Zeruya Shalev photo

Zeruya Shalev

Zeruya Shalev is a bestselling Israeli author.

She has an MA in Bible studies and works as a literary editor at Keshet publishing house. On January 29, 2004, when she was returning to her home in Rehavia, Jerusalem, after taking her child to kindergarten, a Palestinian suicide bomber blew up a city bus as she was passing by. It took her four months to recover from her injuries. Shalev is married to Ayal Megged, son of Aharon Megged.

Shalev has published four novels, a book of poetry and a children's book. Her novels Love Life and Husband and Wife have received critical acclaim both in Israel and abroad. They have been translated into 21 languages and were bestsellers in several countries. Shalev has been awarded the Book Publishers' Association's Gold and Platinum Prizes, the German Corine Book Award (2001), the French Amphi Award, and the ACUM prize three times (1997, 2003, 2005). Husband and Wife was also nominated for the French Femina prize (2002), and is included in the French Fnac list of the 200 Best Books of the Decade.


“The word amen, which found its way from Judaism into Christianity and Islam, crossing cultures and continents, borders and chasms, is in fact an acronym of the Hebrew phrase ‘el melech ne’eman.’ Spoken in response to a blessing, it means: the words of the blessing are true and may they come to pass…Since that word is so universal, it symbolizes for me, much as literature does, everything that we, all of humanity, have in common despite the differences in our way of thinking, in our faith, and our inner and outer landscapes, the living, quivering hope of every human being for forgiveness, salvation, mercy. And so I think that even the very fact of its existence is comforting, although all our wishes may not come true.”
Zeruya Shalev
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“ma adaptez peregrinarilor lui Ghily, peregrinarilor Maiei si peregrinarilor lui Yotam, acestea sunt triburile de nomazi ale epocii moderne, copii de divortati care isi pastoresc turmele de jucarii in orele amiezii dintr-o casa in alta, de la mama la tata si invers”
Zeruya Shalev
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