Rachel Cohen-Kagan
Encyclopedia
Rachel Cohen-Kagan was a Zionist
activist and Israel
i politician, and one of only two women to sign the Israeli declaration of independence.
in the Russian Empire
(today in Ukraine
), Cohen-Kagan attended university in her home city and Moscow
.
She immigrated
to Mandate Palestine in 1919 on board the ship Ruslan, and became involved in the Women's International Zionist Organization
(WIZO). In 1932 she was appointed chairwoman of the Committee for Social Aid in the Community Committee of Haifa
, a role she held until 1946.
In 1938 she was elected chairwoman of WIZO, and became more involved in politics. In 1946 she was appointed director of the Social Department of the Jewish National Council. A member of Moetzet HaAm
, in 1948 Cohen-Kagan was one of only two women (the other was Golda Meir
) to sign the Israeli declaration of independence.
In the first Knesset election
in 1949 WIZO won a single seat, which was taken by Cohen-Kagan. She lost her seat in the 1951 elections
.
She later joined the Liberal Party
, and returned to the Knesset on its list following the 1961 elections
. However, Cohen-Kagan was one of the seven MKs that broke away from the party to found the Independent Liberals
in opposition to the impending merger with Herut
. She lost her seat in the 1965 elections
.
Cohen-Kagan had two children.
Zionism
Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...
activist and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i politician, and one of only two women to sign the Israeli declaration of independence.
Biography
Born in the city of 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...
), Cohen-Kagan attended university in her home city and Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
.
She immigrated
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 1919 on board the ship Ruslan, and became involved in 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:...
(WIZO). In 1932 she was appointed chairwoman of the Committee for Social Aid in the Community Committee of Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
, a role she held until 1946.
In 1938 she was elected chairwoman of WIZO, and became more involved in politics. In 1946 she was appointed director of the Social Department of the Jewish National Council. A member of Moetzet HaAm
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...
, in 1948 Cohen-Kagan was one of only two women (the other was Golda Meir
Golda Meir
Golda Meir ; May 3, 1898 – December 8, 1978) was a teacher, kibbutznik and politician who became the fourth Prime Minister of the State of Israel....
) to sign the Israeli declaration of independence.
In the first Knesset election
Israeli legislative election, 1949
Elections for the Constituent Assembly were held in newly independent Israel on 25 January 1949. Voter turnout was 86.9%. Two days after its first meeting on 14 February 1949, legislators voted to change the name of the body to the Knesset...
in 1949 WIZO won a single seat, which was taken by Cohen-Kagan. She lost her seat in 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...
.
She later joined the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (Israel)
The Israeli Liberal Party was a political party in Israel and is one of the ancestors of the modern-day Likud.-History:The Liberal Party was formed on 8 May 1961, towards the end of the fourth Knesset, by a merger of the General Zionists and the Progressive Party, with the new party having 14...
, and returned to the Knesset on its list following the 1961 elections
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...
. However, Cohen-Kagan was one of the seven MKs that broke away from the party to found the Independent Liberals
Independent Liberals (Israel)
The Independent Liberals were a political party in Israel between the 1960s and 1980s.-History:The Independent Liberals party was formed during the fifth Knesset in the aftermath of the merger of the Liberal Party and Herut. Seven of the 17 Liberal Party MKs led by former Minister of Justice,...
in opposition to the impending merger with Herut
Herut
Herut was the major right-wing political party in Israel from the 1940s until its formal merger into Likud in 1988, and an adherent of Revisionist Zionism.-History:...
. She lost her seat in the 1965 elections
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...
.
Cohen-Kagan had two children.