Yisrael Barzilai
Encyclopedia
Yisrael Barzilai was an Israel
i politician who served as a government minister during the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s.
), Barzilai joined Hashomer Hatzair
at the age of 11. In 1932 he moved to Paris
to study, before making aliyah
to Mandate Palestine in 1934. In Palestine he joined the HeHalutz
movement, and in 1938 was elected head of the independent settlements department of Kibbutz Artzi. In 1939 he was one of the founders of kibbutz Negba
.
In 1947 he became secretary of the World Union of Mapam
. Between 1948 and 1951 he worked as the Israeli consul in Poland. After returning to Israel, he served as political secretary of Mapam between 1953 and 1955.
He was first elected to the Knesset
on Mapam
's list in 1955, and was appointed Minister of Health
in David Ben-Gurion
's government
. In November 1958 he also became Minister of Postal Services
after the National Religious Party
withdrew from the government. After the 1959 elections
he continued as Minister of Health.
Although he was re-elected in 1961, Mapam were excluded from the government
and Barzilai lost his cabinet
position. However, he did serve as Deputy Speaker of the Knesset. In the 1965 elections
he lost his seat, but was re-appointed Minister of Health by Levi Eshkol
. Following the 1969 elections
(in which he also failed to win a seat) he was appointed Minister without Portfolio
, serving until his death in June 1970. Following his death, the hospital in Ashkelon
(whose cornerstone he had laid in 1961) was renamed Barzilai Medical Center
in his honour.
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 government minister during the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s.
Biography
Born in an area that was later to become part of PolandPoland
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...
), Barzilai 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...
at the age of 11. In 1932 he moved to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
to study, before making 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. In Palestine he joined the HeHalutz
Hehalutz
Hechalutz was an association of Jewish youth whose aim was to train its members to settle in the Land of Israel, which became an umbrella organization of the pioneering Zionist youth movements....
movement, and in 1938 was elected head of the independent settlements department of Kibbutz Artzi. In 1939 he was one of the founders of kibbutz Negba
Negba
Negba is a kibbutz in the northern Negev, Israel. Located near the cities of Kiryat Malakhi and Ashkelon, it falls under the jurisdiction of Yoav Regional Council...
.
In 1947 he became secretary of the World Union of 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...
. Between 1948 and 1951 he worked as the Israeli consul in Poland. After returning to Israel, he served as political secretary of Mapam between 1953 and 1955.
He was first elected to 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...
on 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...
's list in 1955, and was appointed Minister of Health
Health Minister of Israel
The Ministry of Health is a ministry in the Israeli government. The current Minister of Health is Binyamin Netanyahu of Likud.There is occasionally a Deputy Minister of Health...
in David Ben-Gurion
David Ben-Gurion
' was the first Prime Minister of Israel.Ben-Gurion's passion for Zionism, which began early in life, led him to become a major Zionist leader and Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization in 1946...
's government
Seventh government of Israel
The seventh government of Israel was formed by David Ben-Gurion on 3 November 1955 following the July 1955 elections. His coalition included Mapai, the National Religious Front, Mapam, Ahdut HaAvoda, and the Israeli Arab parties, the Democratic List for Israeli Arabs, Progress and Work and...
. In November 1958 he also became Minister of Postal Services
Communications Minister of Israel
The Communications Minister of Israel is the political head of the Israeli Ministry of Communications and a relatively minor position in the Israeli cabinet. The post was established in 1952, and until 1970 was known as the Minister of Postal Services...
after the National Religious Party
National Religious Party
The National Religious Party ) was a political party in Israel representing the religious Zionist movement. Formed in 1956, at the time of its dissolution in 2008, it was the second oldest surviving party in the country after Agudat Yisrael, and was part of every government coalition until 1992...
withdrew from the government. After the 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 continued as Minister of Health.
Although he was re-elected in 1961, Mapam were excluded from the government
Tenth government of Israel
The tenth government of Israel was formed on 2 November 1961 following the August elections. Although David Ben-Gurion was appointed Prime Minister, the government was actually formed by Minister of Finance, Levi Eshkol...
and Barzilai lost his cabinet
Cabinet of Israel
The Cabinet of Israel is a formal body composed of government officials called ministers, chosen and led by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister must appoint members based on the distribution of votes to political parties during legislative elections, and its composition must be approved by a...
position. However, he did serve as Deputy Speaker of the Knesset. In the 1965 elections
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 lost his seat, but was re-appointed Minister of Health by Levi Eshkol
Levi Eshkol
' served as the third Prime Minister of Israel from 1963 until his death from a heart attack in 1969. He was the first Israeli Prime Minister to die in office.-Biography:...
. Following the 1969 elections
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...
(in which he also failed to win a seat) he was appointed Minister without Portfolio
Minister without Portfolio
A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister that does not head a particular ministry...
, serving until his death in June 1970. Following his death, the hospital in Ashkelon
Ashkelon
Ashkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
(whose cornerstone he had laid in 1961) was renamed Barzilai Medical Center
Barzilai Medical Center
Barzilai Medical Center is a 490-bed hospital in Ashkelon in southern Israel. The Hospital serves a population of 500,000, including a large number of Ethiopian and Russian immigrants. It has 100,000 admissions annually.-History:...
in his honour.