Yossi Avni-Levy
Encyclopedia
Yossi Avni-Levy is an Israeli writer
and diplomat
, and spokesperson of the MoFA. He has served at various posts in Israeli embassies in Berlin
, Bonn
, Belgrade
, and Warsaw
.
Avni-Levy is the author of the books Garden of the dead trees, Four sons, Auntie Farhuma wasn't a whore after all, A man without shadow and "Ode of the Sins". He has been awarded with the Prime Minister Prize for Literature.
and father from Afghanistan. Graduated the Hebrew University in Jerusalem in History of the Middle East and Arabic (1983 with honors) and the Faculy of Law LLB (1991).
Avni-Levy published short stories under the pen name Yossi Avni in the literary supplements of Maariv and Haaretz. He won first prize in Hebrew University’s annual contest (1988), first prize in a contest sponsored by “At (You)” (1991), and third prize in the Haaretz short story contest for his story “Pains” (1991). His travelogue “Journey” was included in the first issue of the journal “Rechov (Street).”
Several of his stories were included in anthologies in German
, Italian
, and English. Avni has also published book reviews (Haaretz, Yedioth Aharonoth) and literary reports (“Cappuccino in Three Crosses Square,” Haaretz literary and cultural supplement, January 2007).
Avni-Levy’s writing is personal and poetic and is noteworthy for its intimacy. The extended periods Avni has spent outside Israel on his diplomatic postings are also reflected in his works.
Avni’s story “Journey” was also included in the collection 50 Years, 50 Stories a selection of short stories (edited by Zisi Satuy, Yidioth Aharonoth, 1998). His story “Nice Words of Farewell” was included in the collection Murder Close to Home, stories about murders of Israelis edited by Dorit Zilberman and Aviva Gefen (Keter, 2001).
He was invited by the Polish Literature Association to give lectures in Poland
(Warsaw
, Krakow
, Katowice
) in September 2007 and held lectures about his writing in the American Universities of Harvard, Yale, Cornell and Brandeiz (April 2008).
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
, and spokesperson of the MoFA. He has served at various posts in Israeli embassies in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
, Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, and Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
.
Avni-Levy is the author of the books Garden of the dead trees, Four sons, Auntie Farhuma wasn't a whore after all, A man without shadow and "Ode of the Sins". He has been awarded with the Prime Minister Prize for Literature.
Biography
Yossi Avni-Levy was born to Afghan-Persian family, his Mother from IranIran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
and father from Afghanistan. Graduated the Hebrew University in Jerusalem in History of the Middle East and Arabic (1983 with honors) and the Faculy of Law LLB (1991).
Avni-Levy published short stories under the pen name Yossi Avni in the literary supplements of Maariv and Haaretz. He won first prize in Hebrew University’s annual contest (1988), first prize in a contest sponsored by “At (You)” (1991), and third prize in the Haaretz short story contest for his story “Pains” (1991). His travelogue “Journey” was included in the first issue of the journal “Rechov (Street).”
Several of his stories were included in anthologies in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, and English. Avni has also published book reviews (Haaretz, Yedioth Aharonoth) and literary reports (“Cappuccino in Three Crosses Square,” Haaretz literary and cultural supplement, January 2007).
Avni-Levy’s writing is personal and poetic and is noteworthy for its intimacy. The extended periods Avni has spent outside Israel on his diplomatic postings are also reflected in his works.
Avni’s story “Journey” was also included in the collection 50 Years, 50 Stories a selection of short stories (edited by Zisi Satuy, Yidioth Aharonoth, 1998). His story “Nice Words of Farewell” was included in the collection Murder Close to Home, stories about murders of Israelis edited by Dorit Zilberman and Aviva Gefen (Keter, 2001).
He was invited by the Polish Literature Association to give lectures in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
(Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, Krakow
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
, Katowice
Katowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
) in September 2007 and held lectures about his writing in the American Universities of Harvard, Yale, Cornell and Brandeiz (April 2008).
Writings
- 1995: The Garden of Dead Trees (heb.Gan Ha-Etzim Ha-Metim), published in German, by Suhrkamp VerlagSuhrkamp VerlagSuhrkamp Verlag is a German publishing house, established in 1950 and generally acknowledged as one of the leading European publishers of fine literature.In January 2010 the headquarters of the company moved from Frankfurt to Berlin.-Early history:...
/FrankfurtFrankfurtFrankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
and by Männerschwarm VerlagMännerschwarm VerlagMännerschwarm Verlag is a German company and a book publishing house which specialises in LGBT fiction and non-fiction.- History :Founded in Hamburg, Germany, in 1992 by Joachim Bartholomae and Detlef Grumbach. In Hamburg the company began to sell LGBT-themed books, LGBT art and comics and...
/HamburgHamburg-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
. - 1998: Four Sons (heb.Arba`a Banim)
- 2003: Auntie Farhuma wasn't a whore, after all (heb.Doda Farhuma Lo Haita Zona), published in Polish Sic! publishing house.
- 2007: A man without shadow (heb.Ish Lelo Tzel)
- 2010: Ode of the Sins (heb.Shira HaHataim)