PH Ambassador Presented with ‘Bigla may Kumatok sa Pinto’ the First Hebrew Literary Work Translated to Filipino

Philippine Ambassador to Israel Pedro R. Laylo, Jr. (left) receives from Ms. Yulia Rachinsky-Spivakov, former Deputy Chief of Mission of the Israeli Embassy in the Philippines, a copy of Bigla, May Kumatok sa Pinto.

TEL AVIV 30 August 2023 – Ms. Yulia Rachinsky-Spivakov, former Deputy Head of Mission of the Israeli Embassy in Manila, presented to Philippine Ambassador to Israel Pedro R. Laylo, Jr. copies of Bigla, May Kumatok sa Pinto, the Filipino translation of the book written by internationally acclaimed Israeli writer Etger Keret. 

Bigla, May Kumatok sa Pinto is the first Hebrew literary work translated to the Filipino language.  Popularly known in its English version, Suddenly, a Knock on the Door, the book is a collection of short stories by Keret, a leading voice in Israeli literature and cinema, five of whose best-selling collections have been translated into forty-six (46) languages. 

Bigla, May Kumatok… was inspired by his gratitude to the Filipino caregivers and is meant to serve as a tribute to the tenderness that the Filipinos brought to Israel and the sensitivity and gentleness they show in caring for the elders.  Keret hopes that Filipino readers can relate to the short stories, more so now that the book has been translated to their language. 

The project was spearheaded by the Israeli Embassy in the Philippines, in partnership with Anvil Publishing, Inc., which handled the translation, copyrighting, and publishing of the book.  Bigla, May Kumatok sa Pinto was launched online via Zoom on 26 April 2021. 

Ambassador Laylo, Jr. thanked Ms. Rachinsky-Spivakov for her efforts in pursuing this project and ensuring its fruition.  He highlighted that the book serves as another testament to the strong bond of friendship between the Philippines and Israel.  END.