{{Short description|Israeli author and playwright (1920–2016)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}} {{Infobox writer | name = Aharon Megged | native_name = אהרון מגד | native_name_lang = he | birth_name = Aharon Greenberg | birth_date = {{birth date|1920|8|10|df=yes}} | birth_place = Włocławek, Second Polish Republic | death_date = {{death date and age|2016|3|23|1920|8|10|df=yes}} | death_place = Tel Aviv, Israel | occupation = {{flatlist| * Author * Playwright * Diplomat }} | notable_works = ''The Evyatar Notebooks: a novel'', ''Of Trees and Stones'' | awards = {{flatlist| * Israel Prize (2003) * Bialik Prize (1974) * Brenner Prize * S.Y. Agnon Prize * Prime Minister's Prize }} | spouse = Eda Zoritte | children = 2 | image = Tel Aviv-Yafo (997008136437305171).jpg | alt = Megged, 1952 | caption = Megged in 1952 }}
thumb|alt=Megged, 1958|Megged, 1958 thumb|alt=Megged's grave, Kinneret cemetery|Megged's grave, Kinneret cemetery '''Aharon Megged''' ({{Langx|he|אהרון מגד}}{{lrm}}; 10 August 1920 – 23 March 2016) (Hebrew year 5680)<ref>{{cite book|title=International Who's Who of Authors and Writers 2004|year=2003|publisher=Europa Publications|isbn=1857431790|page=380}}</ref> was an Israeli author and playwright, a winner of multiple literary awards.
==Biography== Aharon Greenberg (later Megged) was born in Włocławek, Poland. In 1926, he immigrated with his parents to Mandate Palestine. He grew up in Ra'anana, attending Herzliya high school in Tel Aviv. After graduation, he joined a Zionist pioneering youth movement HaMahanot HaOlim, training at Kibbutz Giv'at Brenner. He was a member of Kibbutz Sdot Yam for twelve years. He left the kibbutz in 1951.<ref name="A friend of a friend">[https://www.haaretz.com/2010-09-08/ty-article/friend-of-a-friend/0000017f-efaf-dc28-a17f-ffbf81f60000 A friend of a friend], Jerusalem Post</ref>
Megged was married to author Eda Zoritte, with whom he had two children.
==Literary career== {{refimprove section|date=August 2024}} Megged was one of the founders of the ''Masa'' literary weekly, and its editor for fifteen years. He worked as a literary editor for the Hebrew newspapers ''La-merhav'' and ''Davar''. In 1977/78 he was author-in-residence at the Center for Hebrew Studies affiliated with the University of Oxford. He made several lecture tours of the United States, and was also author-in-residence at the University of Iowa. He published 35 books.
Megged's plays were performed at Habima, Ha-Ohel and other theaters. His books have been translated into numerous languages and published in the United Kingdom, the United States, Argentina, France, and other countries.
His books ''Hedva and I'' (1954), ''Fortunes of a Fool'' (1960), ''The Living and the Dead'' (1965), and ''The Short Life'' (1972) show contrast between idealistic kibbutzniks and materialistic city dwellers.<ref>[https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Hebrew-literature/274814 Hebrew literature], ''kids.britannica''</ref>
==Diplomatic career== From 1968 to 1971, Megged was cultural attaché to the Israeli embassy in London.<ref name="A friend of a friend" />
==Awards and recognition== *1954: {{ill|Ussishkin Prize|he|פרס אוסישקין}} for the book {{ill|Hedva and I|he|חדוה ואני}}. The book was the base of the TV series {{ill|Hedva and Shlomik|he|חדווה ושלומיק}} *1974: Megged won the Bialik Prize for his books ''The Evyatar Notebooks: a novel'' and ''Of Trees and Stones''. *2003: he was awarded the Israel Prize, for literature.<ref>{{Cite web| title = Israel Prize Official Site (in Hebrew) – Recipient's C.V. | url = http://cms.education.gov.il/EducationCMS/Units/PrasIsrael/Tashsag/AharonMeged/KorotHaimAharonMeged.htm}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| title = Israel Prize Official Site (in Hebrew) – Judges' Rationale for Grant to Recipient | url = http://cms.education.gov.il/EducationCMS/Units/PrasIsrael/Tashsag/AharonMeged/NimokyHafotim.htm}}</ref> *2004: Koret Jewish Book Award for the translated ''Foiglman'' in fiction category, tied with Barbara Honigmann’s “A Love Made Out of Nothing” and “Zohara’s Journey” (David R. Godine)<ref>[https://jweekly.com/2004/03/05/berkeley-kabbalah-scholar-wins-koret-book-award/ Berkeley Kabbalah scholar wins Koret Book Award], March 5, 2004</ref> Megged also won the Brenner Prize, the S.Y. Agnon Prize, and the Prime Minister's Prize.<ref name=jvl>[https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/aharon-megged Aharon Megged], Jewish Virtual Library, reprinted from a publication by the Institute for the Translation of Hebrew Literature</ref>
==Translated books== Only a small part of his books were translated:<ref name=jvl/> *Fortunes of a Fool *The Living on the Dead *Asahel *The Short Life *Hedva and I (Spanish, English, Russian, French) *The Flying Camel and the Golden Hump *Of Trees and Stones *Foiglman *Heinz, His Son, and the Evil Spirit *The Children's Journey to the Promised Land *Till Evening Falls *Hanna Senesz (play) *The First Sin (play) == References == {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Megged, Aharon}} Category:1920 births Category:2016 deaths Category:People from Włocławek Category:People from Warsaw Voivodeship (1919–1939) Category:Israel Prize in literature recipients Category:Brenner Prize recipients Category:Polish emigrants to Mandatory Palestine Category:Israeli people of Polish-Jewish descent Category:Herzliya Hebrew Gymnasium alumni Category:Israeli male dramatists and playwrights Category:Israeli literary critics Category:International Writing Program alumni Category:Israeli expatriates in the United Kingdom Category:Recipients of Prime Minister's Prize for Hebrew Literary Works Category:Cultural attachés Category:Burials at Kinneret Cemetery Category:Bialik Prize recipients