Giora Yoseftal
Encyclopedia
Dr Giora Yoseftal was an Israel
i politician who held several ministerial portfolios in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
in Germany, Yoseftal was a member of the Yiddisher Yudenbund youth movement in his teens. After high school he studied law and economics at the University of Heidelberg, Berlin
, Munich and Basel
, gaining a PhD in jurisprudence at the latter.
In 1932 he joined Habonim
, and the following year was appoined head of the youth department of the Bavaria
n Jewish community. He moved to Berlin in 1934, and two years later was elected secretary general of the German branch of HeHalutz
. In 1936 he married Senetta Yoseftal, later also an Israeli politician.
Yoseftal made aliyah
to Mandate Palestine in 1938, and two months after arriving, he was sent to London to try and save German Jewry. He returned to Palestine in 1939, establishing a work brigade in Ra'anana
, which later founded kibbutz Gal'ed
in 1945.
In 1943 he joined the British Army
. After the war
ended, he took over the absorption section of the Jewish Agency's
aliyah department. Between 1947 and 1952 he sat on the Agency's board. In 1952 he was a member of the delegations which negotiated the Reparations Agreement between Israel and West Germany
.
In 1956 he became secretary-general of Mapai
, the ruling party, a role he held until 1959. In the elections that year
he was voted into the Knesset
on Mapai's list, and was appointed Minister of Labour
. He retained his seat in the 1961 elections
, and was given the roles of Minister of Housing
and Minister of Development
. He died in office on 23 August 1962.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i politician who held several ministerial portfolios in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Biography
Born in NurembergNuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
in Germany, Yoseftal was a member of the Yiddisher Yudenbund youth movement in his teens. After high school he studied law and economics at the University of Heidelberg, Berlin
Humboldt University of Berlin
The Humboldt University of Berlin is Berlin's oldest university, founded in 1810 as the University of Berlin by the liberal Prussian educational reformer and linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt, whose university model has strongly influenced other European and Western universities...
, Munich and Basel
University of Basel
The University of Basel is located in Basel, Switzerland, and is considered to be one of leading universities in the country...
, gaining a PhD in jurisprudence at the latter.
In 1932 he joined Habonim
Habonim Dror
Habonim Dror is a Jewish Labour Zionist youth movement formed by the merger in 1982 of the Habonim and Dror youth movements. Habonim Dror's sister movement in Israel is Hanoar Haoved Vehalomed, the Working and Studying Youth.-Ideology:...
, and the following year was appoined head of the youth department of the Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
n Jewish community. He moved to Berlin in 1934, and two years later was elected secretary general of the German branch of HeHalutz
Hehalutz
Hechalutz was an association of Jewish youth whose aim was to train its members to settle in the Land of Israel, which became an umbrella organization of the pioneering Zionist youth movements....
. In 1936 he married Senetta Yoseftal, later also an Israeli politician.
Yoseftal made aliyah
Aliyah
Aliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...
to Mandate Palestine in 1938, and two months after arriving, he was sent to London to try and save German Jewry. He returned to Palestine in 1939, establishing a work brigade in Ra'anana
Ra'anana
Ra'anana is a city in the heart of the southern Sharon Plain of the Central District of Israel with a population of 68,300, . Ra'anana is bordered by Kfar Sava on the east and Herzliya on the southwest...
, which later founded kibbutz Gal'ed
Gal'ed
Gal'ed is a kibbutz in northern Israel. Located in the Plain of Manasseh with an area of 14,500 dunams, it falls under the jurisdiction of Megiddo Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 405....
in 1945.
In 1943 he joined the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. After the war
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
ended, he took over the absorption section of the Jewish Agency's
Jewish Agency for Israel
The Jewish Agency for Israel , also known as the Sochnut or JAFI, served as the organization in charge of immigration and absorption of Jews from the Diaspora into the state of Israel.-History:...
aliyah department. Between 1947 and 1952 he sat on the Agency's board. In 1952 he was a member of the delegations which negotiated the Reparations Agreement between Israel and West Germany
Reparations Agreement between Israel and West Germany
The Reparations Agreement between Israel and West Germany was signed on September 10, 1952, and entered in force on March 27, 1953...
.
In 1956 he became secretary-general of Mapai
Mapai
Mapai was a left-wing political party in Israel, and was the dominant force in Israeli politics until its merger into the Israeli Labor Party in 1968...
, the ruling party, a role he held until 1959. In the elections that year
Israeli legislative election, 1959
Elections for the fourth Knesset were held in Israel on 3 November 1959. Voter turnout was 81.5%.-Results:¹ The General Zionists and the Progressive Party merged to form the Liberal Party....
he was voted into the Knesset
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
on Mapai's list, and was appointed Minister of Labour
Labour Minister of Israel
The Labour Minister of Israel was the political head of the Israeli Ministry of Labour and a position in the Israeli cabinet. The post was established in 1948 as the Minister of Labour and Construction...
. He retained his seat in the 1961 elections
Israeli legislative election, 1961
Elections for the fifth Knesset were held in Israel on 15 August 1961. Voter turnout was 81.6%.-Results:¹ Eight MKs broke away from Mapai to establish Rafi² Herut and the Liberal Party merged to form Gahal...
, and was given the roles of Minister of Housing
Housing and Construction Minister of Israel
The Ministry of Housing and Construction is a portfolio in the Israeli cabinet. The ministry was created in 1961, and until 1977 it was known as the Ministry of Housing. Construction was also previously part of the Labour and Construction ministry during the provisional government between 1948 and...
and Minister of Development
Development Minister of Israel
The Ministry for the Development of the Negev and Galilee is a ministry in the Israeli government. Established in January 2005, the current minister is Silvan Shalom of Likud.In the past, there was also a Development Minister...
. He died in office on 23 August 1962.