.According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, at the end of 2009, the city's population stood at 209,600. The population density is approximately...
, in the British Mandate of Palestine, in 1937. During the Second World War, his father worked for the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, and for a while the family moved to Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
. He learned to play the violin. His brother Hilik was born when he was thirteen. He was drafted to the Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
and was sent to a basic training camp for physically unfit soldiers. He then served in the Israeli Intelligence Corps
Israeli Intelligence Corps
The Israeli Intelligence Corps is an Israel Defense Forces corps which falls under the jurisdiction of IDF Directorate of Military Intelligence and is responsible for collecting, disseminating, and publishing intelligence information for the General Staff and the political branch...
. He changed his last name to Kenaz, after Othniel Ben Kenaz, a bibilical name with a similar sound.
He studied Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and Romance languages
Romance languages
The Romance languages are a branch of the Indo-European language family, more precisely of the Italic languages subfamily, comprising all the languages that descend from Vulgar Latin, the language of ancient Rome...
at the Hebrew University, and French literature
French literature
French literature is, generally speaking, literature written in the French language, particularly by citizens of France; it may also refer to literature written by people living in France who speak traditional languages of France other than French. Literature written in French language, by citizens...
at the Sorbonne
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
. He wrote his first story in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and sent it to Aharon Amir
Aharon Amir
Aharon Amir was an Israeli Hebrew poet, a literary translator and a writer.- Biography :Amir was born in Kaunas, Lithuania. He moved to Palestine with his family in 1933 and grew up in Tel Aviv. His father,...
's Keshet journal under the name of Avi Otniel (literally "father of Othniel"). He became famous in Israel in 1986 when his novel Infiltration became a best seller.
He has translated many French classics
French literature
French literature is, generally speaking, literature written in the French language, particularly by citizens of France; it may also refer to literature written by people living in France who speak traditional languages of France other than French. Literature written in French language, by citizens...
into Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
, and has worked on the editorial staff of the Ha'aretz newspaper. He was awarded the Alterman Prize in 1991, the Newman Prize in 1992, the Agnon Prize (1993), the Acum Prize (1994) and the Bialik Prize
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 Hayyim Nahman Bialik. There are two separate prizes, one specifically for "Literature", which is in the field of fiction,...
(1995). In 2007, Infiltration was named one of the ten most important books in Israeli history. Four of his novels have been adapted to film: Ahare Hahagim, directed by Amnon Rubinstein, in 1994; Alila (from the novel Returning Lost Lives, directed by Amos Gitai
Amos Gitai
Amos Gitai , born 11 October 1950 in Haifa, Israel, is an Israeli filmmaker and director. He is mainly known for making documentaries and experimental / minimalist feature films...
, in 2003; On the Way to the Cats, directed by Jorge Gurvich in 2009; and most recently, Infiltration, directed by Dover Koshashvili, released to critical acclaim at the Jerusalem Film Festival 2010.
Kenaz has said he is not a Zionist because he does not believe a Jewish state
Jewish state
A homeland for the Jewish people was an idea that rose to the fore in the 19th century in the wake of growing anti-Semitism and Jewish assimilation. Jewish emancipation in Europe paved the way for two ideological solutions to the Jewish Question: cultural assimilation, as envisaged by Moses...
would solve the problem of antisemitism. He supports a two-state solution
Two-state solution
The two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the consensus solution that is currently under discussion by the key parties to the conflict, most recently at the Annapolis Conference in November 2007...
to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Israeli-Palestinian conflict
The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is the ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. The conflict is wide-ranging, and the term is also used in reference to the earlier phases of the same conflict, between Jewish and Zionist yishuv and the Arab population living in Palestine under Ottoman or...
because he wants the Hebrew language and culture to be hegemonic and more cultivated in Israel.
Literature
After the Holidays (1964) is about the disintegration of a family in a small farming community in Palestine during the British Mandate. The Great Woman of the Dreams (1973) depicts the lives of the tenants of a rundown apartment house in Tel Aviv. Musical Moments (1980) is a collection of four stories dealing with themes of the rites of manhood and the disruption of innocence. Infiltration (1986) is the story of a platoon of young recruits with minor physical disabilities during their basic training at an Israeli army camp in the 1950s. The Way to the Cats (1991) tells the story of pensioners in an old-age home, who engage in a pathetic power struggle. Returning Lost Loves (1997) runs several plots in parallel form, sharing common characters. Landscape With Three Trees (2000) is two stories about the changes undergone by the Israeli society from the pre-state days to the present-day era.In Hebrew
- After the Holidays (novel), Am Oved, 1964; 1987 [Aharei Ha-Hagim]
- The Great Woman of the Dreams (novel), Dvir, 1973 [Ha-Isha Ha-Gedolah Me-Ha-Halomot]
- Musical Moment (stories), Hakibbutz Hameuchad/Siman Kriah, *1980;1995 [Moment Musicali]
- Infiltration (novel), previously entitled Heart Murmur, Am Oved, 1986 [Hitganvut Yehidim]
- On the Way to the Cats (novel), Am Oved, 1991 [Ba-Derech La-Hatulim]
- Returning Lost Loves (novel), Am Oved, 1997 [Mahzir Ahavot Kodmot]
- Landscape with Three Trees (2 novellas), Am Oved, 2000 (Nof Im Shlosha Etzim)
- Between Night and Dawn (novella), Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 2006 [Bein Laila ve-Bein Shashar]
External Links
- Benoît Pivert, "Tel-Aviv blues. Retour des amours perdues de Yehoshua Kenaz", Lettres vagabondes,7 février 2011 [article in French] http://benoit-pivert.lechasseurabstrait.com