About Raphael Jerusalmy
From intelligence officer to award-winning novelist
Biography
Raphael Jerusalmy was born in Montmartre in 1954. After graduating from both the École Normale Supérieure and the Sorbonne, he served fifteen years in Israeli military intelligence before turning to humanitarian work and, eventually, to the trade of rare books in Tel Aviv. Writing, however, became the through-line of his life: since his explosive 2002 debut *Shalom Tsahal*, he has produced a body of fiction that blends erudition, moral urgency and narrative daring.
Life Timeline
Birth
Paris, France
Degrees in Classics
École Normale Supérieure & Sorbonne
Israeli Military Intelligence
Begins 15-year career
Antiquarian bookseller
Opens shop in Tel Aviv
First book published
*Shalom Tsahal*
Breakthrough novel
*Saving Mozart* wins Emmanuel-Roblès Prize
*Evacuation*
Short-listed for Jewish Quarterly-Wingate Prize
*In Absentia*
Latest novel released
Global keynotes
Middle-East outlook videoconference
Writing Philosophy
“I write to illuminate the blind spots of history – the places where official archives fall silent and only the imagination can testify.”
Influences & Inspiration
Jerusalmy cites François Villon, Stefan Zweig and modern reportage as touchstones, blending poetic risk with journalistic precision.