Ya'akov Katz (politician born 1906)
Encyclopedia
Ya'akov Katz was an Israel
i politician who served as a member of the Knesset
for the Religious Torah Front
and Poalei Agudat Yisrael between 1955 and 1967.
in Galicia in Austria-Hungary
(today in Ukraine
, from 1919 to 1939 in Poland
), Katz received an ultra-Orthodox
education, and joined Young Agudat Yisrael.
He made aliyah
to Mandate Palestine in 1934, and settled in Haifa
, where he became secretary of the local branch of Poalei Agudat Yisrael. He also served as director of the organisation's Immigrant Absorption Department for the north of the country.
During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
Katz served as a member of the Situation Committee and Mobilization Committee. In 1950 he was elected to Haifa city council, on which he served until 1967. The following year he became a member of its directorate (on which he remanied until 1967) and deputy mayor, a position he held until 1959.
In 1955
he was elected to the Knesset on the Religious Torah Front
list, an alliance of Agudat Yisrael and Poalei Agudat Yisrael. He was re-elected in 1959
, 1961
and 1965
. He died in office on 21 December 1967, his seat taken by Avraham Verdiger
.
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 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...
and Poalei Agudat Yisrael between 1955 and 1967.
Biography
Born in ZolochivZolochiv
Zolochiv is a town located in the Lviv Oblast of western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Zolochiv Raion ....
in Galicia 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 Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, from 1919 to 1939 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...
), Katz received an ultra-Orthodox
Haredi Judaism
Haredi or Charedi/Chareidi Judaism is the most conservative form of Orthodox Judaism, often referred to as ultra-Orthodox. A follower of Haredi Judaism is called a Haredi ....
education, and joined Young Agudat Yisrael.
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 Mandate Palestine in 1934, and settled in Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
, where he became secretary of the local branch of Poalei Agudat Yisrael. He also served as director of the organisation's Immigrant Absorption Department for the north of the country.
During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
1948 Arab-Israeli War
The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...
Katz served as a member of the Situation Committee and Mobilization Committee. In 1950 he was elected to Haifa city council, on which he served until 1967. The following year he became a member of its directorate (on which he remanied until 1967) and deputy mayor, a position he held until 1959.
In 1955
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...
he was elected to the Knesset 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. He was re-elected in 1959
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....
, 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...
and 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...
. He died in office on 21 December 1967, his seat taken by Avraham Verdiger
Avraham Verdiger
Avraham Verdiger is a former Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset for several ultra-Orthodox parties between 1965 and 1996.-Biography:Born in Łódź in Poland, Verdiger made aliyah as a Zionist returnee to Mandate Palestine in 1947...
.