Shlomo-Ya'akov Gross
Encyclopedia
Shlomo-Ya'akov Gross was an Israel
i politician who served as a member of the Knesset
for Agudat Yisrael and the Religious Torah Front
in several spells between 1959 and 1981.
, Gross was educated at a heder and yeshiva
s, and was a member of Young Agudat Yisrael in Translyvania, later becoming the secretary of the Transylvanian branch of Agudat Yisrael. During World War II
he was imprisoned in a forced labour camp, and his wife and two children were killed in Auschwitz. After his camp was liberated by the Red Army
, he and some friends established an absorption centre for Holocaust orphans and orphans of the Theresienstadt concentration camp
explusion.
In 1950 he made aliyah
to Israel
, where he worked for the Central Bureau of Statistics
. He was on the Religious Torah Front
list (an alliance of Agudat Yisrael and Poalei Agudat Yisrael) for the 1955 elections
, but failed to win a seat. However, he entered the Knesset on 2 March 1959 as a replacement for the deceased Zalman Ben-Ya'akov
. Although he lost his seat in the November 1959 elections
, he returned to the Knesset as a replacement for the deceased Binyamin Mintz
on 30 May 1961. He retained his seat in elections in 1961
, 1965
and 1969
, but resigned his seat on 27 November 1972, and was replaced by Ya'akov Mizrahi
.
Gross was given a place on the Religious Torah Front for the 1973 elections
, but failed to win a seat. However, he returned to the Knesset again on 23 November 1975 as a replacement for Menachem Porush
. He went on to retain his seat in the 1977 elections
, but lost it for a final time in the 1981 elections
. During his tenure in the Knesset he was involved in trying to eliminate the court oath
and to save moshav Kfar Gidon
from collapse.
He died in 2003 at the age 0f 94.
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 Agudat Yisrael and the Religious Torah Front
Religious Torah Front
The Religious Torah Front was a political alliance in Israel composed of Agudat Yisrael and Poalei Agudat Yisrael.-History:The Religious Torah Front was formed when the Ultra-orthodox parties Agudat Yisrael and Poalei Agudat Yisrael decided to fight the 1955 elections on a joint list.In the...
in several spells between 1959 and 1981.
Biography
Born in the Hungarian part of Austria-HungaryAustria-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...
, Gross was educated at 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...
s, and was a member of Young Agudat Yisrael in Translyvania, later becoming the secretary of the Transylvanian branch of Agudat Yisrael. 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 was imprisoned in a forced labour camp, and his wife and two children were killed in Auschwitz. After his camp was liberated by the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
, he and some friends established an absorption centre for Holocaust orphans and orphans of the Theresienstadt concentration camp
Theresienstadt concentration camp
Theresienstadt concentration camp was a Nazi German ghetto during World War II. It was established by the Gestapo in the fortress and garrison city of Terezín , located in what is now the Czech Republic.-History:The fortress of Terezín was constructed between the years 1780 and 1790 by the orders...
explusion.
In 1950 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
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, where he worked for the Central Bureau of Statistics
Israel Central Bureau of Statistics
The Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , abbreviated CBS, is an Israeli government office established in 1949 to carry out research and publish statistical data on all aspects of Israeli life, including population, society, economy, industry, education and physical infrastructure.It is headed by a...
. He was on the Religious Torah Front
Religious Torah Front
The Religious Torah Front was a political alliance in Israel composed of Agudat Yisrael and Poalei Agudat Yisrael.-History:The Religious Torah Front was formed when the Ultra-orthodox parties Agudat Yisrael and Poalei Agudat Yisrael decided to fight the 1955 elections on a joint list.In the...
list (an alliance of Agudat Yisrael and Poalei Agudat Yisrael) for the 1955 elections
Israeli legislative election, 1955
Elections for the third Knesset were held in Israel on 26 July 1955. Voter turnout was 82.8%.-Results:Mapai retained its plurality in the Knesset, although its share of the vote dropped by 5.1 and its share of seats dropped from 47 to 40...
, but failed to win a seat. However, he entered the Knesset on 2 March 1959 as a replacement for the deceased Zalman Ben-Ya'akov
Zalman Ben-Ya'akov
Zalman Ben-Ya'akov was an Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset for Agudat Yisrael and the Religious Torah Front between 1953 and 1959.-Biography:...
. Although he lost his seat in the November 1959 elections
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 returned to the Knesset as a replacement for the deceased Binyamin Mintz
Binyamin Mintz
Binyamin Mintz was an Israeli politician who served briefly as Minister of Postal Services From July 1960 until his death.-Biography:Born in Łódź in the Russian Empire , Mintz studied in a hasidic Ger school and was a member of Young Agudat Israel...
on 30 May 1961. He retained his seat in elections in 1961
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...
, 1965
Israeli legislative election, 1965
Elections for the sixth Knesset were held in Israel on 1 November 1965. Voter turnout was 85.9%.-Background:Prior to the elections, two major alliances were formed; Mapai and Ahdut HaAvoda united to form the Alignment, whilst Herut and the Liberal Party had formed the Gahal alliance towards the end...
and 1969
Israeli legislative election, 1969
Elections for the seventh Knesset were held in Israel on 28 October 1969. Voter turnout was 81.7%.-Results:¹ Meir Avizohar defected from the National List to the Alignment² Avner Shaki left the National Religious Party and remained a single MK...
, but resigned his seat on 27 November 1972, and was replaced by Ya'akov Mizrahi
Ya'akov Mizrahi
Ya'akov Mizrahi was an Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset for Agudat Yisrael between 1972 and 1974.-Biography:Mizrachi was born in Rehovot in 1919 to a family who had made aliyah from Yemen...
.
Gross was given a place on the Religious Torah Front for the 1973 elections
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...
, but failed to win a seat. However, he returned to the Knesset again on 23 November 1975 as a replacement for Menachem Porush
Menachem Porush
Menachem Porush was an Israel politician who served as a member of the Knesset for Agudat Yisrael and its alliances between 1959 and 1975, and again from 1977 until 1994.-Biography:...
. He went on to retain his seat in the 1977 elections
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...
, but lost it for a final time 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...
. During his tenure in the Knesset he was involved in trying to eliminate the court oath
Oath
An oath is either a statement of fact or a promise calling upon something or someone that the oath maker considers sacred, usually God, as a witness to the binding nature of the promise or the truth of the statement of fact. To swear is to take an oath, to make a solemn vow...
and to save moshav Kfar Gidon
Kfar Gidon
Kfar Gidon is a moshav in northern Israel. Located near Afula, it falls under the jurisdiction of Jezreel Valley Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 221....
from collapse.
He died in 2003 at the age 0f 94.