Yehuda Avner facts for kids

Yehuda Avner (Hebrew: יהודה אבנר; December 30, 1928 – March 24, 2015) was an important Israeli advisor, diplomat, and author. He worked closely with several Israeli Prime Ministers. He wrote speeches and was a secretary for Golda Meir and Levi Eshkol. He also advised Yitzhak Rabin, Menachem Begin, and Shimon Peres.

Avner also served as a diplomat in different countries. He worked at the Israeli Consulate in New York and the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C. Later, he became Israel's Ambassador to Britain, Ireland, and Australia. In 2010, he wrote a popular book called The Prime Ministers. This book shared his inside stories about Israeli politics. It later became the basis for two documentary movies. In 2015, his novel, The Ambassador, was published after he passed away. He wrote it with thriller writer Matt Rees.

Yehuda Avner's Early Life

Yehuda Avner was born Lawrence Haffner in Manchester, England, in 1928. When he was young, he was very active in a religious youth group called Bnei Akiva. He strongly believed in helping to create a Jewish state. In his book The Prime Ministers, he wrote about the unfair treatment he saw and experienced in Britain because he was Jewish. This included riots that happened after a specific event called the Sergeants affair.

After finishing high school, he moved to Jerusalem in November 1947. At that time, Jerusalem was part of British Mandatory Palestine.

Joining the Fight for Israel

Avner fought in the Siege of Jerusalem during Israel's War of Independence in 1948. In 1949, he helped start Kibbutz Lavi. A kibbutz is a special community in Israel where people live and work together. Lavi was a religious kibbutz in Israel's Galilee region.

He later went back to Britain for a short time to work for the Bnei Akiva movement. In 1953, he married Mimi Cailingold. She was also a British Jewish immigrant. They returned to Israel in 1954 and had four children.

Working with Prime Ministers

In 1956, Avner moved back to Jerusalem. In 1958, he joined the Israeli Foreign Service. For the next 25 years, he worked for five different Israeli prime ministers. He was a speechwriter and secretary for Prime Ministers Levi Eshkol and Golda Meir. He also advised Prime Ministers Yitzhak Rabin, Menachem Begin, and Shimon Peres.

As a top helper, Avner was part of many important decisions. These included Operation Entebbe, Operation Opera, and the signing of the Egypt–Israel peace treaty. He also served as a press secretary, took official notes, and helped connect the prime ministers with Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. Avner wrote down many of these talks and later shared some of the non-secret discussions.

Avner's Diplomatic Roles

Avner held several diplomatic jobs. He worked at the Israeli Consulate in New York and the Israeli Embassy in Washington D.C. In 1983, he became the Ambassador to Britain. He was also the Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland at the same time. He returned to Israel in 1988. Then, from 1992 to 1995, he served as the Ambassador to Australia.

Books by Yehuda Avner

In 1992, Avner published a book called The Young Inheritors: A Portrait of Israel's Children. He wrote it with photographer Gemma Levine.

In 2010, Avner wrote his bestselling book, The Prime Ministers: An Intimate Narrative of Israeli Leadership. This book shared his personal stories from working with top Israeli leaders and in international diplomacy. Hillary Clinton called the book "a huge book about Israeli politics and history." Benjamin Netanyahu said it was "a fascinating story from someone who saw many historic moments." The Jerusalem Post newspaper called it "the ultimate insider's account."

In his last months, Avner worked with thriller writer Matt Rees on a novel called The Ambassador. This book explores a "what if" question: What if Israel had been created in 1938 instead of 1948? The Jerusalem Post said the book was "a gripping, detailed page-turner." Both The Prime Ministers and The Ambassador were finalists for the National Jewish Book Award.

Movies Based on Avner's Work

In 2013 and 2014, Moriah Films made two documentaries based on Avner's book. These films are The Prime Ministers I: The Pioneers and The Prime Ministers II: Soldiers and Peacemakers. The first movie is about Avner's time with Prime Ministers Eshkol and Meir. The second movie focuses on his time with Prime Ministers Rabin and Begin.

Yehuda Avner himself narrates the movies. Famous Hollywood actors like Christoph Waltz, Sandra Bullock, Michael Douglas, and Leonard Nimoy voiced the Israeli prime ministers.

The New York Times called The Prime Ministers I: The Pioneers "a clear insider's view." The Los Angeles Times said it was "a smart and respectful presentation." The Hollywood Reporter described it as "a very personal story of the country's struggles."

The Los Angeles Times called The Prime Ministers II: Soldiers & Peacemakers "a behind-the-scenes look at key historical events." The Jerusalem Post said it "expertly mixes Avner's smart comments with amazing old videos." They called it "a must for any student of Israel's past."

Awards and Recognition

Yehuda Avner was a fellow at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. He was also part of the Ambassadorial Appointments Committee. He was a member of the International Advisory Board of NGO Monitor. In 1995, a special position called the Yehuda Avner Chair in Religion and Politics was created at Bar-Ilan University in Israel. In 2012, Avner received an honorary doctorate from Yeshiva University. He also gave the main speech at the university's graduation ceremony.

Death

Yehuda Avner passed away on March 24, 2015, from cancer. He was 86 years old. After he retired, he spent his time helping others. He served on the boards of several national charities. He also helped groups of people who were less fortunate.