Efraim Kishon was born as Ferenc Hoffman in Budapest, Hungary in 1924. He grew up in an assimilated home and knew neither Hebrew nor Yiddish. From a young age he showed a talent for writing but was barred from attending college due to racial laws implemented with the outbreak of World War II; instead, he learned welding. When the Nazis invaded, he was imprisoned in a number of camps but eventually managed to escape Sobibor. After the war ended, he returned to Hungary where he was reunited with his family.
In 1949, Kishon (then still Hoffman) immigrated to Israel, where his name was Hebraized by an immigration clerk. He initially lived in a ma’abara (transit camp) near Haifa and then moved to a kibbutz. During this time, he studied Hebrew and began writing humorous articles for the Hungarian newspaper in Israel. Kishon became so proficient in Hebrew that by 1951 he was already writing a column in Hebrew, and in 1952 he began writing a satirical column for the Ma’ariv newspaper. He became a member of the Hungarian clique – including Dosh, Yosef Lapid, Yisrael Kastner, Ze’ev, and others – that influenced Israeli politics, culture, literature, and journalism in the early years of the state.
Ephraim Kishon wrote his regular satirical column in Ma’ariv for 30 years. He also wrote many screenplays, musicals, and books. His work described, usually in a humorous way, the everyday life of people in Israel and the experiences of new immigrants. His style and characters made Kishon one of Israel’s most important satirists. His fame was not only limited to Israel, and his work was translated into 37 languages. He became especially famous in German-speaking countries, and he made Switzerland his second home.
In the 1960s and 1970s Kishon began writing and directing screenplays and musicals, most of which were humorous. One of his most famous films was Sallah Shabati, which depicted the life of a new immigrant from North Africa. This was the first movie directed by an Israeli to be nominated for an Oscar, and although this film did not receive an Oscar, Kishon was awarded two Golden Globes during his lifetime. Kishon often felt that he did not receive due respect in Israel, presumably because of his right-wing politics at a time when Israel was dominated by left-wing governments. Kishon’s achievements were nonetheless recognised, and he received a number of literary prizes including the prestigious Israel Prize.
