Rachel Yanait Ben-Zvi
Encyclopedia
Rachel Yanait Ben-Zvi was an Israel
i author and educator, and a leading Labor Zionist
. Ben-Zvi was the wife of the second President of Israel
, Yitzhak Ben-Zvi
.
, Russian Empire
, under the name Golda Lishansky. She was active in a leftist Zionist
party, Poale Zion
. In 1908, she emigrated to Palestine
, which, at that time, was under the rule of the Ottoman Empire
. She became a leader among the Jewish workers of the Second Aliyah
. She was active in organizing labor, and organizing the Jewish watchman force, Hashomer
. In 1918, she married Yitzhak Ben-Zvi, another activist in Poale Zion and Hashomer. She and Ben-Zvi she had two sons together.
After World War I
, Ben-Zvi founded "The Educational Farm" in Jerusalem; a farm that provided agricultural education for women. She was among the founders of "The Hebrew Gymnasium" in Jerusalem and remained a labor activist. She was also active in the Haganah
paramilitary organization, and organized the clandestine aliyah of immigrants through Syria
and Lebanon
.
Her son, Eli, died in March 1948, during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War in the battle of Beit Keshet
.
After the founding of the State of Israel she was active in the absorption of immigrants from Arab countries (see Jewish exodus from Arab lands
).
In 1952 her husband was appointed as the President of Israel. As the first lady of Israel she opened the President's house to people from all the strata of Israeli society. During that time, she wrote about education and defense and wrote an autobiography called We are Olim (אנו עולים / anu olim), which was published in 1961.
In 1978, Ben-Zvi was awarded the Israel Prize
for her special contribution to society and the State of Israel. She died on 16 November 1979.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i author and educator, and a leading Labor Zionist
Labor Zionism
Labor Zionism can be described as the major stream of the left wing of the Zionist movement. It was, for many years, the most significant tendency among Zionists and Zionist organizational structure...
. Ben-Zvi was the wife of the second President of Israel
President of Israel
The President of the State of Israel is the head of state of Israel. The position is largely an apolitical ceremonial figurehead role, with the real executive power lying in the hands of the Prime Minister. The current president is Shimon Peres who took office on 15 July 2007...
, Yitzhak Ben-Zvi
Yitzhak Ben-Zvi
Yitzhak Ben-Zvi was a historian, Labor Zionist leader, the second and longest-serving President of Israel.-Biography:...
.
Biography
Ben-Zvi was born in 1886, in the town of Malin, in UkraineUkraine
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...
, 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...
, under the name Golda Lishansky. She was active in a leftist Zionist
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...
party, Poale Zion
Poale Zion
Poale Zion was a Movement of Marxist Zionist Jewish workers circles founded in various cities of the Russian Empire about the turn of the century after the Bund rejected Zionism in 1901.-Formation and early years:Poale Zion parties and organisations were started across the Jewish diaspora in the...
. In 1908, she emigrated to Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
, which, at that time, was under the rule of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. She became a leader among the Jewish workers of the Second Aliyah
Second Aliyah
The Second Aliyah was an important and highly influential aliyah that took place between 1904 and 1914, during which approximately 40,000 Jews immigrated into Ottoman Palestine, mostly from the Russian Empire, some from Yemen....
. She was active in organizing labor, and organizing the Jewish watchman force, Hashomer
Hashomer
Hashomer was a Jewish defense organization in Palestine founded out of Bar-Giora in April 1909. It ceased to operate after the founding of the Haganah in 1920. The purpose of Hashomer was to provide guard services for Jewish settlements in the Yishuv, freeing Jewish communities from dependence...
. In 1918, she married Yitzhak Ben-Zvi, another activist in Poale Zion and Hashomer. She and Ben-Zvi she had two sons together.
After World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Ben-Zvi founded "The Educational Farm" in Jerusalem; a farm that provided agricultural education for women. She was among the founders of "The Hebrew Gymnasium" in Jerusalem and remained a labor activist. She was also active in the Haganah
Haganah
Haganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, which later became the core of the Israel Defense Forces.- Origins :...
paramilitary organization, and organized the clandestine aliyah of immigrants through Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
.
Her son, Eli, died in March 1948, during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War in the battle of Beit Keshet
Beit Keshet
Beit Keshet |Bow]]) is a kibbutz in the Lower Galilee, Israel.Founded in 1944, Beit Keshet was established by HaNoar HaOved graduates who were trained at the Kfar Tabor Agricultural School...
.
After the founding of the State of Israel she was active in the absorption of immigrants from Arab countries (see Jewish exodus from Arab lands
Jewish exodus from Arab lands
The Jewish exodus from Arab and Muslim countries was a mass departure, flight and expulsion of Jews, primarily of Sephardi and Mizrahi background, from Arab and Muslim countries, from 1948 until the early 1970s...
).
In 1952 her husband was appointed as the President of Israel. As the first lady of Israel she opened the President's house to people from all the strata of Israeli society. During that time, she wrote about education and defense and wrote an autobiography called We are Olim (אנו עולים / anu olim), which was published in 1961.
In 1978, Ben-Zvi was awarded the Israel Prize
Israel Prize
The Israel Prize is an award handed out by the State of Israel and is largely regarded as the state's highest honor. It is presented annually, on Israeli Independence Day, in a state ceremony in Jerusalem, in the presence of the President, the Prime Minister, the Knesset chairperson, and the...
for her special contribution to society and the State of Israel. She died on 16 November 1979.
External links
- Biography in Hebrew
- Rachel Yanait Ben-zvi Encyclopedia of Jewish Women.
See also
- List of Israel Prize recipients