Menachem Bader
Encyclopedia
Menachem Bader was a Labor Zionist
activist during the Mandate era, and later a politician who served as a member of the Knesset
.
in Austria-Hungary
(today in Poland
), Bader's family moved to Germany during his youth. He studied in a Gymnasium, before studying economics at the University of Cologne
. In 1920 the family made aliyah
to Palestine.
The year after immigrating, Bader became a member of the Haganah
planning committee. A member of the Histadrut
trade union, and later its Actions Committee, he was amongst the founders of the gar'in which established kibbutz Mizra
. He was also a member of Hapoel Hatzair
and HaMerkaz HaHakla'i
, and in 1930 joined Hashomer Hatzair
.
He was amongst the founders of the Solel Boneh
construction company, and was involved in developing industry in kibbutzim. He also served as a delegate to several Zionist congresses, and was a deputy member of the Zionist Actions Committee. During World War II
he served as an emissary of the Yishuv
's rescue committee.
Following independence in 1948 he worked as Director General of the Ministry of Labor and Construction. In 1949 he was elected to the first Knesset
on the Mapam
list, but lost his seat in the 1951 elections
. Between 1955 and 1962 he worked as Director General of the Ministry of Development
.
He died in 1985 at the age of 89.
Labor Zionism
Labor Zionism can be described as the major stream of the left wing of the Zionist movement. It was, for many years, the most significant tendency among Zionists and Zionist organizational structure...
activist during the Mandate era, and later a 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...
.
Biography
Born in DuklaDukla
Dukla ; , Duklya] is a town and an eponymous municipality in southeastern Poland, in the Subcarpathian Voivodship. The town is populated by 2,127 people . while the total population of the commune containing the town and the villages surrounding it is 16,640...
in Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
(today 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...
), Bader's family moved to Germany during his youth. He studied in a Gymnasium, before studying economics at the University of Cologne
University of Cologne
The University of Cologne is one of the oldest universities in Europe and, with over 44,000 students, one of the largest universities in Germany. The university is part of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, an association of Germany's leading research universities...
. In 1920 the family 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 Palestine.
The year after immigrating, Bader became a member of the Haganah
Haganah
Haganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, which later became the core of the Israel Defense Forces.- Origins :...
planning committee. 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...
trade union, and later its Actions Committee, he was amongst the founders of the gar'in which established kibbutz Mizra
Mizra
Mizra is a kibbutz in northern Israel. Located between Afula and Nazareth, it falls under the jurisdiction of Jezreel Valley Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 689.-History:...
. He was also a member of Hapoel Hatzair
Hapoel Hatzair
Hapoel Hatzair is a Zionist group which was active in Palestine from 1905 until 1930. They were founded by A.D. Gordon, Yosef Ahronowitz, Yosef Sprinzak and followed a non-Marxist, Zionist, socialist agenda. In accordance with A.D...
and HaMerkaz HaHakla'i
HaMerkaz HaHakla'i
HaMerkaz HaHakla'i is a settlement movement in Israel.The 151 members of HaMerkaz HaHakla'i are selected every four years by a conference of 501 members of the Agricultural Workers Union, which was established in 1919. The organisation is headed by a 21-member secretariat.After the Histadrut was...
, and in 1930 joined Hashomer Hatzair
Hashomer Hatzair
Hashomer Hatzair is a Socialist–Zionist youth movement founded in 1913 in Galicia, Austria-Hungary, and was also the name of the group's political party in the Yishuv in the pre-1948 British Mandate of Palestine...
.
He was amongst the founders of the Solel Boneh
Solel Boneh
Solel Boneh is the oldest, and one of the largest, construction and civil engineering companies in Israel.-History:Solel Boneh was founded in 1921 during the first conference of the General Histadrut, under the name of Batz , an acronym of Binyan veAvodot Tziburiot . Its first project was to pave...
construction company, and was involved in developing industry in kibbutzim. He also served as a delegate to several Zionist congresses, and was a deputy member of the Zionist Actions Committee. 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...
he served as an emissary of the Yishuv
Yishuv
The Yishuv or Ha-Yishuv is the term referring to the body of Jewish residents in Palestine before the establishment of the State of Israel...
's rescue committee.
Following independence in 1948 he worked as Director General of the Ministry of Labor and Construction. In 1949 he was elected to the first Knesset
Israeli legislative election, 1949
Elections for the Constituent Assembly were held in newly independent Israel on 25 January 1949. Voter turnout was 86.9%. Two days after its first meeting on 14 February 1949, legislators voted to change the name of the body to the Knesset...
on the Mapam
Mapam
Mapam was a political party in Israel and is one of the ancestors of the modern-day Meretz party.-History:Mapam was formed by a January 1948 merger of the Hashomer Hatzair Workers Party and Ahdut HaAvoda Poale Zion Movement. The party was originally Marxist-Zionist in its outlook and represented...
list, but lost his seat in the 1951 elections
Israeli legislative election, 1951
Elections for the second Knesset were held in Israel on 30 July 1951. Voter turnout was 75.1%.-Results:¹ Rostam Bastuni, Avraham Berman and Moshe Sneh left Mapam and set up the Left Faction. Bastuni later returned to Mapam whilst Berman and Sneh joined Maki. Hannah Lamdan and David Livschitz left...
. Between 1955 and 1962 he worked as Director General of the Ministry 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 1985 at the age of 89.