Patai's mother was born in Nagyvárad to German-speaking, Jewish parents who expressed their commitment to Magyar nationalism by sending their daughter to Hungarian-language schools.
[2] His father was a prominent literary figure, author of numerous Zionist and other writings, including a biography of Theodor Herzl.
In 1952 he was asked by the United Nations to direct a research project on Syria, Lebanon and Jordan for the Human Relations Area Files.
[4] In 1936, Patai was the co-recipient (jointly with Moshe Zvi Segal) of the Bialik Prize for Jewish thought.
Longtime Hebrew University of Jerusalem organic chemistry professor Saul Patai[7] (1918-1998) was his brother.