Benny Ziffer
Benny Ziffer (Hebrew: בני ציפר; born 1953) is an Israeli author and journalist.
Life and career
Ziffer was born in Tel Aviv. His parents, Heinz and Nira (née Farhi), immigrated to Israel from Turkey in 1949. In 1895, his grandfather, Albert (Avraham) Ziffer, founded the world's first Jewish sports team in Istanbul.[1] Ziffer studied French literature and political science. He is married to Irit, and they have three children. Ziffer holds two nationalities: Israeli and Turkish.
In 1988, Ziffer was appointed literary editor of Haaretz daily newspaper. Ziffer is the author of three novels. He has also translated French novels and poetry into Hebrew.[2] Ziffer writes a political-cultural column in Haaretz that combines television reviews with reflections on contemporary Israeli life. Some of his columns are considered controversial; in 2015, Ziffer wrote that "not recognizing the Armenian genocide is a triumph for common sense",[3] adding "There are still a few responsible adults around who haven't surrendered to the self-righteous kitsch of national victimization".
Awards
In 2010, Ziffer was awarded the Outstanding Contribution to New Media prize by the International Council for Press and Broadcasting at the International Media Awards in London
Published works
- A Bird Nests at Home (Tsipor Mekanenet Ba-bait) (1978) - poetry
- Turkish March (Hebrew for 'Alla Turca')(1995)
- Ziffer and his Kind (1999)
- The Literary Editor's Progress (2005)
