Leah Goldberg (1911

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Eternal flame monument at the entrance to the Knesset

Leah Goldberg (1911–1970)

Leah Goldberg was a poet, literary critic and a translator. She was born in Kovno, Lithuania, and studied philosophy and Semitic languages at the universities of Kovno, Berlin and Bonn. Upon finishing her studies she returned to Lithuania and taught literature at the Hebrew Gymnasium. At this time she became acquainted with the intellectual group "Patah" before making Aliyah in 1935.

Goldberg worked at the "Davar," "Al HaMishmar," and "Mishmar LeYeladim" newspapers, becoming co-editor of the latter and an editor of a magazine for children in the Diaspora – "Orot Ktanim." From 1963 she headed the department for comparative literature at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Goldberg’s poems were written in a modern, simple, yet symbolic language. She also wrote children’s books, textbooks on literary criticism, and Hebrew translations of literary masterpieces.

"The morning will rise through their blood" ("Ubedamam haboker ya-aleh") is the first line of the last stanza in her poem titled "The Tree." This line appears as an integral part of the Eternal Flame monument which stands at the main entrance to the Knesset.