Liel Leibovitz

Liel Leibovitz (born 1976, Tel Aviv) is an Israeli-American journalist, author, media critic and video game scholar. Leibovitz was born in Tel Aviv, immigrated to the United States in 1999, and earned a Ph.D. from Columbia University in 2007. As of 2014 he is Visiting Assistant Professor of Media, Culture and Communication at New York University.

Early life and education

Leibovitz was born in Israel to Iris and Rony Leibovitz. His father, born into a wealthy family, became known in Israel as the "Motorcycle Bandit" who robbed 21 banks and served 8 years in prison during his son's childhood. Leibovitz visited his father weekly while he was in prison, and his family suffered financially after his father's incarceration. When he was about 9 he became very interested in the United States, particularly after visiting relatives there. He received his B.A. from Tel Aviv University and after moving to New York City, he received an M.S. in journalism and a Ph.D. in communications from Columbia University.