Ephraim Kishont Israeli writer, classic of modern Israeli humor Date of Birth: 23.08.1924 Country: Israel

Biography of Ephraim Kishon

Ephraim Kishon was an Israeli writer, playwright, and journalist, known as a classic of modern Israeli humor. He was born in Budapest, Hungary, into an emancipated family, and his native language was Hungarian. Kishon studied sculpture and painting. In 1944, when the Germans arrived in Hungary, he was sent to a concentration camp but managed to escape by creating fake documents. His first written work was the novel "Goats of Absolution" (1945), which he wrote amidst the ruins of bombed Budapest.

In 1946, Kishon became a "nomenklaturshchik" and served as the deputy editor of the Hungarian satirical magazine "Ludas Matyi." In 1949, he left Hungary illegally in protest against the communist regime and settled in Israel. He began publishing in the newspaper "Omer" using simplified Hebrew. From 1952 to 1981, he wrote a daily column called "Had Gadya" in the newspaper "Maariv." In 1953, his play "Glory Runs Ahead of Him" was staged at the Habima State Theater.

Kishon's books, including collections of short humorous stories, travel essays, articles, and books such as "Sweet Revenge of Picasso" and "Food - My Favorite Dish," were published annually during his lifetime. He also translated his own books into German. In German-speaking countries, he is the most popular foreign writer. In 1981, Kishon moved to Appenzell, Switzerland. He was awarded the State of Israel Prize in 2002, after decades of being ignored by the establishment. In the same year, his beloved wife Sarah, who was the inspiration for many of his stories, passed away.

Kishon died in his home in Switzerland and was buried in Tel Aviv. His books in Hebrew are reissued annually, with their total circulation exceeding that of all other Israeli writers combined, second only to the Bible. He had a son, Raphael (Rafi), from his first marriage to Hava Klammer. After divorcing his first wife in 1959, Kishon married Sara Lipovitch, a native of Palestine, with whom he had a son, Amir, and a daughter, Renana. Sarah Kishon owned a well-known art gallery in Tel Aviv, which she acquired using her husband's royalties. After Sarah's death, Renana took over the gallery. Rafi, Amir, Renana, and Sarah are described by their real names in Kishon's "Family Book." After the death of his second wife in 2002, Kishon married Austrian writer Lise.

Kishon's books have been translated into all European languages, as well as Chinese. His play "Hey, Juliet!" has been performed in 60 countries and is one of the most popular plays in the world repertoire. In German, the play is titled "Es War die Lerche" ("It Was the Lark"). It is currently being staged in over 100 theaters in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.