Haim Yisraeli
Encyclopedia
Haim Yisraeli was a senior Israeli civil servant.
(then part of Poland
). He was named after his uncle Rabbi Meir Haim Dolenko (1882–1917), the rabbi of Motal (who died in his prime during the First World War from typhus
).
Following the Soviet annexation of Easter Poland, Yisraeli's family was exiled to Kazakhstan
and, as a result, his family avoided the fate of the majority of the Jewish residents of the town whom were murdered by the Nazis during World War II
. Following the war, the family received permission to move to Poland
and, soon afterwards, they contacted the Berihah
network. They subsequently reached a transit camp in Germany
, where Yisraeli met his future wife, Sarah. From the transit camp, the family managed to flee to Mandate Palestine.
After Yisraeli arrived in Palestine, which was later ton become the State of Israel, he was not drafted to the IDF
for health reasons. As a result, he was initially assigned to work temporarily in the archive of the Prime Minister's Office. He later managed to convince the doctors in the IDF recruiting office to enlist him, and, in 1950, he was sent to work, as part of his military service, in the Israeli Ministry of Defense
.
Yisraeli became a close aide of Nehemia Argov, the military Adjutant
of the Defense Minister and first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion
, and, during his career, he worked in the service of 14 defense ministers.
Yisraeli's autobiography was published in 2005.
Biography
Yisraeli was born in 1927 in the town of Motal in BelarusBelarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
(then part of Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
). He was named after his uncle Rabbi Meir Haim Dolenko (1882–1917), the rabbi of Motal (who died in his prime during the First World War from typhus
Typhus
Epidemic typhus is a form of typhus so named because the disease often causes epidemics following wars and natural disasters...
).
Following the Soviet annexation of Easter Poland, Yisraeli's family was exiled to Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
and, as a result, his family avoided the fate of the majority of the Jewish residents of the town whom were murdered by the Nazis during World War II
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...
. Following the war, the family received permission to move to Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and, soon afterwards, they contacted the Berihah
Berihah
Bricha was the underground organized effort that helped Jewish Holocaust survivors escape post-World War II Europe to the British Mandate for Palestine in violation of the White Paper of 1939...
network. They subsequently reached a transit camp in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, where Yisraeli met his future wife, Sarah. From the transit camp, the family managed to flee to Mandate Palestine.
After Yisraeli arrived in Palestine, which was later ton become the State of Israel, he was not drafted to the IDF
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
for health reasons. As a result, he was initially assigned to work temporarily in the archive of the Prime Minister's Office. He later managed to convince the doctors in the IDF recruiting office to enlist him, and, in 1950, he was sent to work, as part of his military service, in the Israeli Ministry of Defense
Ministry of Defense (Israel)
The Ministry of Defence of the government of Israel, is the governmental department responsible for defending the State of Israel from internal and external military threats...
.
Yisraeli became a close aide of Nehemia Argov, the military Adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
of the Defense Minister and first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion
David Ben-Gurion
' was the first Prime Minister of Israel.Ben-Gurion's passion for Zionism, which began early in life, led him to become a major Zionist leader and Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization in 1946...
, and, during his career, he worked in the service of 14 defense ministers.
Yisraeli's autobiography was published in 2005.
Awards
- In 1998, Yisraeli won the Israel PrizeIsrael PrizeThe Israel Prize is an award handed out by the State of Israel and is largely regarded as the state's highest honor. It is presented annually, on Israeli Independence Day, in a state ceremony in Jerusalem, in the presence of the President, the Prime Minister, the Knesset chairperson, and the...
, for his special contribution to society and state, presented during the 50th Independence Day celebrations in Israel.