| MOSHE KATZAV - ISRAEL'S 8TH PRESIDENT On July 31, 2000 in a vote of 63-57, the Knesset elected Mr. Moshe Katzav as the eighth President of the State of Israel. President Katzav, an experienced politician and a well known figure in Israel's political scene, is the second Sephardi to become President (following Mr. Yizhak Navon in 1978-1983) and the first Mizrahi (someone born in a Middle Eastern country outside of Israel) to arrive to such position. He is a talented person with a unique background, and since a young age he has been involved in many community activities and taking steps towards a successful and secure Israel. President Katzav was born in the city of Yazd in central Iran in 1945. At the age of six, he immigrated to Israel with his parents and seven younger siblings. He grew up in a Ma'abara (immigrant tent camp), which later developed into Kiryat Malachi. He attended and successfully graduated Ben Shemen Agricultural School as part of the Youth Aliyah program, and after completing his military service, he obtained his B.A. in Economics and History from Hebrew University in Jerusalem as well as an Education degree. During 1966-1968, he wrote for the Israeli daily newspaper Yediot Aharonot and in 1968, he served as the President of Young B'nai B'rith of Kiryat Malachi. In 1969, at the age of 24, while a student, he was elected as Mayor of Kiryat Malachi, his hometown, and served as the Chairman of the "Likud" party at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He was reelected as Mayor from 1974 to 1981. In 1977 President Katzav's political career reached the national level as he became member of the Knesset (MK) and served on the Interior and Education Committees. From this point on, his career accelerated as he achieved higher positions in the following years: 1981-1984 MK, Deputy Minister of Housing and Construction; 1984-1988 MK, Minister of Labor and Social Affairs; 1988-1992 MK, Minister of Transportation, Member of Ministerial Committee on Defense; 1992-1996 MK, Likud faction Chairman in the Knesset, Chairman of Parliamentary Committee of the Chinese-Israeli Friendship League; 1996-1999 MK, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Chairman Ministerial Committee for National Events, Minister for Israeli Arab Affairs, Member of Ministerial Committee on Defense; 1999-2000 MK, Member of Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee of the Knesset. As President Katzav continued his success in the political arena, he maintained his commitment to the social, public and educational spheres. In 1978, he became a Member of the Commission on adoptive children and Member of Ben-Gurion University Board of Trustees. In 1982, he was appointed Chairman of the Commission to determine higher education tuition and in 1998, he received an Honorary Doctor of the University of Nebraska, Omaha. In his acceptance speech before the Knesset, President Katzav emphasized his vision of a united people: "I see the results [of the elections], firstly, as an expression of the desire of the people's representatives to unify Israeli society - a genuine and real desire to lower the tensions in Israeli society�We, the people's representatives, want to lead a calmer country, a quieter country, more unified, more united." The societal divisions in Israel, whether it is between the Ashkenazi and Sephardic communities, religious and non-religious or the poor and the rich, have reached their peak in Israel over the last decade. His goal is to unify Israeli society and end the many divisions within the social context of Israel in order to be able to address the general problem Israel faces at this point, including the possibility of peace in the region. Unlike many other politicians who have been in the political scene for several years, President Katzav is thought of as one who is aware of his biases. He is understands that as the president of Israel he does not play a role in the active policy making. Therefore, he has tried to put aside his political views and look beyond the constant political conflicts that Israel faces everyday, in order to be able to successfully serve Israel's national and international interests. Those who have worked with President Katzav describe him as a trustworthy and honest person. Former Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir has known Katzav for more than ten years on both a professional and personal level. Shamir has described Katzav as a person who "will honor the Israeli presidency with a new spirit and style. He loves the common man. He is modest. He expresses the beauty of the Israeli people in his personality. Katzav radiates peace and love for everyone. His way of life is always to achieve solutions by compromises." President Katzav and his wife, Gila reflect President Katsav's vision of a unified nation. They have five children, and last November their first "presidential grandchild," a baby boy, was born to their daughter, Deganit. Mrs. Katzav (nee Ferdani) is of Ashkenazi origin and a descendent of the Gur Hassidim. Her mother's paternal great-grandfather, Rabbi Yisrael Alfasi the RI"F , was one of the Gur Hassidim who founded the city of Bnei Brak. Mrs. Katzav is an advocate of women's rights among the religious. Last December she made the inaugural phone call to the International Halachic Advisory Hotline of Nishmat, at the Jerusalem Center for Advanced Jewish Study for Women. There she met with the Yoatzot Halacha to learn about the new service and the kinds of halachic issues women in Israel and abroad face. Being in office for less than a year, President Katzav is determined to continue his many tasks and fulfilling his vision of a united Israel. Since his childhood, he has overcome many obstacles and he has no intention of letting anything get in his way. |