Yoram Kaniuk

Yoram Kaniuk was born in 1930 in Tel Aviv

Yoram Kaniuk was born in Tel Aviv in 1930. His father, Moshe Kaniuk, was born in Ternopil and was the first administrative director of the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. His mother, born in Odessa, was a teacher.

He attended Tichon Hadash high school and left it in 1947 to join the Palmach. He fought in the War of Independence and was wounded. He later studied painting at Bezalel and then in Paris.

He spent about 10 years in the United States, working in art and odd jobs. In 1958 he met Miranda, a Christian woman, and returned with her to Israel. They had 2 daughters, Aya and Naomi.

His first Hebrew book, a story collection, appeared in 1963. His novels include Himmo King of Jerusalem, Adam Resurrected and his book 1948, which won the Sapir Prize in 2011. He also wrote for newspapers and backed a peaceful end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

In 2011 a Tel Aviv court approved his request to change his registered religion to no religion. He died of cancer in 2013 and donated his body to science.