Yitzchak Mayer

Yitzchak Mayer was born in Antwerp,​ Belgium, in 1934. At the outbreak of World War II, his family fled, were captured in France, then escaped and lived under cover until his father was caught and deported to Auschwitz, where he died. His mother eventually found refuge in Switzerland with her two sons. Mayer immigrated to Palestine in 1946. He studied literature and education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. After working as a teacher, he became director of the Yemin Orde Youth Village. Later, he served as ambassador to Belgium and Switzerland; he was also head of Jewish education in the Diaspora and adviser to the Minister of Education on international affairs. Today he is senior adviser to the Center for Strategic Dialogue at Netanya Academic College, and writes on social and political matters for the Israeli press.

Mayer has published fiction, drama and poetry. In 2014, he was awarded the French WIZO Prize for Silent Letter.