Ilan Sheinfeld

Ilan Sheinfeld (Born 1960) is an Israeli author, the first of four sons of holocaust survivors, He is an open gay writer and activist, one of the first to go out of the closet in Israel, in the early 80's, and is now a single parent of two boys, born through surrogacy.

Ilan has an MA degree in Hebrew Literature (Tel Aviv Univ. 1986), and is the owner of a public relation agency and the publishing house "Shufra for Fine Literature" (since 1988).

Ilan was the founder and owner of Theo Café, a coffee shop and a bookstore for the gay community in Tel Aviv (2000-2002), and the spokesman of The Cameri Theatre of Tel Aviv (1992-1995) and was the second literary editor of Al Hamishmar (1981-92). He teaches creative writing at the Open University of Tel Aviv, writes columns at numerous places and is a freelance book editor. He lives in Neve Tsedek, the first neighborhood of Tel Aviv.

His work won many prizes and scholarships, including The Goldberg prize of the Israeli Founding Fund for his novel Shedletse (2001); A scholarship of The Tel Aviv Arts Rabinowits foundation for "The Poet's School" (1998); The President's house Amos foundation scholarship for "The Poet's School" (1989); The Prime Minister's Creative prize (1991) and many more. His novel "A Tale of a Ring" became a best seller in Israel and is available in English and Spanish.

His books in Hebrew: Novels: "Only You" (Shufra, 2000); "Shedletse" (Shufra, 1998). Poetry: "The Tourist Guide" (Shufra, 2003); "Karet" (Shufra, 1997); "Tashlich" (Tag, 1995); "Aray" (The Writers association and Tamuz publishing house, 1992); "It Begins with Love" (Hakibbuts Hameuchad, 1989); "Line to a Friend in Parting" (Aleph, 1986); "Making Love by Tongues" (Dvir, 1983), "An Enchanted Lizard" (Eked, 1981). Nonfiction: "The Poetry Workshop" (Shufra, 2005); The Poet's Workshop" (Shufra, 1988); "Yochani" (Thesis, guided by Prof Nurit Govrin, The Hebrew Literature Dep. Tel Aviv Univ., 1988). Children: "A Kingdom Named Collision" (Shufra, 2006); "There is no Such a Bird, Kortsipa" (Shufra, 1988); "The Strange Book of Margolis" (Hakibbuts Hameuchad, 1991); "Shalom" (Hakibbuts Hameuchad, 1989); "From the Heart of Tel Aviv" (Dvir, 1983). Magazines: "Shufra for Fine Literature" (1984-86). Plays: "The Nymphs" (to be staged, 2006), "Boxes" (to be staged, 2006); "Hey Rimona" (A Political Cabaret, The Cameri Theatre of Tel Aviv, together with Ilan Hatsor and Rivi Feldmeser, 1992); "King Solomon and his Fight with Lilith" (for children, private theater, 1994); "The dream thieves" (for children, Erik Smith's Puppet Theatre, 1993), "Bomba Gets" (an adaptation for Michael Ohad's play for children, Erik Smith's Puppet Theatre, 1993).