Joel Carmichael


Joel Carmichael was an American historian, magazine editor, and translator.

Biography

Early life and education

Born Joel Lipsky on December 31, 1915 in New York City, Carmichael was the youngest son of Charlotte Schacht and Louis Lipsky, a founder of the American Zionist movement, President of the Zionist Organization of America. His oldest brother, David became a publicist; his middle brother, Eleazar, was a lawyer, novelist, journalist, playwright and active Zionist.
Following graduation from high school, he was sent for a year to Palestine. There he began learning Arabic before returning to New York and attending Columbia University. In England, a chance meeting with an Oxford don turned him to read Greek and Russian at Oxford.

Career

His first book, a translation of a memoir of the Russian Revolution, helped Carmichael land a contract with Oxford University Press. From there, he wrote numerous titles on early Christianity, Arab history and Russian history, and translated Anna Karenina for a new paperback edition. One book, The Death of Jesus, was translated into eight languages. Carmichael was also editor of Midstream, a Zionist magazine, for 24 years, serving from 1975–1988 and 1990-2001.

Marriage and family

Carmichael was married twice: first to the journalist Mary Carr Thomas, then to sculptor Elizabeth de Cuevas in 1960. He had three children.
His granddaughter is the filmmaker Emily Carmichael.

Death

Carmichael died January 27, 2006 in Manhattan.

Published works