Esther Streit-Wurzel (Hebrew: אֶסְתֵּר שְטְרייט-ווֹרְצֶל; July 25, 1932, − December 7, 2013) was an Israeli children's author and educator. Streit-Wurzel was born in Petach Tikva, Central District, in Mandatory Palestine. Her father, Shalom Streit, was an educator who founded Ahad Ha'am Gymnasium in Petach Tikvah. She wrote her first book at age 12, in 1944, under the pen name Zvi Hadas, as she was too shy to credit herself with her work. She graduated from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1952, with a degree in literature and psychology. Apart from writing, she was also an educator.