Gila Goldstein, Italian-born Israeli actress, Died at 69

  Actor

Gila Goldstein ( born Abraham Goldstein) was born on December 18, 1947, in Turin, and died on February 5, 2017.

She was an Israeli actress and singer, transgender rights activist.

Gila one of the first activists of the Aguda, the oldest and largest LGBT organization in Israel.

Goldstein was considered the first transgender woman in Israel and gay icon.
When she immigrating to Israel she lived in Haifa.

She realized she was transgender in 1960 and changed their name to Gila.

Gila worked as a prostitute in Haifa before having sex reassignment surgery in Belgium in 1960 – the first officially documented sex reassignment surgery for an Israeli.

During the early 1970s, Goldstein lived in Europe and worked as a dancer and striptease performer.

After she returned to Israel, she performed in nightclubs and bars, including Bar 51.

Gila served as the prototype of one of the characters in Amos Gutman’s film “Bar 51”.

She recorded several songs and performed them in “Allenby 58” club in 1990’s.

During 1998, together with Nino Orsiano she had music program on the local radio.

Goldstein was awarded the Israeli LGBT community prize in 2003 and Miami LGBT Film Festival Award for the best supporting actress for her role in “Good boys” in 2005.

During 2010 she starred in the TV series for children and in the same year, a documentary film was made about her life.

She died of a stroke.

Gila Goldstein passed away at 69 years old.