Eliezer (Laizy) Menachem Shapiro ( he, אליעזר (לּייזי) מנחם שפירא) (born 13 May 1973) is an

Israeli Israeli may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the State of Israel * Israelis, citizens or permanent residents of the State of Israel * Modern Hebrew, a language * ''Israeli'' (newspaper), published from 2006 to 2008 * Guni Israeli ...

director and screenwriter best known for the TV show ''

Srugim ''Srugim'' ( he, סרוגים; literally, "knitted" or "crocheted") is an Israeli television drama which originally aired on Yes TV between 2008 and 2012. It was directed by Eliezer "Laizy" Shapiro, who co-created it with Havvah Deevon. The series ...

''. Shapiro was born and raised in

Rehovot Rehovot ( he, רְחוֹבוֹת ''Rəḥōvōt'', ar, رحوڤوت ''Reḥūfūt'') is a city in the Central District of Israel, about south of Tel Aviv. In it had a population of . Etymology Israel Belkind, founder of the Bilu movement, ...

, Israel, and in

Karnei Shomron Karnei Shomron ( he, קַרְנֵי שׁוֹמְרוֹן, lit. "Rays (of light) of Samaria") is an Israeli settlement organized as a local council established in 1977 in the West Bank, east of Kfar Saba. Karnei Shomron is located northeast of ...

, the youngest of four children. His older brother, Joseph Shapiro, a senior army officer, married writer Tali Baragles Shapiro. Shapiro studied

history History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the History of writing#Inventions of writing, invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbr ...

Hebrew University The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; he, הַאוּנִיבֶרְסִיטָה הַעִבְרִית בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם) is a public research university based in Jerusalem, Israel. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Dr. Chaim Weiz ...

. He also led tunnel tours in the Old City of

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

. During his studies, Shapiro lived in the

Nahlaot Nachlaot ( he, נחלאות, also ''Naḥlaʾoth'') is a cluster of 23 courtyard neighborhoods in central Jerusalem surrounding the Mahane Yehuda Market. It is known for its narrow, winding lanes, old-style housing, hidden courtyards and many smal ...

neighborhood with his roommates Yuval, Hagi, and Itzik Strasberg. In 2001 Shapiro was amongst the eighth graduating class of the

Ma'aleh School of Television, Film and the Arts Ma'ale or Ma'aleh ( he, מעלה, ar, معالي. ar, معاليه) is the name of several places in Israel and Palestine. It may refer to: Inhabited places * Ma'ale Adumim, Israeli settlement and a city in the West Bank; * Ma'ale Amos, Haredi ...

, a film and media school for

Orthodox Jews Orthodox Judaism is the collective term for the traditionalist and theologically conservative branches of contemporary Judaism. Jewish theology, Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Torah, Written and Oral Torah, Or ...

. His graduation film "Lamentations", won the best film award at the

Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...

international student film festival. The movie is about settler girl named Eicha (Hebrew for Lamentations) who was born on

Tisha B'Av Tisha B'Av ( he, תִּשְׁעָה בְּאָב ''Tīšʿā Bəʾāv''; , ) is an annual fast day in Judaism, on which a number of disasters in Jewish history occurred, primarily the destruction of both Solomon's Temple by the Neo-Babylonian E ...

. At eighteen she decides to change her name. Shapiro's television work is a combination of comedy and drama, subjects from the everyday life of young national religious sector, while staying neutral on ideological and political aspects. Along with Chava Devon, who also graduated from Ma’aleh, Shapiro created a television drama series called ''

'' ("knitted" in English), which was broadcast on Yes satellite network and later Channel 2. The show deals with the niche world of single Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem. Shapiro also directed and co-wrote the series. ''Srugim'' was shown in the USA on the Jewish Channel. It was named Best Drama by the Israeli Film and Television Academy. Shapiro married actress Ronit Abrahamof and is a father of two.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shapiro, Laizy Israeli film directors Israeli male screenwriters 1973 births Living people