Modern Hebrew literature: born when Hebrew was revived as spoken language (~1900). Nobel laureate Agnon, modern giants like Amos Oz, A.B. Yehoshua, David Grossman. Plus poets, children's lit, and biblical-foundation classics.
Nobel & National Authors
Iconic Works
Poets
Children\'s Lit Classics
Modern / Living Authors
Lit Vocabulary
Phrases
Bialik: "El Ha-Tzipor" (To the Bird, excerpt)
Hayyim Nahman Bialik's first published poem (1891). Asks a returning bird about the Land of Israel. The opening of modern Hebrew poetry.
Amichai: "My Father" (אבי, excerpt)
Yehuda Amichai (1924-2000), the most translated modern Hebrew poet. Plain-spoken, intimate, secular-spiritual. This poem is taught in every Israeli high school.
Rachel: "Maybe" (אולי, excerpt)
Rachel Bluwstein (1890-1931), the poetess of Kinneret. Wrote in the lake landscape that became myth. Died young from tuberculosis. This is her most famous poem.
Lea Goldberg: "Pine" (אורן, excerpt)
Lea Goldberg (1911-1970). The pain of the immigrant, having two homelands and belonging to neither. Universally relatable for olim.
Naomi Shemer: "Yerushalayim Shel Zahav" (Jerusalem of Gold)
Written by Naomi Shemer in 1967, weeks before the Six-Day War. After the reunification of Jerusalem, became Israel's unofficial second anthem. Refrain below.