Literatureחיים חפר

Haim Hefer

Haim Hefer was an Israeli songwriter, poet and journalist who founded the Palmach troupe Chizbatron and won the Israel Prize for Hebrew song in 1983.

1925 to 2012Founding the Chizbatron troupeSongs such as HaFinjanA Bag of FibsWeekly rhymed newspaper column

Born: 29 October 1925, Sosnowiec
Died: 18 September 2012, Tel Aviv
Occupation: journalist, poet, playwright, screenwriter
Founded: Chizbatron

Haim Hefer was born in 1925 in Sosnowiec

Haim Hefer was born Haim Feiner in Sosnowiec, Poland, in 1925. His father Issachar sold chocolate, and his mother was Rivka Herzberg. In 1936 the family moved to the Land of Israel and settled in Raanana.

He joined the Palmach in 1943 and helped smuggle immigrants in through Syria and Lebanon. During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War he cofounded the Chizbatron, the Palmach entertainment troupe, and wrote most of its songs.

In 1956 he and Dahn Ben-Amotz edited A Bag of Fibs, a collection of Palmach tall tales, and in 1961 they opened the Hamam club in Jaffa. He wrote songs for singers, military bands and musicals such as Kazablan. From 1964 to 2003 he wrote a weekly rhymed column in Yediot Aharonot.

From 1975 he served as cultural attaché at the Israeli consulate in Los Angeles. In 2002 his remarks about Moroccan Jews drew public criticism, and he later apologized publicly. He died in Tel Aviv in 2012.

Milestones in Haim Hefer's life

1925
Born in Sosnowiec, Poland.
1936
Moved with his family to the Land of Israel.
1943
Joined the Palmach.
1956
Edited A Bag of Fibs with Dahn Ben-Amotz.
1961
Opened the Hamam club in Jaffa with Ben-Amotz.
1969
Received the Sokolov Award for journalism.
1975
Became cultural attaché in Los Angeles.
1983
Received the Israel Prize for Hebrew song.
2012
Died in Tel Aviv.

Haim Hefer served in the military

He joined the Palmach in 1943 and took part in smuggling immigrants through Syria and Lebanon. In the 1948 Arab-Israeli War he cofounded the Palmach troupe Chizbatron and was its chief songwriter.