Mordechai Bentov
Mordechai Bentov | |
|---|---|
 Bentov in 1951 | |
| Ministerial roles | |
| 1948–1949 | Minister of Labour & Construction |
| 1955–1961 | Minister of Development |
| 1966–1969 | Minister of Housing |
| Faction represented in the Knesset | |
| 1949–1965 | Mapam |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 28 March 1900 Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Russian Empire |
| Died | 18 January 1985 (aged 84) Mishmar HaEmek, Israel |
Mordechai Bentov (Hebrew: מרדכי בנטוב, 28 March 1900 – 18 January 1985) was an Israeli journalist and politician. He was one of the signatories of the Israeli declaration of independence.
Biography
[edit]Bentov was born Mordechai Gutgeld in Grodzisk Mazowiecki in the Russian Empire (now in Poland). After attending a gymnasium he studied law for two years at the University of Warsaw, and was one of the founding members and leaders of Hashomer Hatzair in Poland.[1] He immigrated to Mandatory Palestine in 1920, and continued studying law in Jerusalem.[1] He had a younger sister, Shulamit, who followed him to Palestine in 1923 and went on to become a director and producer of kibbutz theatre for Kibbutz Mishmar HaEmek and other communal settlements.[2]
Bentov later said that he first encountered the "Arab-Jewish problem" during the events of 1921, saying "I was set up, armed with a gun, to defend a Jewish neighborhood in Jaffa. I saw in the distance a lot of Arab villagers with sticks and stones, marching to riot against the Jews. After them I saw women carrying sacks – to collect the loot."[3] He was amongst the founders of Kibbutz Artzi, and was a member of Mishmar HaEmek kibbutz.[1] By this time he had risen to the leadership of Hashomer Hatzair, and was one of its representatives in the Histadrut and the World Zionist Organization.[1] He was also one of the Jewish Agency delegation to the United Nations in 1947.[1]
Political career
[edit]
On 14 May 1948 Bentov was one of the 37 people to sign Israel's declaration of independence, and was appointed Minister of Labour and Construction in the provisional government.[1] In 1949 he was elected to the first Knesset as a member of Mapam. He was re-elected in 1951 and 1955, after which he was appointed Minister of Development, a post he held until 1961.[1] Although he lost his seat in the 1965 elections, he was appointed Minister of Housing by Levi Eshkol, remaining in the position until 1969.[2]
He died at his home in Mishmar HaEmek on 18 January 1985 aged 84, and was buried on the kibbutz.[2][4] His sister Shulamit died the following month and was also buried at Mishmar HaEmek.[2]
Bibliography
[edit]- Israel's Economy at a Crossroads (1962) (Hebrew)
- Israel, the Palestinians and the Left (1971) (Hebrew)
- Days Will Tell: Memories from the Decisive Period (1984) (Hebrew)
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g Mordechai Bentov Knesset
- ^ a b c d Carmel-Hakim, Esther (1 March 2009). "Shulamit Bat-Dori". Jewish Women: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia. Jewish Women's Archive. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
- ^ Mordechai Bentov, Israel, the Palestinians and the Left, p10
- ^ "Mordechai Bentov Dead at 84". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 21 January 1985. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
External links
[edit]- Mordechai Bentov on the Knesset website
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| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
- 1900 births
- 1985 deaths
- People from Grodzisk Mazowiecki
- Jews from the Russian Empire
- Jewish socialists
- Polish emigrants to Mandatory Palestine
- Hashomer Hatzair members
- Mapam politicians
- Members of the Assembly of Representatives (Mandatory Palestine)
- Signatories of the Israeli Declaration of Independence
- Members of the 1st Knesset (1949–1951)
- Members of the 2nd Knesset (1951–1955)
- Members of the 3rd Knesset (1955–1959)
- Members of the 4th Knesset (1959–1961)
- Members of the 5th Knesset (1961–1965)
- 20th-century Israeli journalists
- Ministers of development of Israel
- Ministers of housing of Israel
- Ministers of labour of Israel
- Immigrants of the Third Aliyah