Edward Lewis Wallant Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 42 (2016) Winner
Ayelet Tsabari
アエレット・ツァバリ
Ayelet Tsabari
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1973-05-24 （Petah Tikva, Israel）
- Nationality
- Israeli, Canadian
- Languages
- Hebrew, English
- Religion
- Judaism
- Residence History
- Tel Aviv, Israel → Canada (residences while studying/working)
Career
- Occupations
- Writer, Photographer, Creative writing teacher
- Active Years
- 2000-
- Affiliations
- University of King's College MFA Program (teacher), University of Guelph MFA creative writing program (teacher)
- Influenced By
- Mizrahi writers and family narratives
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simon Fraser University Writers' Studio | — | Writers' Studio | — | — | Canada |
| University of Guelph MFA in Creative Writing | — | Creative Writing | MFA | — | Canada |
Simon Fraser University Writers' Studio
Writers' Studio
Country:
Canada
Completed the Writers' Studio program (year not specified)
University of Guelph MFA in Creative Writing
Creative Writing
Degree:
MFA
Country:
Canada
Completed MFA program in Creative Writing (year not specified)
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature | The Best Place on Earth | — | Jewish Book Council | 受賞 |
| 2016 | Edward Lewis Wallant Award | The Best Place on Earth | — | University of Hartford / Wallant Award | 受賞 |
| 2013 | Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award (longlisted) | The Best Place on Earth | — | Frank O'Connor Award | ロングリスト選出 |
| 2016 | New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice | The Best Place on Earth | — | The New York Times | Editors' Choice（選出） |
| 2016 | Kirkus Best Debut Fiction | The Best Place on Earth | — | Kirkus Reviews | 選出 |
| 2019 | Canadian Jewish Literary Award for Memoir | The Art of Leaving | 回想録 | Canadian Jewish Literary Awards | 受賞 |
| — | National Magazine Award (Silver) | Essays (from The Art of Leaving and other pieces) | — | National Magazine Awards (Canada) | 受賞（銀賞） |
| — | Western Magazine Award | Essay | — | Western Magazine Awards | 受賞 |
| 2024 | National Jewish Book Award for Fiction | Songs for the Brokenhearted | — | National Jewish Book Awards | 受賞 |
| 2024 | Association of Jewish Libraries Jewish Fiction Award | Songs for the Brokenhearted | — | Association of Jewish Libraries | 受賞 |
Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature
2015
Work:
The Best Place on Earth
Organization:
Jewish Book Council
Result:
受賞
Edward Lewis Wallant Award
2016
Work:
The Best Place on Earth
Organization:
University of Hartford / Wallant Award
Result:
受賞
Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award (longlisted)
2013
Work:
The Best Place on Earth
Organization:
Frank O'Connor Award
Result:
ロングリスト選出
New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice
2016
Work:
The Best Place on Earth
Organization:
The New York Times
Result:
Editors' Choice（選出）
Kirkus Best Debut Fiction
2016
Work:
The Best Place on Earth
Organization:
Kirkus Reviews
Result:
選出
Canadian Jewish Literary Award for Memoir
2019
Work:
The Art of Leaving
Category:
回想録
Organization:
Canadian Jewish Literary Awards
Result:
受賞
National Magazine Award (Silver)
Work:
Essays (from The Art of Leaving and other pieces)
Organization:
National Magazine Awards (Canada)
Result:
受賞（銀賞）
Western Magazine Award
Work:
Essay
Organization:
Western Magazine Awards
Result:
受賞
National Jewish Book Award for Fiction
2024
Work:
Songs for the Brokenhearted
Organization:
National Jewish Book Awards
Result:
受賞
Association of Jewish Libraries Jewish Fiction Award
2024
Work:
Songs for the Brokenhearted
Organization:
Association of Jewish Libraries
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
-
Edition 31 (2019) Winner
Works
Major Works
The Best Place on Earth
2013 Short story collectionA collection of short stories that explores Mizrahi Jewish immigrant experiences and life in Israel, weaving themes of family, memory and identity through multiple characters.
ImmigrationFamilyIdentityMemory
The Art of Leaving
2019 Essay memoirA memoir-in-essays that examines the author's migration experiences, her relationship with her mother, and cultural roots—delicately addressing movement, belonging, memory and loss.
MigrationMother-daughter relationshipCultural rootsLoss and renewal
Songs for the Brokenhearted
2024 NovelThrough protagonist Zohara, the novel traces a family history rooted in Yemeni immigration to Israel, confronting prejudice, hardship and the trauma of infant abductions—exploring language, naming, ethnic discrimination and mother-daughter bonds.
Memory of migrationEthnic discriminationMother-daughter relationshipLanguage and identity
Bibliography
- The Best Place on Earth
- The Art of Leaving
- Songs for the Brokenhearted
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Lyrical, richly descriptive proseNarrative that interweaves personal memory with historical contextPolyphonic storytelling emphasizing characters' voices
- Recurring Motifs
- Family and intergenerational ruptureMigration and memories of homelandLanguage, names, identityLoss and forgiveness
Legacy
A writer who centers Mizrahi Jewish experiences and has been recognized in both English- and Hebrew-speaking contexts. Through short stories, essays and a novel, she has foregrounded issues of migration, ethnicity and mother-daughter relations, influencing readers in Canada and Israel.
Quotes
-
“Heartfelt and lyrical.”
Source: Publishers Weekly (review of Songs for the Brokenhearted) (2024) -
“A timely, well-crafted tale.”
Source: Kirkus Reviews (review of Songs for the Brokenhearted) (2024)
Trivia
- Born to a family of Yemeni Jewish descent.
- Studied and lived in Canada for a period.
- Also works as a photographer.
- Teaches in MFA programs at University of King's College and University of Guelph.