Yosef Shofman
Encyclopedia
Yosef Shofman was an Israel
i politician and diplomat who served as a member of the Knesset
for Herut
and Gahal
between 1955 and 1969, and as the country's ambassador to Venezuela
between 1971 and 1974.
in the Russian Empire
(today in Poland
), Shofman studied law at the University of Warsaw
and was certified as a lawyer. He was a member of Hashomer Hatzair
during his youth, and in 1923 joined the Yardenia Zionist student movement. Between 1925 and 1926 he worked as director of the Jewish National Fund
's newspaper bureau in Poland, and from 1926 until 1927 worked as a journalist for a Polish language newspaper in Paris
.
He joined Hatzohar
, and in 1930 was elected to its national central committee. In 1937 he became chairman of the Polish branch of the New Zionist Organization.
In 1940 he made aliyah
to Mandate Palestine, where he managed the Adif cosmetics factory. He also managed the Urieli company, and was chairman of the boar of Oztar HaAmami. In 1946 he was elected chairman of the Palestine branch of the New Zionist Organization, and in the same year was arrested by the British authorities. In 1947 he travelled to South Africa as a Revisionist emissary.
In 1955
he was elected to the Knesset on the Herut list. He was re-elected in 1959
, 1961
and 1965
, before losing his seat in the 1969 elections
. Between 1964 and 1966 he served as chairman of Herut's directorate.
In 1971 he was appointed ambassador to Venezuela, remaining in post until 1974.
He died in 1978 at the age of 75.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i politician and diplomat 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 Herut
Herut
Herut was the major right-wing political party in Israel from the 1940s until its formal merger into Likud in 1988, and an adherent of Revisionist Zionism.-History:...
and Gahal
Gahal
Gahal , lit. Herut-Liberals Bloc) was the major right-wing political faction in Israel led by Menachem Begin from its founding in 1965 until it merged into Likud in 1973.-Background:...
between 1955 and 1969, and as the country's ambassador to Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
between 1971 and 1974.
Biography
Born in WarsawWarsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
in the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
(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...
), Shofman studied law at the University of Warsaw
University of Warsaw
The University of Warsaw is the largest university in Poland and one of the most prestigious, ranked as best Polish university in 2010 and 2011...
and was certified as a lawyer. He was a member of 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...
during his youth, and in 1923 joined the Yardenia Zionist student movement. Between 1925 and 1926 he worked as director of the Jewish National Fund
Jewish National Fund
The Jewish National Fund was founded in 1901 to buy and develop land in Ottoman Palestine for Jewish settlement. The JNF is a quasi-governmental, non-profit organisation...
's newspaper bureau in Poland, and from 1926 until 1927 worked as a journalist for a Polish language newspaper in 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...
.
He joined Hatzohar
Hatzohar
Hatzohar , officially Brit HaTzionim HaRevizionistim was a Revisionist Zionist organisation and political party in Mandate Palestine and newly-independent Israel.-Background:...
, and in 1930 was elected to its national central committee. In 1937 he became chairman of the Polish branch of the New Zionist Organization.
In 1940 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, where he managed the Adif cosmetics factory. He also managed the Urieli company, and was chairman of the boar of Oztar HaAmami. In 1946 he was elected chairman of the Palestine branch of the New Zionist Organization, and in the same year was arrested by the British authorities. In 1947 he travelled to South Africa as a Revisionist emissary.
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 Herut list. 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...
, before losing his seat in 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...
. Between 1964 and 1966 he served as chairman of Herut's directorate.
In 1971 he was appointed ambassador to Venezuela, remaining in post until 1974.
He died in 1978 at the age of 75.