Yitzhak-Meir Levin (; 30 January 1893 – 7 August 1971) was a
Haredi politician in
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
and
Israel
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
. One of 37 people to sign the
Israeli declaration of independence, he served in several Israeli cabinets and was a longtime leader and Knesset minister for
Agudat Yisrael and related parties.
Biography
Born Izaak Meir Lewin in
Góra Kalwaria (known as ''Ger'' in
Yiddish
Yiddish, historically Judeo-German, is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated in 9th-century Central Europe, and provided the nascent Ashkenazi community with a vernacular based on High German fused with ...
) in the
Congress Poland part of the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...
,
[Yitzhak-Meir Levin]
Knesset Levin was a paternal descendant of
Chanokh Heynekh Levin (1789–1870). In his early years he studied at
yeshiva
A yeshiva (; ; pl. , or ) is a traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature, primarily the Talmud and halacha (Jewish law), while Torah and Jewish philosophy are studied in parallel. The stu ...
and received
Semikhah. He married the daughter of Rabbi
Avraham Mordechai Alter, head of the influential
Ger hasidic dynasty[Thousands Pay Last Respects to Rabbi Yitzhak Meir Levin, 77, Agudath Israel Leader]
Jewish Telegraph Agency, 9 August 1971 at the age of 16.
During
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
he became involved in helping the victims of the war in Warsaw.
[ ]
With a support of his family, he became involved in politics; he was one of the leaders of Agudath Israel in Poland, was elected to Warsaw Community Council as a representative of the organisation in 1924, and five years later was elected to the
World Agudath Israel presidium. In 1937 he was elected as one of the two co-chairmen of the organisation's executive committee.
[ In 1940 Levin became the sole chairman. He was also involved in founding the Bais Yaakov school system for religious Jewish girls.][
Following the outbreak of ]World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, Levin helped refugees in Warsaw
Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...
, before emigrating to Mandatory Palestine
Mandatory Palestine was a British Empire, British geopolitical entity that existed between 1920 and 1948 in the Palestine (region), region of Palestine, and after 1922, under the terms of the League of Nations's Mandate for Palestine.
After ...
in 1940, where he became head of the local branch of Agudath Israel.[
After signing the Israeli declaration of independence in 1948, Levin joined ]David Ben-Gurion
David Ben-Gurion ( ; ; born David Grün; 16 October 1886 – 1 December 1973) was the primary List of national founders, national founder and first Prime Minister of Israel, prime minister of the State of Israel. As head of the Jewish Agency ...
's provisional government
A provisional government, also called an interim government, an emergency government, a transitional government or provisional leadership, is a temporary government formed to manage a period of transition, often following state collapse, revoluti ...
as Minister of Welfare. He was elected to the first Knesset in 1949 as a member of the United Religious Front, an alliance of the four major religious parties, and was reappointed to his ministerial role in the first and second governments.
After retaining his seat in the 1951 elections Levin rejoined Ben-Gurion's government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a State (polity), state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive (government), execu ...
as Minister of Welfare, but resigned in 1952 in protest at the National Service Law for Women.[ He remained a member of the Knesset until his death in 1971, but not a member of the cabinet; in his remaining terms, he represented Religious Torah Front—an alliance of Agudat Yisrael and its worker's branch Poalei Agudat Yisrael.
He was buried on Mount of Olives Jewish Cemetery.][ The main street of the Sanhedria Murhevet neighbourhood in Jerusalem and a street in Bnei Brak are named after him.
]
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Levin, Yitzhak-Meir
1893 births
1971 deaths
Jewish Polish politicians
Leaders of political parties in Israel
Leaders of the opposition (Israel)
Signatories of the Israeli Declaration of Independence
People from Piaseczno County
United Religious Front politicians
Religious Torah Front politicians
Agudat Yisrael politicians
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)
Members of the 6th Knesset (1965–1969)
Members of the 7th Knesset (1969–1974)
Politicians from Jerusalem
Councillors in Warsaw
Polish Haredi rabbis
Haredi rabbis in Israel
Rabbinic members of the Knesset
People from Góra Kalwaria
Polish emigrants to Mandatory Palestine
Members of Aliyah Bet