Hillel Seidel
Encyclopedia
Hillel Seidel was an Israel
i politician who served as a member of the Knesset
for the Independent Liberals
and Likud
between 1974 and 1981.
in Poland
, Seidel was educated in a heder and yeshiva
, before attending the College of Economic Studies in Vilnius
. A member of the Akiva youth movement, he was involved with the anti-Nazi underground movement in the Vilna Ghetto
, and headed the underground in the Klooga concentration camp
. After the war
he headed the Akiva movement in Poland until 1947, and was a commander of the Berihah
movement until the end of 1947.
In 1948 he made aliyah
to Israel, where he became head of the Immigrant Absorption department of the World Confederation of General Zionists
, a post he held until 1952. He also became secretary general of the HaOved HaTzioni
movement and a member of the Progressive Party
's directorate.
From 1952 until 1959 he was a member of the Histadrut
's organising committee, and head of its Pensions department, before becoming head of the union's Immigrant Absorption department, a post he held until 1973.
In 1973
he was elected to the Knesset on the Independent Liberals list. However, on 15 February 1977 he left the party to establish the Ahdut faction, joining Likud. He was re-elected later that year
on the Likud list and chaired the Public Petitions Committee. He lost his seat in the 1981 elections
.
He died in 1999 at the age of 78.
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 served as a member of 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...
for the Independent Liberals
Independent Liberals (Israel)
The Independent Liberals were a political party in Israel between the 1960s and 1980s.-History:The Independent Liberals party was formed during the fifth Knesset in the aftermath of the merger of the Liberal Party and Herut. Seven of the 17 Liberal Party MKs led by former Minister of Justice,...
and Likud
Likud
Likud is the major center-right political party in Israel. It was founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin in an alliance with several right-wing and liberal parties. Likud's victory in the 1977 elections was a major turning point in the country's political history, marking the first time the left had...
between 1974 and 1981.
Biography
Born in KrakówKraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
in 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...
, Seidel was educated in a heder and yeshiva
Yeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
, before attending the College of Economic Studies in Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
. A member of the Akiva youth movement, he was involved with the anti-Nazi underground movement in the Vilna Ghetto
Vilna Ghetto
The Vilna Ghetto or Vilnius Ghetto was a Jewish ghetto established by Nazi Germany in the city of Vilnius in the occupied Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic , during the Holocaust in World War II...
, and headed the underground in the Klooga concentration camp
Klooga concentration camp
Klooga was a Nazi labor subcamp of the Vaivara concentration camp complex established in September 1943 in Harju County, during World War II, in German-occupied Estonia near the northern Estonian village Klooga...
. 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...
he headed the Akiva movement in Poland until 1947, and was a commander of 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...
movement until the end of 1947.
In 1948 he 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 Israel, where he became head of the Immigrant Absorption department of the World Confederation of General Zionists
General Zionists
The General Zionists were centrists within the Zionist movement and a political party in Israel. Their political arm is an ancestor of the modern-day Likud.-History:...
, a post he held until 1952. He also became secretary general of the HaOved HaTzioni
HaOved HaTzioni
HaOved HaTzioni is a settlement movement in Israel.The movement was established in 1936 by former members of HaNoar HaTzioni, and its first settlement, kibbutz Usha, was founded on 7 November 1937. In 1948 the movement was one of the factions that established the Progressive Party....
movement and a member of the Progressive Party
Progressive Party (Israel)
The Progressive Party was a political party in Israel.-History:The Progressive Party was a liberal party, most of whose founders came from the ranks of the New Aliyah Party and HaOved HaTzioni, which had been active prior to independence...
's directorate.
From 1952 until 1959 he was a member of the Histadrut
Histadrut
HaHistadrut HaKlalit shel HaOvdim B'Eretz Yisrael , known as the Histadrut, is Israel's organization of trade unions. Established in December 1920 during the British Mandate for Palestine, it became one of the most powerful institutions of the State of Israel.-History:The Histadrut was founded in...
's organising committee, and head of its Pensions department, before becoming head of the union's Immigrant Absorption department, a post he held until 1973.
In 1973
Israeli legislative election, 1973
The Elections for the eighth Knesset were held on 31 December 1973. Voter turnout was 78.6%.-Results:1 Aryeh Eliav left the Alignment and merged with Ratz to form Ya'ad - Civil Rights Movement...
he was elected to the Knesset on the Independent Liberals list. However, on 15 February 1977 he left the party to establish the Ahdut faction, joining Likud. He was re-elected later that year
Israeli legislative election, 1977
The Elections for the ninth Knesset were held on 17 May 1977. For the first time in Israeli political history, the right-wing, led by Likud, won the election, ending almost 30 years of rule by the left-wing Alignment and its predecessor, Mapai...
on the Likud list and chaired the Public Petitions Committee. He lost his seat in the 1981 elections
Israeli legislative election, 1981
Elections for the tenth Knesset were held in Israel on 30 June 1981. Despite last minute polls suggesting a victory for Shimon Peres's Alignment, Menachem Begin's Likud won by just one seat...
.
He died in 1999 at the age of 78.