Etgar Keret (born August 20, 1967, in Ramat Gan, Israel) is a prominent Israeli short story writer, screenwriter, playwright, film director, and poet, renowned for his surreal, minimalist fiction that captures the absurdities and ironies of everyday Israeli life, often blending dark humor with poignant social commentary. His family background includes Holocaust survivors; his father was a Polish immigrant who fought in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, and his mother was of Russian Jewish descent. Keret's writing career began in the 1990s with collections like 'Pipelines' (1992) and 'Missing Kissinger' (1994), establishing him as a voice of contemporary Israeli literature. He has authored over a dozen books, including graphic novels and children's stories, translated into more than 40 languages. In film and television, he co-wrote screenplays such as 'Jellyfish' (2007), which won the Camera d'Or at Cannes, and directs short films. He is married to Israeli writer and filmmaker Shira Geffen, with whom he collaborates frequently, and they have a son. Keret is politically active, advocating for peace and human rights, criticizing Israeli government policies, and participating in initiatives like Breaking the Silence. He resides in Tel Aviv, teaches creative writing, and maintains a low-profile personal life, bridging Israeli and global literary scenes.