Israeli Literature

Nathan Alterman (1910–1970), one of Israel’s foremost poets, published more than a thousand weekly poems in Ha’aretz and later Davar between 1934 and 1967. These poems engage with the pressing events of their time—local and global politics, daily life in pre-state and early statehood Israel, World War II and the Holocaust, the struggle for independence, and the first decades of nation-building. Despite their significance, only a small number have ever been translated. We will study these together! In an era marked by polarization and corrosive public discourse, Alterman’s work offers a rare model of intellectual rigor, moral clarity, and an embrace of complexity. His poems combine commemoration with critique, echoing the voice of the ancient prophets—celebrating the nation’s achievements while illuminating its flaws. They provide a vivid, contemporaneous window into Israel’s unfolding history. DATES: Thursdays: January 22, 29; February 5, 12, 19, 26; March 5, 12, 19, 26 TIME: 8:30-9:30 AM UK / 10:30-11:30 AM Israel