Residence Israel Role Author Name Netiva Ben-Yehuda | Ethnicity Jewish Nationality Israeli Died February 28, 2011 | |
 | ||
Born 26 July 1928 ( 1928-07-26 ) Tel Aviv Occupation Author, Editor, and former soldier of the Palmach Education Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design Similar Nitza Ben Dov, Manuela Dviri, Hadassa Ben Itto | ||
Netiva Ben Yehuda (Hebrew: נתיבה בן-יהודה; July 1928, Tel Aviv – 28 February 2011) was an Israeli author, editor and media personality. She was a commander in the pre-state Jewish underground, Palmach.
Contents
- Early life
- Wartime experience
- Later life
- Literary and media career
- Legacy
- Quotes
- Published works
- References
Early life
Netiva ("Tiva") Ben-Yehuda was born in Tel Aviv, in Mandate Palestine, on 26 July 1928. Her father was Baruch Ben-Yehuda, director general of the first Israeli ministry of education.
Wartime experience
Ben-Yehuda joined the Palmach at the age of 18 and was trained in demolition, bomb disposal, topography, and scouting. Her duties included transferring ammunition, escorting convoys, and training recruits.
The Palmach generally opposed women fighting at the front, however Ben-Yehuda was a commander and participated in several battles by performing sabotage operations. On February 11, 1948, Ben-Yehuda and her comrades planted a mine for a busload of Arabs. This event and the ensuing death impacted Ben-Yehuda psychologically.
Later life
Ben-Yehuda considered competing in discus throwing at the Olympics, but a bullet injury to her arm kept her from pursuing an athletic career. She studied at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem and Jewish philosophy at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Literary and media career
Ben Yehuda was a freelance editor, and in 1972 published The World Dictionary of Hebrew Slang. Between 1981 and 1991 she published her Palmah trilogy, a series of three novels based on her own experience in the War of Independence (see "Published works"). She was a resident of Palmach Street in the capital, and the local cafe she patronized on that street became known as "Cafe Netiva."
Ben Yehuda wrote over 30 books, including a Hebrew slang dictionary, coauthored with Dahn Ben-Amotz. Ben-Yehuda was the host of a late-night Israel Radio show for 14 years. She played old-time Israeli songs and talked with callers.
Legacy
In 2004, Ben Yehuda received the Yakir Yerushalayim (Worthy Citizen of Jerusalem) award from the city of Jerusalem.
Ben Yehuda died on 28 February 2011 at the age of 82.
Quotes
On the subject of the Palmach: "I don't think that there has ever been any other underground movement in the world in which 'male chauvinism' triumphed so powerfully and so proudly".