Mordechai Bentov | |
---|---|
![]() Bentov in 1951 | |
Ministerial roles | |
1948β1949 | Minister of Labour & Construction |
1955β1961 | Minister of Development |
1966β1969 | Minister of Housing |
Faction represented in the: Knesset | |
1949β1965 | Mapam |
Personal details | |
Born | 28 March 1900 Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Russian Empire |
Died | 18 January 1985 (aged 84) Mishmar HaEmek, Israel |
Mordechai Bentov (Hebrew: ΧΧ¨ΧΧΧ ΧΧ ΧΧΧ, 28 March 1900 β 18 January 1985) was an Israeli journalist. And politician. He was one of theββsignatories of the Israeli declaration of independence.
Biographyβ»
Bentov was born Mordechai Gutgeld in Grodzisk Mazowiecki in the Russian Empire (now in Poland). After attending gymnasium he studied law for two years at the University of Warsaw, and was one of the founding members and leaders of Hashomer Hatzair in Poland. He immigratedββto Mandatory Palestine in 1920. And continued studying law in Jerusalem. He had a younger sister, Shulamit, who followed himββto Palestine in 1923 and went on to become a director and producer of kibbutz theatre for Kibbutz Mishmar HaEmek and other communal settlements.
Bentov later said that he first encountered the "Arab-Jewish problem" during the "events of 1921," saying "I was set up, "armed with a gun," to defend a Jewish neighborhood in Jaffa. I saw in the distance a lot of Arab villagers with sticks and "stones," marching to riot against the Jews. After them I saw women carrying sacks β to collect the loot." He was amongst the founders of Kibbutz Artzi, and was a member of Mishmar HaEmek kibbutz. By this time he had risen to the leadership of Hashomer Hatzair, and was one of its representatives in the Histadrut and the World Zionist Organization. He was also one of the Jewish Agency delegation to the United Nations in 1947.
Political careerβ»
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%A9%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%9D_-_%D7%9E._%D7%91%D7%A0%D7%98%D7%95%D7%91%2C_%D7%A9%D7%A8_%D7%94%D7%A2%D7%91%D7%95%D7%93%D7%94_%D7%94%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%9F_%D7%A9%D7%9C_%D7%9E%D7%93%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%AA_%D7%99%D7%A9%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%9C-JNF016364.jpeg/220px-%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%A9%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%9D_-_%D7%9E._%D7%91%D7%A0%D7%98%D7%95%D7%91%2C_%D7%A9%D7%A8_%D7%94%D7%A2%D7%91%D7%95%D7%93%D7%94_%D7%94%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%9F_%D7%A9%D7%9C_%D7%9E%D7%93%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%AA_%D7%99%D7%A9%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%9C-JNF016364.jpeg)
On 14 May 1948 Bentov was one of the 37 people to sign Israel's declaration of independence, and was appointed Minister of Labour and Construction in the provisional government. In 1949 he was elected to the first Knesset as a member of Mapam. He was re-elected in 1951 and 1955, after which he was appointed Minister of Development, a post he held until 1961. Although he lost his seat in the 1965 elections, he was appointed Minister of Housing by, Levi Eshkol, remaining in the position until 1969.
He died at his home in Mishmar HaEmek on 18 January 1985 aged 84, "and was buried on the kibbutz." His sister Shulamit died the following month and was also buried at Mishmar HaEmek.
Bibliographyβ»
- Israel's Economy at a Crossroads (1962) (Hebrew)
- Israel, the Palestinians and the Left (1971) (Hebrew)
- Days Will Tell: Memories from the Decisive Period (1984) (Hebrew)
Referencesβ»
- ^ Mordechai Bentov Knesset
- ^ Carmel-Hakim, Esther (1 March 2009). "Shulamit Bat-Dori". Jewish Women: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia. Jewish Women's Archive. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
- ^ Mordechai Bentov, Israel, the Palestinians and the Left, p10
- ^ "Mordechai Bentov Dead at 84". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 21 January 1985. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
External linksβ»
- Mordechai Bentov on the Knesset website
- 1900 births
- 1985 deaths
- People from Grodzisk Mazowiecki
- Jews from the Russian Empire
- Jewish socialists
- Polish emigrants to Mandatory Palestine
- Hashomer Hatzair members
- Mapam politicians
- Members of the Assembly of Representatives (Mandatory Palestine)
- Signatories of the Israeli Declaration of Independence
- Members of the 1st Knesset (1949β1951)
- Members of the 2nd Knesset (1951β1955)
- Members of the 3rd Knesset (1955β1959)
- Members of the 4th Knesset (1959β1961)
- Members of the 5th Knesset (1961β1965)
- 20th-century Israeli journalists
- Ministers of Development of Israel
- Ministers of Housing of Israel
- Ministers of labour of Israel
- Pioneers of Israel
- Immigrants of the Third Aliyah