Lev Hakak is a Professor of Hebrew Language and Literature at the University of California, Los Angeles, since 1974. He published eight books and numerous articles in the field of Modern Hebrew Literature. Some of his publications focus on the literature of and about Sephardi and Near Eastern Jews. In addition to his research books he published two novels, a poetry volume and a volume of short stories. He was the last editor of Hadoar published by the Histadruth Ivrith of America, and then the editor of Hador: The Hebrew Annual of America. Prof. Hakak is also a member of the Israeli Bar and the State Bar of California, 1980.