Ron Leshem (Hebrew: רון לשם; born December 20, 1976) is an Israeli American television writer, producer, and author.

He co-created and co-wrote the Israeli television series Euphoria and the film Beaufort, which was based on his novel of the same name.^[1] He was an executive producer of the American adaptation of Euphoria, which premiered on HBO in 2020.

Leshem has worked on television series including No Man's Land, Valley of Tears, and The Gordin Cell, and the film Incitement.

Leshem was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, on December 20, 1976. During his childhood, he spent summers at his family's kibbutz.^[2]

Leshem served in the Intelligence Corps of the Israel Defense Forces. He later worked as a reporter covering the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. He became head of the news division at Yediot Ahronot and later served as Deputy Chief Editor of Ma'ariv at the age of 26.^[3][4]

In 2005, Leshem transitioned from print media to television.^[5] From 2006 to 2009, he worked in content development for Keshet Broadcasting, where he was involved in the production of Israeli TV series including Arab Labor, the A-word, Traffic Light^[6], and Prisoners of War,^[6] which was later adapted into the American series Homeland.

As a novelist, Leshem's debut novel Beaufort^[7][8] was published in Hebrew in 2006.^[8][9] Written in the form of a diary of an Israeli army officer, the book was on Israel’s bestseller list for two years,^[10] translated into multiple languages,^[11][12] and adapted into a film in 2007.^[11][13] The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film^[14] and won the Silver Bear for Best Director at the Berlin International Film Festival.^[15]

Leshem’s second book, The Underground Bazaar, was also a bestseller.^[12]

Leshem co-created and co-wrote the Israeli drama series The Gordin Cell,^[13] which received multiple nominations at the Israeli Academy of Film and Television awards. The series was later adapted by NBC as Allegiance.^[6]

He co-created and co-wrote the Israeli version of Euphoria (2012)^[13] and later became an executive producer for its American adaptation on HBO.^[16][13]

In 2019, Leshem was involved in the development of Valley of Tears,^[17] a mini-series about the Yom Kippur War, co-created with several writers and released in Israel before being picked up by HBO.^[18] The show was noted as one of the more expensive productions in Israeli television history.^[19]

In 2019, Leshem and Amit Cohen signed a development deal with Red Arrow Studios International to create scripted dramas.^[20][21]

Leshem has also co-written the Hulu series Fertile Crescent, which focuses on the Syrian Civil War.^[13]

His 2019 novel, When We Were Beautiful (Hebrew: יפים כמו שהיינו), is being translated into English by Jessica Cohen.^[22]

Leshem lives in Boston and Los Angeles.^[23]

• Arab Labor (2007–2011)
• Ramzor (Traffic light) (2008–2013)
• Prisoners of War (2010–2012)
• The A-Word (2010–2014)
• Polishuk (2010)

• Ron Leshem bio note at Random House, Inc.
• Ron Leshem (in Hebrew)
• Leshem, Ron. "English excerpt from Beaufort". Zeek: A Jewish Journal of Thought and Culture.