Ze'ev Bielski ( he, זאב בילסקי, born 13 March 1949) is an Israeli politician who served as a member of the

Knesset The Knesset ( he, הַכְּנֶסֶת ; "gathering" or "assembly") is the unicameral legislature of Israel. As the supreme state body, the Knesset is sovereign and thus has complete control of the entirety of the Israeli government (wit ...

for

Kadima Kadima ( he, קדימה, lit=''Forward'') was a centrist and liberal political party in Israel. It was established on 24 November 2005 by moderates from Likud largely following the implementation of Ariel Sharon's unilateral disengagement pl ...

between 2009 and 2013. He previously chaired the

Jewish Agency The Jewish Agency for Israel ( he, הסוכנות היהודית לארץ ישראל, translit=HaSochnut HaYehudit L'Eretz Yisra'el) formerly known as The Jewish Agency for Palestine, is the largest Jewish non-profit organization in the world. ...

and the

World Zionist Organization The World Zionist Organization ( he, הַהִסְתַּדְּרוּת הַצִּיּוֹנִית הָעוֹלָמִית; ''HaHistadrut HaTzionit Ha'Olamit''), or WZO, is a non-governmental organization that promotes Zionism. It was founded as the ...

and worked as a

emissary in South Africa. He also served as the mayor of

Ra'anana Ra'anana ( he, רַעֲנָנָּה, lit. "Fresh") is a city in the southern Sharon Plain of the Central District of Israel. It was founded in 1922 as an American-Jewish settlement, 1 km south of the village of Tabsur, where an important ...

(served 1989–2005, 2013–2018). Bielski is a founder of The Israel Forum, whose purpose is to maintain a direct relationship between young Jews from the Diaspora and Israel in the areas of education and economy. He also played in the Israeli national basketball league.

Biography

Early life

Bielski was born and raised in

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

. Between 1967 and 1970 he served in the

IDF IDF or idf may refer to: Defence forces *Irish Defence Forces *Israel Defense Forces *Iceland Defense Force, of the US Armed Forces, 1951-2006 *Indian Defence Force, a part-time force, 1917 Organizations *Israeli Diving Federation *Interaction ...

, where he reached the level of Major. He earned a BA in Economics at the

Hebrew University of Jerusalem The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; he, הַאוּנִיבֶרְסִיטָה הַעִבְרִית בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם) is a public research university based in Jerusalem, Israel. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Dr. Chaim Weiz ...

Public life

Between 1977 and 1980 he was the leading

emissary in South Africa. In 1989, after coming back to Israel, he became the Mayor of Ra'anana. During his mayorship, he also served as the Deputy Chairman of the Union of Local Authorities in Israel between 1996 and 1999, and as the National Chairman of the anti-drug organization, "Al-Sam" from 1994 to 1996. On 23 June 2005 he was elected a member of the World Zionist Organization Council as a member of

Herut - The National Movement Herut ( he, חֵרוּת, ''Freedom'') was the major conservative nationalist political party in Israel from 1948 until its formal merger into Likud in 1988. It was an adherent of Revisionist Zionism. History Herut was founded by Menachem Begin ...

. On 28 June he succeeded Salai Meridor as the chairman of the

. His candidacy for this position was supported by

Ariel Sharon Ariel Sharon (; ; ; also known by his diminutive Arik, , born Ariel Scheinermann, ; 26 February 1928 – 11 January 2014) was an Israeli general and politician who served as the 11th Prime Minister of Israel from March 2001 until April 2006. S ...

. Prior to the 2009 elections he was placed 15th on the

list, and entered the Knesset as the party won 28 seats. He chose not to run in the 2013 elections.

Private life

Ze'ev Bielski is married to Caron Sacks (sister of art collector

Leslie Sacks Leslie J. Sacks (1952 – September 26, 2013) was a Los Angeles-based art dealer and founder of Women's Voices Now. Early life Sacks was born to a Jewish family in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1952,Jerusalem Post: "Grapevine: US politicians flock to visit - Sculpture garden dedicated at Ariel University Center, and youth essay contest launched" By GREER FAY CASHMAN
25 August 2009 , ''"The garden was donated by Bielski's brother-in-law Leslie Sacks of Los Angeles in memory of his father Wolfe (Harry) Zev Sacks. Leslie Sacks, his mother, sister Caron and other family members..."'' and sister of American businessman

Rodney Sacks Rodney Cyril Sacks (born 1949) is a South African billionaire businessman, chairman, and CEO of Monster Beverage since 1990. Early life Rodney Cyril Sacks was born into a Lithuanian-Jewish family, he grew up in South Africa. His brother was art ...

),One Long House: Wolfe Sacks
retrieved 29 April 2015 whom he met in South Africa. They have 3 children, 2 girls ( Adi and Tali) and a boy (Eran).

School Funding

Bielski has resisted calls from constituents to fund schools that fall outside of mainstream schemes. In 2011, local residents sought approval to establish a Ra'anana branch of the

Pelech School Pelech is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Adam Pelech (born 1994), Canadian ice hockey player * Jack Pelech (1934–2008), Canadian lawyer * Matt Pelech (born 1987), Canadian ice hockey player Pelech may also refer to: * P ...

as an alternative for girls to the city's beleaguered Amit "Renanim". He has been criticized by Rabbi

Michael Melchior Michael Melchior ( he, מיכאל מלכיאור; born January 31, 1954) is a Jewish leader, Orthodox rabbi, thinker, and activist. He is a former Minister of Social and Diaspora Affairs, a former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and a former ...

, a founder of Meitarim, a network of pluralistic Jewish schools in Israel that educate religious and secular students together, for his refusal to provide city funding to the local branch of the pluralistic school.

American Jews

Bielski told ''

The Jerusalem Post ''The Jerusalem Post'' is a broadsheet newspaper based in Jerusalem, founded in 1932 during the British Mandate of Palestine by Gershon Agron as ''The Palestine Post''. In 1950, it changed its name to ''The Jerusalem Post''. In 2004, the pap ...

'' that Jews in America have no future in America. Due to the size of America he believes assimilation is inevitable, and all Jews in America should move to Israel.'US Jews have future, present and past'
The Jerusalem Post

References

External links

*

Jewish Agency {{DEFAULTSORT:Bielski, Ze'ev 1949 births People from Jerusalem Israeli Jews Hebrew University of Jerusalem Faculty of Social Sciences alumni Mayors of Ra'anana Members of the 18th Knesset (2009–2013) Living people Kadima politicians Heads of the Jewish Agency for Israel Sacks family