Ein anderer Ort

Amos Oz was born on May 4, 1939, as Amos Klausner in Jerusalem, where he grew up. His parents fled from Odessa to Wilna (then Poland) in 1917 and later emigrated to Palestine. In 1954, he joined the Kibbutz Chulda and adopted the name Oz, which means strength or power in Hebrew. From 1960 to 1963, he studied literature and philosophy at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and returned to the kibbutz after earning his bachelor's degree, where he taught literature and philosophy at the Hulda High School until 1986. Since the Six-Day War, he has been active in the Israeli peace movement and has advocated for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He is a co-founder and prominent representative of the peace movement Shalom Achshav, which has existed since 1977. Since 1987, he has been teaching Hebrew literature at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Be'er Sheva. The works of Amos Oz have been translated into 37 languages, and he has received numerous awards and honors.

Timeline:
May 4, 1939: Born in Jerusalem as Amos Klausner, raised in an educated right-Zionist scholarly family that fled from Odessa to Wilna (then Poland) in 1917 and emigrated to Palestine in 1933.

1954: Joined Kibbutz Chulda two years after his mother's death; completed school (religious elementary school, secular high school). There, he adopted the name "Oz" (Hebrew for strength or power).

1957-1960: Military service.

1960-1963: Studied literature and philosophy at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Graduated with a B.A. and then returned to the kibbutz.

From 1961: First literary publication.

1963-1986: Amos Oz taught literature and philosophy, among other subjects, as a teacher at Hulda High School.