Shai Hermesh
Encyclopedia
Shai Hermesh is an Israel
i politician who currently serves as a member of the Knesset
for Kadima
.
in 1944, Hermesh spent his military service
in the Nahal
and the paratroop brigade. With the conclusion of his military service in 1965, he became a member of kibbutz Kfar Aza
, situated on the Gaza Strip
border. A year later, in the Six-Day War
, Hermesh served as a combat soldier in the paratroop brigade, under the command of colonel Motta Gur in the battle to capture Jerusalem.
From 1967 to 1972 Hermesh studied economics and sociology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
, gaining a BA, and later acquired an MBA from the same university. During his studies, he was community manager in his kibbutz as well as a member of the United Kibbutz Movement secretariat.
In the Yom Kippur War
in 1973, Hermesh was a combat soldier in the paratroop force that crossed the Suez Canal under the command of General Ariel Sharon
. After the conflict, Hermesh served as the economics manager of Kfar Aza for three years, followed by another five years as the finance director of Kafrit, a company producing raw material for the plastics industry. At the end of his term of office, he embarked on studies towards a doctorate in the history of the Jewish People in the modern era.
In 1987, after two years during which he was responsible for growing and marketing agricultural produce for export from the Negev
farms, Hermesh was elected mayor of the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council
, a position which he retained until 2003. During his time as mayor the council won the Gold Prize for excellence in financial management for six consecutive years, which led to him being given the Knight of Quality Government Award. Hermesh also held the position of Chairman of the Executive Committee of Sapir Academic College
in Sderot
. At the same time, he served as a member of the forum of the Broadcasting National Authority and on the National Parks authority, as well as helping to establish Ibim
, a new village in the Negev
for students during the post-1990 mass immigration from the Former Soviet Union.
Before the 2006 elections Hermesh left the Labour Party in which he had been active for forty years and joined the new Kadima
party. Even before, as a treasurer of the Jewish Agency, he collaborated with Sharon and played a crucial part in defeating the candidacy of Natan Sharansky to the post of the Chairman of the Jewish Agency, which went to Sharon's ally Zeev Bielsky instead. He won 30th place on the party's Knesset list, but narrowly missed out on winning a seat as the party picked up only 29 mandates. However, Kadima MK Uriel Reichman
resigned almost immediately after the election after he was not given the Education ministry portfolio he had been promised before the elections (it went to Labour's Yuli Tamir
instead). As the next placed candidate on the party's list, Hermesh replaced him in the Knesset.
Placed twenty-fourth on the Kadima list, Hermesh retained his seat in the 2009 elections
.
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 currently serves 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 Kadima
Kadima
Kadima is a centrist and liberal political party in Israel. It was established on 24 November 2005 by moderates from Likud largely to support the issue of Ariel Sharon's unilateral disengagement plan, and was soon joined by like-minded Labor politicians...
.
Biography
Born in Tel AvivTel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
in 1944, Hermesh spent his military service
Military service
Military service, in its simplest sense, is service by an individual or group in an army or other militia, whether as a chosen job or as a result of an involuntary draft . Some nations require a specific amount of military service from every citizen...
in the Nahal
Nahal
Nahal is an Israel Defense Forces infantry brigade. Historically, it refers to a program that combines military service and establishment of new agricultural settlements, often in outlying areas...
and the paratroop brigade. With the conclusion of his military service in 1965, he became a member of kibbutz Kfar Aza
Kfar Aza
Kfar Aza is a kibbutz in southern Israel. Located between Netivot and Sderot around three kilometres east of Gaza, it falls under the jurisdiction of Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council...
, situated on the Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
border. A year later, in the Six-Day War
Six-Day War
The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...
, Hermesh served as a combat soldier in the paratroop brigade, under the command of colonel Motta Gur in the battle to capture Jerusalem.
From 1967 to 1972 Hermesh studied economics and sociology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
, gaining a BA, and later acquired an MBA from the same university. During his studies, he was community manager in his kibbutz as well as a member of the United Kibbutz Movement secretariat.
In the Yom Kippur War
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
in 1973, Hermesh was a combat soldier in the paratroop force that crossed the Suez Canal under the command of General Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon is an Israeli statesman and retired general, who served as Israel’s 11th Prime Minister. He has been in a permanent vegetative state since suffering a stroke on 4 January 2006....
. After the conflict, Hermesh served as the economics manager of Kfar Aza for three years, followed by another five years as the finance director of Kafrit, a company producing raw material for the plastics industry. At the end of his term of office, he embarked on studies towards a doctorate in the history of the Jewish People in the modern era.
In 1987, after two years during which he was responsible for growing and marketing agricultural produce for export from the Negev
Negev
The Negev is a desert and semidesert region of southern Israel. The Arabs, including the native Bedouin population of the region, refer to the desert as al-Naqab. The origin of the word Neghebh is from the Hebrew root denoting 'dry'...
farms, Hermesh was elected mayor of the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council
Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council
The Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council , is a regional council in the north-western Negev, in Israel's Southern District. The Regional Council's territory lies midway between Beersheba and Ashkelon, bounded on the west by the Gaza Strip. The eastern border abuts Bnei Shimon...
, a position which he retained until 2003. During his time as mayor the council won the Gold Prize for excellence in financial management for six consecutive years, which led to him being given the Knight of Quality Government Award. Hermesh also held the position of Chairman of the Executive Committee of Sapir Academic College
Sapir Academic College
Sapir College is a college located next to Sderot, in the northern negev of Israel. It has around 8,000 students. Its president is Zeev Tzahor....
in Sderot
Sderot
Sderot is a western Negev city in the Southern District of Israel. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2009 the city had a total population of 20,700. The city has been an ongoing target of Qassam rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip...
. At the same time, he served as a member of the forum of the Broadcasting National Authority and on the National Parks authority, as well as helping to establish Ibim
Ibim
Ibim is a student village in southern Israel. Located near Sderot, it falls under the jurisdiction of Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council.The village was established in 1992 in order to provide dwellings for immigrants from Ethiopia and the former Soviet Union who were studying at the nearby Sapir...
, a new village in the Negev
Negev
The Negev is a desert and semidesert region of southern Israel. The Arabs, including the native Bedouin population of the region, refer to the desert as al-Naqab. The origin of the word Neghebh is from the Hebrew root denoting 'dry'...
for students during the post-1990 mass immigration from the Former Soviet Union.
Before the 2006 elections Hermesh left the Labour Party in which he had been active for forty years and joined the new Kadima
Kadima
Kadima is a centrist and liberal political party in Israel. It was established on 24 November 2005 by moderates from Likud largely to support the issue of Ariel Sharon's unilateral disengagement plan, and was soon joined by like-minded Labor politicians...
party. Even before, as a treasurer of the Jewish Agency, he collaborated with Sharon and played a crucial part in defeating the candidacy of Natan Sharansky to the post of the Chairman of the Jewish Agency, which went to Sharon's ally Zeev Bielsky instead. He won 30th place on the party's Knesset list, but narrowly missed out on winning a seat as the party picked up only 29 mandates. However, Kadima MK Uriel Reichman
Uriel Reichman
-Biography:Born in Tel Aviv, during the Mandate era, Reichman studied law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, receiving an LLB in 1967 and an LLM in 1972. In 1975 he was awarded a JSD by the University of Chicago. Between 1985 and 1990 he worked as dean of the Faculty of Law at Tel Aviv...
resigned almost immediately after the election after he was not given the Education ministry portfolio he had been promised before the elections (it went to Labour's Yuli Tamir
Yuli Tamir
Yael "Yuli" Tamir is an Israeli academic and former politician who served as a member of the Knesset for the Labor Party between 2003 and 2010, and as Minister of Immigrant Absorption and Education.-Biography:...
instead). As the next placed candidate on the party's list, Hermesh replaced him in the Knesset.
Placed twenty-fourth on the Kadima list, Hermesh retained his seat in the 2009 elections
Israeli legislative election, 2009
Elections for the 18th Knesset were held in Israel on 10 February 2009. These elections became necessary due to the resignation of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as leader of the Kadima party, and the failure of his successor, Tzipi Livni, to form a coalition government...
.