Janice Rebibo

Who is Janice Rebibo?

Janice Silverman Rebibo is an Israeli poet who began writing in Hebrew in the mid-1980s.

Rebibo’s poems have been admired for having, “a new strength and the kind of courage that comprises a strategic breakthrough, a stance of both audacity and humor that adds something new to the war of independence of Israel’s consciousness – a revolution of language, spirit and mind.”. Rebibo is an Israeli poet born in Boston, who began writing in Hebrew while studying Hebrew language and literature at Hebrew College. Dozens of her poems have appeared in Israel’s major newspapers and journals. Recently, an anthology of Israeli writers of English included several of Rebibo's poems and the journal, Iton 77, featured her Hebrew poem, Etzb’a Elohim. The first of her four poetry collections, Zara, was published in 1997. She later served as chief translator for Natan Yonatan, completing Within the Song to Live, his bilingual volume of selected work, following that popular poet’s death in 2004. Zara Betzion: shirim 1984-2006, a blend of two literary traditions, is Rebibo’s latest collection, which received a President of Israel Award and other prizes.