Sami Shalom Chetrit
Sami Shalom Chetrit is a Moroccan-born Hebrew poet an inter-disciplinary scholar and teacher, and Israeli social and peace activist.
Biography
Sami Shalom Chetrit was born in Errachidia, Morocco. His family moved to Israel when he was 3 years old. He grew up in Ashdod. He received his BA, MA and PhD from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and his MA in International Affairs from Columbia University in New York.Chetrit lives in New York City. He teaches Hebrew language, literature and culture, and Middle Eastern studies at Queens College in Flushing, New York.
Chetrit was a Mizrahi activist and one of the founders of Kedma, an alternative school system that advocated equal opportunities for all students and a multi-cultural curriculum. He was among the founders of HaKeshet HaDemokratit HaMizrakhit for social justice and cultural freedom.
Chetrit is the author of numerous articles and books on culture, society and politics in Israel, a novel and four books of poetry. He produced two documentary films. Chetrit is the founder of the democratic Mizrahi blog for social justice and peace in Israel-Palestine.
Chetrit identifies as an Arab Jew.
Published works
- Intra-Jewish Conflict in Israel: White Jews, Black Jews. London and New York: Routledge. 2010. 298 pp.
- “Revisiting Bialik: A Radical Mizrahi Reading of the Jewish National Poet.” Comparative Literature. Winter 2010.
- “Mirror Mirror on the Wall, in this Land, am I the Greatest Victim of them All? - Comments Following a Journey along Route 181.”. In: Yael Munk and Eyal Sivan South Cinema Notebooks, # 2: On Destruction, Trauma & Cinema. Fall 2007. Israel: Sapir College Press & Pardes Publishing House.
- “Why are SHAS and the Mizrahim supporters of the right ?“ in : T. Honig-Parnas and T. Haddad, Between the Lines – Readings on Israel, The Palestinians, and the U.S. ‘War on Terror’ Chicago : Haymarket Books, 2007. pp. 195–203.
- “The Ashkenazi-Zionist Problem : The Segregation in Education as a case study“ in: Y. Yona, Y. Naaman and D. Mahleb, A rainbow of Opinions – A Mizrahi Agenda for Israel. Tel-Aviv: November Books, 2007. pp. 221–234.
- “The Neo-Mizrahim: The Mizrahi Radical Discourse and the Democratic Rainbow Coalition movement“, in: G. Abutbul, L. Grinberg and P. Muzafi-Haler. Mizrahi Voices: Toward a New Discourse on Israeli Society and Culture. Tel-Aviv: Masada. 2005. pp. 131–152.
- Hamaávak HaMizrahi Be’Yisrael: Bein Dikui keshihrur, bein hizdahut lealternativa, 1948–2003., Am-Oved / Ofakim Series, 2004.
- النضال الشرقي في إسرائيل – بين القمع والتحرر، بين التماثل والبديل 1948-2003 . MADAR RamAllah, Palestine, 2005..
- SHAS and the “new Mizrahim” – Back to Back in Parallel Axles: Criticism of and Alternative to - European Zionism. Israel Studies Forum. Spring 2002. Volume 17, Number 2. pp. 107–113.
- Shas: Catch 17 – between ultra-orthodoxy and Mizrahiut. In: Shas – the challenge of Israeliness. Editor: Yoav Peled. TAPUACH, Yediot Aharonot, 2001. Chapter 1, pp. 21–51.
- Mizrahi Politics In Israel: Between Integration And Alternative. Journal of Palestine Studies. University of California Press, Berkeley. Volume XXXIX/4 – Number 116. Summer 2000. pp. 51–65.
- The Tents Movement. In: Fifty to Forty-Eight, a special issue of Theory and Criticism Vol. 12-13 1999. Editor: Adi Ofir. Van Leer Jerusalem Institute.
Literary publications
- “To Sing in Ashdodi”, an interview with Ronit Hacham. In: Hebrew Writers on Writing, Edited by Peter Cole. Trinity University Press, 2008
- “A Mural With no Wall. Kasida to Mahmud Darwish.” A poem. Al-Adaab Literary Journal, Beirut, Lebanon. 2008.
- Yehudim. Poetry book. Nahar books. Binyamina, Israel. 2008.
- Ein Habuba, a novel. Hargol-Am Oved publishers, Tel-Aviv, Israel. 2007.
- Shirim Beashdodit, poetry collection 1982-2002. Andalus Publishers, Tel-Aviv Israel. 2003.
- Exclusive poetry contribution to: Frederic Brenner, Diaspora: Homeland in Exile. Volume 1: Photographs, volume 2: Voices. Harper Collins Publishers. New York. 2003. List of my poems : “where would we be today, Dr. Horowitz?”, “Oh black desert daughters”, “Look, a Bukharan Barber shop”, “The Little Yemenites”, “in God we trust”.
- Me’aa Shanim, Me’aa Yotzrim. Asufat Yetzirot Ivriyot BaMizrah BaMe’aa HaEsrim. Volumes A and B: prose, 1998. Volume C: Poetry, 1999. Bimat Kedem Publishing, Tel-Aviv, Israel..
- Freha Shem Yafe, poems. Nur publishing, Tel-Aviv, 1995.
- Ptiha. Poems. Eked publishing. Tel-Aviv, 1988.
- English translations of his poems from both books appeared in: Keys to the Garden. New Israeli Writing. Editor: Ammiel Alcalay. 1996. City Lights Books, San Francisco. pp. 357–369.
- Many of his poems were published throughout the years in numerous literary magazines, journals, periodicals, newspapers and anthologies.
Documentary films
Az’i Ayima – a documentary film about Moroccan women of the first generation in Israel. Writing and directing. Produced by Haim Buzaglo. 2009. DocAviv International Film Festival, Tel-Aviv 2009. Official selection, special screening. Darom International Film Festival, Sderot 2009. Official selection.
About Chetrit's books
Phreha Shem YafeHaaratz Book Reviews, by Michael Glozman, April 23, 1997
Moznayim Literary Monthly, by Hertzle Hakak, 1996, #6
Mitsad Sheni Journal, by Tzukerman Moshe, 1996, #2
Mea Shanim Mea Yotzrim
Haaretz Culture and Literature weekly, by Rami Kimhi, November 20, 1998
Yediot Aharonot Cultural weekly, bu Haya Hofman, November 27, 1998
Afikim, by Yosef Avidor, May 1999
Moznayim Literary Monthly, by Balfur Hakak, 1999 #8
Hamahapecha Haashkenazit Meta
Haaratz Book Reviews, by Amnon Raz-Krakotskin, June 30, 1999
Moznayiom Literary Monthly, by Rami Kimhi, 1999 #2
Shirim Beashdodit
Haaretz Book Review, by Gal Karniel, December 10, 2003
Hakivun Mizrah, by Ronit Hacham, Winter 2004, #8
Iton 77, Literary Journal, by Amos Levitan, 2003, #282
Afikim, by Meir Yosef, June 2005
Maariv, books and Literature, by Yoram Meltzer, August 22, 2003
Hamaavak Hamizrahi Beyisrael 1948-2003
Haaretz Literatur and Cultur weekly, by Yitzhak Laor, May 21, 2004
Haaretz Book Review, by David Hamo, June 9, 2004
Yisrael – a Journal for the Study of Zionism and Israel, by Leon Nisim, Fall 2004
Afikim, by Meir Yosef, June 2005
Moznayim Literary Monthly, by Rami Kimhi, 2004 #6
On Ein Habuba, a novel
Haaretz Gallery, weekly supplement, by Reuven Miran. August 16, 2007. Page 6.
Time Out tel-Aviv, weekly journal. By Pe’er Fridman. August 16, 2007.
Ynet, Israeli daily online. Book review supplement. By Ronny Scwartz. August 8, 2007.
Kol Hazman, Jerusalem weekly. By Yaron Avituv. August 10, 2007.
Ynet, Israeli daily online. Culture Supplement. July 11, 2007.
Haaretz, Literature and Culture weekly. By Oren Kakon. August 16, 2007.
Sabih, J. Politisk poesi: Sami, S. Chetrit og "vævet identitet", in Naqd, pp. 51–70