Eliezer Smoli (Smoler) (1901-1985) was born in Volhynia, the Ukraine. The son of a melamed, or learned teacher, he was the youngest of 11 children, and received a traditional education. Smoli began writing at the age of ten, and at the age of 16 left home to study at a yeshiva in Odessa.
Smoli emigrated to Eretz Israel in 1920 with a group of pioneers and graduated from a teachers' seminary in Jerusalem. After finishing his studies, he went north to teach the children of guards and pioneers. He began writing poetry, but Asher Barash encouraged him to write fiction. He continued teaching for 40 years. In 1936 Smoli studied natural sciences at Berlin University. After the creation of the State, Smoli was appointed supervisor of schools for the Sharon region. His stories were published in newspapers during the 1920s. He received the Israel Prize for Children's Literature in 1957.
Books Published in Hebrew
CHILDREN
Man and Animal, Omanut, 1933 [Adam U-Behemah]
Frontiersmen of Israel, Stybel, 1933 [Anshei Be-Reshit]
Sons of the First Rain, Haskalah La'am, 1937 [Benei Ha-Yoreh]
Light in Galilee, Stybel, 1939 [Or Ba-Galil]
Alexander Zaid, Lives of the Founders, Am Oved, 1942 [Alexander Zaid, Hayei Rishonim]
Between the Hermon and Gilboa, Yavne, 1946 [Bein Hermon Ve-Gilboa]
Between Sunset and Sunrise, Yavne, 1946 [Bein Shki'ah Li-Zrihah]
You Are Beautiful My Country, Yavne 1948 [Yafah At Artzi]
A Night in the Trenches, Yavne, 1950 [Layla Ba-Mishlat]
The Animal World, Yavne, 1952 [Olam Ha-Hayot]
On My Way to School, Urim, 1953 [Ba-Derech Le-Beyt Ha-Hinuch]
Under a Tree's Shadow, Yavne, 1957 [Be-Tzel Ilan]
On the Tip of the Little Finger, Massada, 1961 [Bi-Ktze Ha-Zeret]
Longing for Redemption, Amihai, 1962 [Kisufei Geulah]
To the Fountain, Amihai, 1962 [El Ha-Mabua]
Birds in Israel, Massada, 1968 [Tziporim Be-Israel]
A Thread of Kindness, Massada, 1970 [Al Hut Shel Hesed]
Do Bring a Flood of Waters Upon the Earth, Massada, 1972 [Va-Yehi Mabul Al Ha-Aretz]
The Faithful Shepherd, Am Oved, 1976 [Ha-Roeh Ha-Ne'eman]
Watermelons, Ministry of Education, 1979 [Avatihim]
Good Neighbors, Sifriat Poalim, 1979 [Bi-Shchenut Tovah]
Stories and Birds, Am Oved, 1980 [Sipurim Ve-Tziporim]
Gold in Jerusalem, Zmora-Bitan-Modan, 1980 [Zahav B'Yerushalayim]
Books in Translation
Frontiersmen of Israel
Dutch: Amsterdam, Salm, 1946
Italian: Rome, Fond. per la Gioventu Ebraica, 1958
English: Tel Aviv, Massada, 1964
German: Stuttgart, Eulen, 1965; Solothurn, Schweizer Jugend, 1965
Russian: Jerusalem, Biblioteka Aliya, 1975
Between the Hermon and Gilboa
English: Tel Aviv, Zionist Org. Youth Department, 1946
French: Jerusalem, Dept. Jeunesse-Org. Sioniste Mondiale, 1947; 1965
Young Samson of Galilee
English: New York, Jewish Children`s Book Club, 1944
Lives of the Founders
French: Jerusalem, Dept. Jeunesse-Org. Sioniste Mondiale, 1965
A Legend of the Galilee
English: New York, Hebrew Educators` Committee, 1946
Selected Stories
German: Berlin, Erich Reiss, 1935
Spanish: Jerusalem, Organizacion Sionista Mundial, 1948
Under a Tree's Shadow
Italian: Rome, Fond. per la Gioventu Ebraica, 1958
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