Avraham Shekhterman
Encyclopedia
Avraham Shekhterman was an Israel
i politician who served as a member of the Knesset
for Gahal
and Likud
between 1969 and 1977.
in the Russian Empire
(today in Ukraine
), Shekhterman made aliyah
to Mandate Palestine in 1924. He attended high school in Tel Aviv
and in 1927 he joined Betar
, later becoming one of its commanders. He studied civil engineering at Ghent University
, where he chaired the Jewish Students Organisation, as well as working as a Betar instructor in Antwerp.
He helped establish Kfar Yabetz
in 1932. In 1936 he joined the Betar faction of the Haganah
, later becoming an Irgun
member after it broke away from the Haganah. In 1938 he became political editor of the HaMashkif
newspaper, the publication of the Revisionist Party
. He also served as a member of the Assembly of Representatives.
Shekhterman was involved in promoting aviationin Palestine, and chaired the Tel Aviv Pilots Club between 1939 and 1945. Between 1943 and 1946 he managed the Potash Company at the Dead Sea
.
In 1955 he was elected to Tel Aviv city council, on which he remained until 1965. Between 1957 and 1959 he was deputy mayor. In 1969
he was elected to the Knesset on the Gahal list. He was re-elected in 1973
, by which time Gahal had merged into Likud, but lost his seat in the 1977 elections
.
He died in 1986
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 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:...
and Likud
Likud
Likud is the major center-right political party in Israel. It was founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin in an alliance with several right-wing and liberal parties. Likud's victory in the 1977 elections was a major turning point in the country's political history, marking the first time the left had...
between 1969 and 1977.
Biography
Born in OdessaOdessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
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 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...
), Shekhterman 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 1924. He attended high school in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
and in 1927 he joined Betar
Betar
The Betar Movement is a Revisionist Zionist youth movement founded in 1923 in Riga, Latvia, by Vladimir Jabotinsky. It has been traditionally linked to the original Herut and then Likud political parties of Israel, and was closely affiliated with the pre-Israel Revisionist Zionist splinter group...
, later becoming one of its commanders. He studied civil engineering at Ghent University
Ghent University
Ghent University is a Dutch-speaking public university located in Ghent, Belgium. It is one of the larger Flemish universities, consisting of 32,000 students and 7,100 staff members. The current rector is Paul Van Cauwenberge.It was established in 1817 by King William I of the Netherlands...
, where he chaired the Jewish Students Organisation, as well as working as a Betar instructor in Antwerp.
He helped establish Kfar Yabetz
Kfar Yabetz
Kfar Yabetz is a religious moshav in central Israel. Located in the Sharon plain near Tayibe, it falls under the jurisdiction of Lev HaSharon Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 494....
in 1932. In 1936 he joined the Betar faction of the Haganah
Haganah
Haganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, which later became the core of the Israel Defense Forces.- Origins :...
, later becoming an Irgun
Irgun
The Irgun , or Irgun Zevai Leumi to give it its full title , was a Zionist paramilitary group that operated in Mandate Palestine between 1931 and 1948. It was an offshoot of the earlier and larger Jewish paramilitary organization haHaganah...
member after it broke away from the Haganah. In 1938 he became political editor of the HaMashkif
HaMashkif
HaMashkif was a Hebrew language daily newspaper in Mandate Palestine. Published between 1938 and 1948, it was owned by Hatzohar, the Revisionist party....
newspaper, the publication of the Revisionist Party
Hatzohar
Hatzohar , officially Brit HaTzionim HaRevizionistim was a Revisionist Zionist organisation and political party in Mandate Palestine and newly-independent Israel.-Background:...
. He also served as a member of the Assembly of Representatives.
Shekhterman was involved in promoting aviationin Palestine, and chaired the Tel Aviv Pilots Club between 1939 and 1945. Between 1943 and 1946 he managed the Potash Company at the Dead Sea
Dead Sea
The Dead Sea , also called the Salt Sea, is a salt lake bordering Jordan to the east and Israel and the West Bank to the west. Its surface and shores are below sea level, the lowest elevation on the Earth's surface. The Dead Sea is deep, the deepest hypersaline lake in the world...
.
In 1955 he was elected to Tel Aviv city council, on which he remained until 1965. Between 1957 and 1959 he was deputy mayor. In 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...
he was elected to the Knesset on the Gahal list. He was re-elected in 1973
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...
, by which time Gahal had merged into Likud, but lost 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...
.
He died in 1986