Shlomo-Yisrael Ben-Meir
Encyclopedia
Shlomo-Yisrael Ben-Meir was an Israel
i politician who served as a member of the Knesset from 1952 until his death.
in the Russian Empire
(today in Poland
), Ben-Meir was educated at the Yitzchak Elchanan yeshiva
, before studying at Yeshiva University
and New York University
. He was certified as a rabbi, and was awarded a doctorate in law. He worked as a lawyer in New York
until 1940, when he became rabbi of Hartford
in Connecticut
. Between 1937 and 1941 he was a member of the board of directors of the American branches of the Jewish National Fund
and Keren Hayesod
.
In 1950 he made aliyah
to Israel
. In the same year he became world chairman of the Mizrachi movement
, and in Israel was chairman of the national council. He was given a place on the list of the organisation's political branch
for the 1951 elections
, but failed to win a seat. However, he entered the Knesset on 14 August 1952 as a replacement for the deceased David-Zvi Pinkas
, and on 5 January 1953 was appointed Deputy Minister of Welfare, serving until the government resigned on 26 January 1954. He worked towards a merger of Mizrachi and Hapoel HaMizrachi
, which was partially achieved when the party ran a joint list for the 1955 elections
(in which he retained his seat), and fully achieved when the two merged to form the National Religious Party
in 1956. The chairman of the party's political section, he served as Deputy Minister of Welfare again between 13 January and 1 July 1958.
He retained his seat again in the 1959 elections
, and was appointed Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs
in the ninth government
. He was re-elected again in 1961
, serving as a Deputy Speaker, the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs from 18 February 1963 onwards, and also as Deputy Minister of Health
from 24 March 1965 until the government left office on 12 January 1966.
After re-election in 1965
and 1969
he remained Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs until his death on 4 April 1971. His seat was taken by his son Yehuda
, who served as a Knesset member until 1984.
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 from 1952 until his death.
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...
), Ben-Meir was educated at the Yitzchak Elchanan yeshiva
Yeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
, before studying at Yeshiva University
Yeshiva University
Yeshiva University is a private university in New York City, with six campuses in New York and one in Israel. Founded in 1886, it is a research university ranked as 45th in the US among national universities by U.S. News & World Report in 2012...
and New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
. He was certified as a rabbi, and was awarded a doctorate in law. He worked as a lawyer in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
until 1940, when he became rabbi of Hartford
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
in Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. Between 1937 and 1941 he was a member of the board of directors of the American branches 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...
and Keren Hayesod
Keren Hayesod
Keren Hayesod – United Israel Appeal is the central fundraising organization for Israel, with operations in 45 countries. The work of Keren Hayesod is carried out in accordance with the Keren Hayesod Law, 5716-1956, passed by the Knesset in January 1956...
.
In 1950 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 Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. In the same year he became world chairman of the Mizrachi movement
Mizrachi (Religious Zionism)
The Mizrachi is the name of the religious Zionist organization founded in 1902 in Vilnius at a world conference of religious Zionists called by Rabbi Yitzchak Yaacov Reines. Bnei Akiva, which was founded in 1929, is the youth movement associated with Mizrachi...
, and in Israel was chairman of the national council. He was given a place on the list of the organisation's political branch
Mizrachi (political party)
Mizrachi was a political party in Israel and is one of the ancestors of the modern-day National Religious Party.-History:The Mizrachi movement was founded in 1902 in Vilnius as a religious Zionist organisation. It also had a trade union, Hapoel HaMizrachi, started in 1921...
for the 1951 elections
Israeli legislative election, 1951
Elections for the second Knesset were held in Israel on 30 July 1951. Voter turnout was 75.1%.-Results:¹ Rostam Bastuni, Avraham Berman and Moshe Sneh left Mapam and set up the Left Faction. Bastuni later returned to Mapam whilst Berman and Sneh joined Maki. Hannah Lamdan and David Livschitz left...
, but failed to win a seat. However, he entered the Knesset on 14 August 1952 as a replacement for the deceased David-Zvi Pinkas
David-Zvi Pinkas
David-Zvi Pinkas was a Zionist activist and Israeli politician. A signatory of the Israeli declaration of independence, he was the country's third Minister of Transport.-Biography:...
, and on 5 January 1953 was appointed Deputy Minister of Welfare, serving until the government resigned on 26 January 1954. He worked towards a merger of Mizrachi and Hapoel HaMizrachi
Hapoel HaMizrachi
Hapoel HaMizrachi |Mizrachi]] Workers) was a political party and settlement movement in Israel and is one of the predecessors of the National Religious Party.-History:...
, which was partially achieved when the party ran a joint list for the 1955 elections
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...
(in which he retained his seat), and fully achieved when the two merged to form 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...
in 1956. The chairman of the party's political section, he served as Deputy Minister of Welfare again between 13 January and 1 July 1958.
He retained his seat again in 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....
, and was appointed Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs
Internal Affairs Minister of Israel
The Interior Minister , also known as the Minister of Internal Affairs is head of the Israeli Ministry of Interior and an important portfolio in the cabinet. The current Interior Minister is Eli Yishai of Shas...
in the ninth government
Ninth government of Israel
The ninth government of Israel was formed by David Ben-Gurion on 17 December 1959 following the November 1959 elections. Ben-Gurion largely kept the same coalition partners as during the previous government The ninth government of Israel was formed by David Ben-Gurion on 17 December 1959 following...
. He was re-elected again in 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...
, serving as a Deputy Speaker, the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs from 18 February 1963 onwards, and also as Deputy 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...
from 24 March 1965 until the government left office on 12 January 1966.
After re-election in 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...
and 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 remained Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs until his death on 4 April 1971. His seat was taken by his son Yehuda
Yehuda Ben-Meir
Dr Yehuda Ben-Meir is a former Israeli academic and politician who served as a membef of the Knesset for the National Religious Party and Gesher – Zionist Religious Centre between 1971 and 1984.-Biography:...
, who served as a Knesset member until 1984.