Beba Idelson
Encyclopedia
Beba Idelson was a Zionist activist and Israel
i politician.
(now Dnipropetrovsk
, Ukraine
) in 1895. When she was eight, her mother died giving birth to her thirteenth child and at the age of fourteen she lost her father, Yitzhak, as well, and so she, along with her grandmother and brother, had to support the family. In 1912 she graduated from high school, and went on to study Economics and Social Sciences at the University in Ukraine. In 1913, shaken by the Beilis trial, she became interested in Zionism an in 1915 she joined the “Youth of Zion” (later to be merged into Hashomer Hatzair
). In 1917 she joined the Zionist Socialist Party and married Yisrael Idelson (later Yisrael Bar-Yehuda), a senior party member. For their Zionist activism they were banished to Siberia
. That year she also gave birth to the couple's only daughter, Rebecca. In 1924, thanks to an intercession by Maxim Gorki's wife, their banishment was converted to deportation to Eretz Israel.
Between 1924 and 1926 she was active in the World Union of Socialist Zionists in Europe
, and in 1926 they immigrated to the British Mandate of Palestine. Yisrael worked for the party and became secretary of the workers of Petah Tikva
while Beba worked in agriculture (she would later divorce Idelson and marry Haim Halperin). From 1927 to 1928 she worked as a statistician for the World Zionist Organization
and then joined the Ahdut HaAvoda
party. In 1930 she became secretary of the “Council of Working Women” and led several women's organizations. She was a delegate to the Jewish National Council and contacted many socialist leaders, arguably including Leon Trotsky
in Mexico
in October 1937.
During World War II
she and Hadassah Samuel from the Women's International Zionist Organization
were the prime movers behind the volunteering of Jewish women from the Yishuv
to the British army
. A total of 3,200 women served in the Auxiliary Territorial Service
, and 789 in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force
.
After the State of Israel was established in 1948 she was a member of the Provisional State Council
and also headed the Flag and Emblem Committee, which eventually chose the Emblem of Israel. She was then elected to the first five Knesset
s for Mapai
(from 1949 to 1965). She was a member of the Constitution, Law and Justice, House, Foreign Affairs & Defense and Labor Committees. She promoted social reforms and women's equality and opposed the religious coercion
. She also supported applying the mandatory draft to the IDF
to women as well as men. In 1960 she was chairwoman of the Histadrut
's ninth Committee and was its member until 1965. From 1968 to 1975 she was chairwoman of the World Movement of Pioneer Women. She retired from the Council of Working Women in 1974. She died in 1975.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i politician.
Biography
Trakhtenbereg was born in Ekaterinoslav in the Russian EmpireRussian 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...
(now Dnipropetrovsk
Dnipropetrovsk
Dnipropetrovsk or Dnepropetrovsk formerly Yekaterinoslav is Ukraine's third largest city with one million inhabitants. It is located southeast of Ukraine's capital Kiev on the Dnieper River, in the south-central region of the country...
, 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...
) in 1895. When she was eight, her mother died giving birth to her thirteenth child and at the age of fourteen she lost her father, Yitzhak, as well, and so she, along with her grandmother and brother, had to support the family. In 1912 she graduated from high school, and went on to study Economics and Social Sciences at the University in Ukraine. In 1913, shaken by the Beilis trial, she became interested in Zionism an in 1915 she joined the “Youth of Zion” (later to be merged into 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...
). In 1917 she joined the Zionist Socialist Party and married Yisrael Idelson (later Yisrael Bar-Yehuda), a senior party member. For their Zionist activism they were banished to Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
. That year she also gave birth to the couple's only daughter, Rebecca. In 1924, thanks to an intercession by Maxim Gorki's wife, their banishment was converted to deportation to Eretz Israel.
Between 1924 and 1926 she was active in the World Union of Socialist Zionists in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and in 1926 they immigrated to the British Mandate of Palestine. Yisrael worked for the party and became secretary of the workers of Petah Tikva
Petah Tikva
Petah Tikva known as Em HaMoshavot , is a city in the Center District of Israel, east of Tel Aviv.According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, at the end of 2009, the city's population stood at 209,600. The population density is approximately...
while Beba worked in agriculture (she would later divorce Idelson and marry Haim Halperin). From 1927 to 1928 she worked as a statistician for the World Zionist Organization
World Zionist Organization
The World Zionist Organization , or WZO, was founded as the Zionist Organization , or ZO, in 1897 at the First Zionist Congress, held from August 29 to August 31 in Basel, Switzerland...
and then joined the Ahdut HaAvoda
Ahdut HaAvoda
Ahdut HaAvoda was the name used by a sequence of political parties that existed firstly during Mandate Palestine and later in Israel. Its original version, led by David Ben-Gurion, is one of the main ancestors of the modern-day Israeli Labor Party....
party. In 1930 she became secretary of the “Council of Working Women” and led several women's organizations. She was a delegate to the Jewish National Council and contacted many socialist leaders, arguably including Leon Trotsky
Leon Trotsky
Leon Trotsky , born Lev Davidovich Bronshtein, was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and theorist, Soviet politician, and the founder and first leader of the Red Army....
in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
in October 1937.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
she and Hadassah Samuel from the Women's International Zionist Organization
Women's International Zionist Organization
The Women's International Zionist Organization , is a volunteer organization dedicated to social welfare in all sectors of Israeli society, the advancement of the status of women, and Jewish education in Israel and the Diaspora.-History:...
were the prime movers behind the volunteering of Jewish women from the Yishuv
Yishuv
The Yishuv or Ha-Yishuv is the term referring to the body of Jewish residents in Palestine before the establishment of the State of Israel...
to the British army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. A total of 3,200 women served in the Auxiliary Territorial Service
Auxiliary Territorial Service
The Auxiliary Territorial Service was the women's branch of the British Army during the Second World War...
, and 789 in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force
Women's Auxiliary Air Force
The Women's Auxiliary Air Force , whose members were invariably referred to as Waafs , was the female auxiliary of the Royal Air Force during World War II, established in 1939. At its peak strength, in 1943, WAAF numbers exceeded 180,000, with over 2,000 women enlisting per week.A Women's Royal Air...
.
After the State of Israel was established in 1948 she was a member of the Provisional State Council
Provisional State Council
The Provisional State Council was the temporary legislature of Israel from shortly before independence until the election of the first Knesset in January 1949...
and also headed the Flag and Emblem Committee, which eventually chose the Emblem of Israel. She was then elected to the first five 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...
s for Mapai
Mapai
Mapai was a left-wing political party in Israel, and was the dominant force in Israeli politics until its merger into the Israeli Labor Party in 1968...
(from 1949 to 1965). She was a member of the Constitution, Law and Justice, House, Foreign Affairs & Defense and Labor Committees. She promoted social reforms and women's equality and opposed the religious coercion
Religion in Israel
Religion in Israel is a central feature of the country and plays a major role in shaping Israeli culture and lifestyle, and religion has played a central role in Israel's history. Israel is also the only country in the world where a majority of citizens are Jewish...
. She also supported applying the mandatory draft to the IDF
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
to women as well as men. In 1960 she was chairwoman of the Histadrut
Histadrut
HaHistadrut HaKlalit shel HaOvdim B'Eretz Yisrael , known as the Histadrut, is Israel's organization of trade unions. Established in December 1920 during the British Mandate for Palestine, it became one of the most powerful institutions of the State of Israel.-History:The Histadrut was founded in...
's ninth Committee and was its member until 1965. From 1968 to 1975 she was chairwoman of the World Movement of Pioneer Women. She retired from the Council of Working Women in 1974. She died in 1975.