The department of exemplary literature translation was founded by the public council of cultural arts in1973 after the understanding that most of the exemplary literature in the world was not being translated and published in Israel. Since these types of translations are difficult, a deep understanding of the writing's background and culture is necessary as well as excellent creative writing skills. Due to these requirements, expenses on these translations are extremely high,
Due to the expenses being high and the audience being very small the publishers don’t rush to take part in the translation of exemplary world literature. On this basis, the need for public encouragement is a necessity. In past years almost all of the publications that have been made have come through ICL's exemplary enterprise and its support.
Our logo for the enterprise supporting a project is represented by the letter "M" in Hebrew is now a symbol of shear quality. This representation can be found on many of the worlds works that have been supported by the ICL enterprise and published in Israel.
Here are some of the translations:
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf, Faust by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, The Iliad and the Odysse by Homer. On the Happy Life by Seneca, History: A Novel by Elsa Morante, In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust.
The Exemplary literature translation Department operates with the support of the
Ministry of Culture & Sport