Israeli born author Nava Semel published fifteen books and four plays, both for adults and children. Her work focuses on the painful dialogue in families of Holocaust survivors and the search for Israeli identity.
She was published in the USA, Germany, Italy, Czech Republic, Spain, Holland, China, Turkey, Poland and Romania.
Her book Becoming Gershona received the 1990 National Jewish Book Award in the USA. Her novel And the Rat Laughed was adapted into a successful opera.
Nava Semel is a recipient of numerous awards, among them the Israeli Prime Minister Award for Literature 1996, and the latest one: Woman of the Year in Literature - The Tel Aviv Award 2007.
Ms. Semel also writes scripts and translates plays for the Israeli theatre.

The topics of the lectures are:
1. Life after Death in Families of Holocaust Survivors in Israel
Israeli Author Nava Semel focuses on the Israeli family unit as a dichotomy between life and death. The surviving parents had put the mourning for the dead into a secret safe deposit box and the “life before” was coded into a secret language, under a fragile existence.
Their children, born in the 50’s, are the unique generation standing between the horrors of the past and the promises of the future. They became the epiphany of life, struggling with the burden of the dead relatives their names they carry. For their parents they were the living proof that the gift of life has an ongoing meaning.
The last witnesses among us. How do we respond to their bleeding scar? Is art the only way to overcome death? Where does the mysterious power of survival come from?
Semel also talks about her latest novel “And the Rat’s Laughed” in which the protagonist battles with her memory as a hidden, abused child and her long journey towards emotional freedom.

 2.IsraIsland The State of the Jews on an Indian island, near Niagara Falls.
It almost happened. Mordechai Manuel Noah, a diplomat, playwright and journalist had purchased Grand Island on September 1825 and established a safe haven he named Ararat. However, Noah´s call to world Jewry to settle on the island was rejected and no Jews arrived.
Nava Semel wrote an exciting, innovative novel, reflecting upon the early history of the Jewish immigration to America and the bond between Diaspora Jews and Israelis. She raises the never ending question of where the true Jewish homeland is: Can it only be Zion, or is there another alternative?
                                                                         

Award-winning Israeli author and playwright NAVA SEMEL has written fifteen books of fiction and four plays. Her works include:

• A Hat of Glass, the first Israeli book to focus on the children of Holocaust survivors (published 1985; new edition, 1998; translated into German, Italian and Romanian.)
• Becoming Gershona, winner of the National Jewish Book Award in the USA (1990); published by Viking Penguin; translated into Italian, German, Romanian, and Dutch. Adapted for Israeli television.
• Flying Lessons published by Simon & Schuster (1995); adapted for the Israeli television; translated into German, Czech, Italian, Spanish, and Dutch. Soon to become an Opera.

In addition, she wrote Night Games (1994) and her one-woman play
The Child behind the Eyes, first produced in 1986, ran on the Israeli stage for 11 years. It has also been produced as a radio play by the BBC London, Radio France, Radio Belgium, Radio Spain, Radio Ireland, six radio stations in Germany, Radio Austria, and Radio Romania. It won the 'Best Radio Drama' award in Austria in 1996, and has been produced on a CD. On stage play it was performed in Rome (1990), New York (1991), Los Angeles (1996), Prague (1997), Sibiu Theatre Festival (2004), Resita Theatre in Romania (2005), State Theatre of Ankara, Turkey (2005), Lodz Theatre - Poland (2006), and the latest production in Arabic, running currently at the Galilee theatre.
Her children´s book, Who Stole the Show?, published by Yediot Achronot (1997), won the Illustrated Book of the Year Award (1998), and was cited at the 'Ze´ev Award' (1999). Translation into Italian 2003.  A television series was based on the book (1999). Romania: a bi-lingual edition (English-Romanian) 2008.
Other works of fiction include Liluna (1998); Paper Bride (1996; Romania 2000. Germany 2003. Finalist of the YA German book award 2004. Soon to be published in Italy; Night Poems (2000) and The Courage to be Afraid (2005) two collections of poetry for young people on darkness and fears.
Her novel And the Rat Laughed was published in Israel in 2001 to rave reviews. Published in Germany 2007. Forthcoming in Australia 2008.
An Opera based on the book, composed by Ella Milch-Sheriff and produced by the Israeli Chamber Orchestra. World Premiere April 2005. The opera is still running on the stage of the Cameri Theatre of Tel Aviv for over three years now.
Sneaking into the Bible – a song cycle on biblical themes, composed by Ella Milch-Sheriff, premiered at the Abu Gosh Music Festival in 2005.
Nava Semel´s latest novel IsraIsland had received rave reviews. A documentary following the book is in the making.
Her latest book for YA Beginner´s Love 2006. Published in Italy 2007.  Forthcoming: Czech Republic 2008.
Her new book Australian Wedding is due in Israel on summer 2008.
NAVA SEMEL won the Israeli Prime Minister´s Award for Literature in 1996 and an award for Women Writers of the Mediterranean in France 1994. She was awarded 'Women of the Year in Literature of the City of Tel Aviv' 2007.
A translator of plays for the Israeli stage, NAVA SEMEL also writes television scripts, short stories, poetry, and art reviews. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Massuah - the Institute for Holocaust Studies and was a member of the Board of Governors of “Yad Vashem” for many years.
She had participated in international conventions in Israel, Germany, Austria, France, USA, Egypt, Romania, Ireland, Italy, Australia and more.
Ms. Semel is married with three children. She lives in Tel Aviv, Israel.