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Hebrew Literature Archives
Hebrew Literature Archives
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Ruth Almog Archive

Ruth Almog's stories and books frequently provoke debate regarding female writing in general and the writings of Israeli female authors specifically. In addition to novels, she has written ten children's books. Almog has received many important prizes for her work. She also taught literature, and for many years wrote and edited the literary supplement of the Ha'aretz daily newspaper. The archives include personal documents, letters and newspaper clippings.

About the Archive

Prof. Yigal Schwartz who knew Ruth Almog personally, proposed that she transfer her archive to the Heksherim Institute, and she agreed.

The archive includes a large collection of manuscripts, many of which have never been published. These include poems, plays and literary works that she wrote or translated, letters, and research articles on her work. It is hoped that the archive will continue to receive from the author manuscripts, paintings she created, and the remainder of documents she has in her possession, and will collect all research materials written about her.

Curriculum Vitae

Ruth Almog was born in Petah Tikva in 1936 to parents of German descent who were doctors, who began their lives in Palestine raising bees and producing honey. The family was Orthodox, and Ruth studied in religious schools until graduation. She continued her studies at the David Yellin Teachers College and upon completion of her studies in 1956 enlisted in the army and served in the Intelligence Corp. She began to work as an elementary school teacher whilst studying Theater and Hebrew Literature at Tel Aviv University, later studying Philosophy and working as a high school teacher in Tel Aviv and as a teaching assistant in the Department of Philosophy at Tel Aviv University.

Her first story was published in the daily Haaretz in 1967 after which she then began to work as an editor's assistant.

In 1970, her first collection of short stories Marguereta`s Night Grace was published followed a year later by her first novel The Exile. Over the years she has published children's and teen books, novels, short stories and newspaper articles, including articles on world literature and book reviews.

Ruth Almog has won many awards. She  has received the Ze`ev Prize twice (1985, 2000), the Brenner Prize (1989), the Yad Vashem Prize (2000) for her book My Journey with Alex, an Andersen Honor Citation (2000), the Agnon Prize (2001) for The Inner Lake, the Newman Prize (2004), the German Gerty Spies Prize for Literature (Rheinland-Pfalz, 2004), the Bialik Prize for Lifetime Achievement (2006) and the Prime Minister`s Prize twice (1995, 2007).

For many years she taught creative writing including at the Bet Ariela Library in Tel-Aviv, the Hebrew Writers Association in Jerusalem, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

In addition to writing, she also paints, but considers herself an amateur. Ruth Almog lives in Tel-Aviv, is married the poet and author Aharon Almog and has two daughters.

Books in Archive by Ruth Almog

  1. Marguerita's Nightly Charities (Hasde ha-lailah shel Margaritah), 1969

  2. Ahare tu bi-Shevat (After Tu bi-Shevat), 1979

  3. Nafi, nesikh ha-karnapim (Naphy, prince of the rhinoceri), 1979

  4. Death in the rain (Mavet ba-geshem), 1982. Translated to English on 1992

  5. Gypsies in the orchard (Tso'anim ba-pardes), 1986

  6. Women (Nashim), 1986

  7. The Silver Ball (Kadur Hakesef),  1986 (children book).
    Translated to German on 1993 Die Silberkuge;
    Translated to Dutch on 1995 de zilveren bal

  8. Dangling roots (Shorshe avir), 1987

  9. Artistic Emendation (Tikun Omanuti), 1993

  10. Gilgil (Gilgil), 1998 (children book).

  1. Gilgil wants a dog (Gilgil rotsah kelev), 1998 (children book).

  2. My journey with Alex (Ha-masa sheli im Aleks), 1999.
    Translated to German on 2002 meine reise mit alex

  3. The wonder acron (Balut ha-pele shel Kamila), 1999 (children book).

  4. a Inner lake (ha-Agam ha-penimi), 2000

  5. All this exaggerated bliss (Kol ha-osher), 2003

  6. One more hug (Od h'ibuk eh'ad), 2003

  7. a With love, Natalia (Be-ahavah, Natalyah), 2005

  8. Stranger in paradise (Zarah be-gan eden), 2008

  9. a Little coat (Meil Katon), 2008

  10. The Whistle Of The Ocarina (Shetikat ha-okarinah), 2011

Prizes and Awards

  • 1985 - Ze'ev Prize for Literature for Children and Youth

  • 1987 - Brenner Prize

  • 1994 - Prize for Literature for Children and Youth (Austria)

  • 1995 - Prime Minister's Prize for Literature

  • 2000 - Ze'ev Prize for Literature for Children and Youth, Yad Vashem Prize

  • 2000 - Andersen Honor Citation

  • 2001 - Agnon Price

  • 2004 - Gerty Spies Prize (Germany), Newman Prize

  • 2006 - Bialik Prize for Fine Literature

  • 2007 - Prime Minister's Prize for Literature

  • 2011 - Acum Prize