Nathan Shaham

Nathan Shaham was an Israeli writer and playwright who won the Israel Prize for Literature in 2012.

1925 to 2018The novel The Rosendorf QuartetThe play They Will Arrive TomorrowWriting of the Palmach generation

Born: 29 January 1925, Tel Aviv
Died: 18 June 2018, Beit Alfa
Occupation: writer, playwright, literary editor, prose writer

Nathan Shaham was born in 1925 in Tel Aviv

Nathan Shaham was born Nathan Steinman in Tel Aviv in 1925. His father was the writer Eliezer Steinman, and his mother, Varda, was a kindergarten teacher. His older brother David Shaham also became a writer.

He finished Herzliya Gymnasium and was active in youth movements. In 1942 he joined the Palmach, and in 1945 he joined Kibbutz Beit Alfa. He fought in the War of Independence and then returned to the kibbutz.

In the early 1950s he studied theater in London and Paris with a UNESCO grant. His play They Will Arrive Tomorrow was staged at the Cameri Theater in 1950. He later wrote many novels and story collections, including The Rosendorf Quartet.

He was a senior editor at Sifriat Poalim and vice-chairman of the Israel Broadcasting Authority. From 1977 to 1980 he was cultural attaché at the Israeli consulate in New York. He died at his home in Beit Alfa in 2018.

Nathan Shaham's life in 10 milestones

1925
Born in Tel Aviv.
1942
Joined the Palmach.
1945
Joined Kibbutz Beit Alfa.
1950
His play They Will Arrive Tomorrow was staged at the Cameri Theater.
1952
Married Ketina.
1977
Became cultural attaché in New York.
1987
Published The Rosendorf Quartet.
1988
Won the Bialik Prize.
2012
Won the Israel Prize for Literature.
2018
Died at his home in Beit Alfa.

Nathan Shaham served in the military

He joined the Palmach in 1942, served as an information officer and was released in 1945. In the War of Independence he was information officer of the Yiftach Brigade and took part in capturing Eilat in Operation Uvda in 1949.