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Eliezer Steinman (1892–1970) was a Hebrew and Yiddish writer, journalist, essayist, and editor active in Poland and Israel. He received the Bialik Prize (1959) and the Israel Prize for Literature (1963).
Born in the Pale of Settlement, he initially studied for the rabbinate in Kishinev but soon turned to writing. Influenced by the October Revolution, he embraced communist ideology and sought to develop Hebrew culture in that spirit. After moving to Moscow and Odessa, he became a regular contributor to major Hebrew and Yiddish publications.
In 1924, Steinman immigrated to Eretz Yisrael, where he co-founded the literary group Ktuvim with Avraham Shlonsky, advocating for a modernized Hebrew literature. Over the years, he published numerous essays, novels, children’s books, and anthologies.
Later in life, he devoted himself to rewriting Chassidic traditions for contemporary audiences, culminating in his Be'er HaChassidut series. In his final years, he developed a close relationship with the Lubavitcher Rebbe, who encouraged his Chassidic writings, and he adopted partial Torah observance under Rabbi Avraham Chanoch Galitzenshtein's influence.
His sons, Nathan and David Shaham, became notable writers, and his granddaughter, Orit Shaham-Gover, is a writer and museum curator.