OREN, RAM

OREN, RAM (1958–2005), Israeli novelist. Oren was born in Tel Aviv. He graduated from the Faculty of Law at the Hebrew University and was a member of the Lawyers Association. Oren worked for many years as a journalist and senior editor of the daily Yedioth Aharonoth. He was the founder and owner of Keshet Publishing House and is known as the author of thrillers, all of which were commercial bestsellers in Israel. His first novel Pitui ("Seduction") was published in 1994. Ot Kain (1996; The Mark of Cain, 1998) tells the story of Michael, head of the Israeli Mossad, who discovers that he and Elsa, a rabid Nazi planning terrorist attacks, are the children of a notorious commander of a concentration camp. Esh Ḥayah ("Live Ammunition," 1999) is the story of intrigues, blackmail, and love revolving around the hopes of Amos Gonen to become the new chief of staff. Among Oren's other works are the historical novel Latrun (2002) and Nesikhah Afrikanit ("African Princess," 2003). (Anat Feinberg (2nd ed.)