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Ephraim Katzir

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Ephraim Katzir
אפרים קציר‎
Katzir in 1978
4th President of Israel
In office
24 May 1973 – 29 May 1978
Prime MinisterGolda Meir
Yitzhak Rabin
Menachem Begin
Preceded byZalman Shazar
Succeeded byYitzhak Navon
Personal details
Born16 May [O.S. 3 May] 1916
Kiev, Russian Empire (now Ukraine)
Died30 May 2009(2009-05-30) (aged 93)
Rehovot, Israel
NationalityIsraeli
Political partyIsraeli Labor Party
SpouseNina Gottlieb
Children3
ProfessionScientist
Signature
President Ephraim Katzir shaking hands with a Bedouin sheikh, November 18, 1974

Ephraim Katzir (Hebrew: אפרים קציר, romanized: Ep̄rayim Qaṣir; 16 May [O.S. 3 May] 1916[1] – 30 May 2009) was an Israeli biophysicist and Labor Party politician. He was the fourth President of Israel from 1973 until 1978.[2]

Early life

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Ephraim Katzir was born in 1916 to Yehuda and Tzila Katchalsky[1] in Kyiv in the Russian Empire, where his parents had fled to from Poland during World War I. In 1920, his family returned to Poland and settled in Łódź. In the early 1920s, they immigrated to Mandatory Palestine and settled in Jerusalem.[3] In the early 1930s, he studied at the Gymnasia Rehavia in the Rehavia neighborhood of Jerusalem and was a youth leader in HaNoar HaOved. Shulamit Laskov, one of his classmates, described him:[4]

"Ephraim was a tall, somewhat plump boy whose kindness radiated from his ever-smiling face. He excelled in all subjects, even art and gymnastics... But what stood out most to us, his classmates, was his willingness to help anyone in need... During breaks, he would teach us and help with our homework... He was always ready to encourage anyone feeling down. I don't recall ever seeing him angry even once."

— Shulamit Laskov, Lifanim, Bnei Brak, 2010, p. 83.

Like his elder brother, Aharon, Katzir was interested in science. In 1933, Katzir completed high school and later pursued studies in biochemistry[5] at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Due to the university's policy requiring lecturers to teach in Hebrew, Tzherna Reiss asked Katzir to assist her by translating her lectures. In return, she taught him the details of her research on the properties of plankton, which influenced Katzir's future scientific endeavors.[6]

In 1939, he completed the Officer Course (Platoon Commanders Course) of the Haganah in Yavne'el and became responsible for scientific operations in the organization's research department. In 1941, Katzir earned his doctorate under the supervision of Max Frankel. In May 1948, he was appointed Commander of Science Corps (Hemed) in the IDF with the rank of lieutenant colonel (then one rank below Aluf).[7]

During the 1940’s, Katzir and his brother worked on the development of new methods of warfare. In late 1947, after the outbreak of the 1948 Palestine war, and in anticipation of the War for Israel’s Independence, Katzir met the biochemist David Rittenberg in an attempt to procure poison. Chaim Weizmann initially dismissed the request and requested his dismissal from the Sieff Scientific Institute in Rehovot, but weeks later he relented, and his dismissal was rescinded.[8]

In May 1948, Ben-Gurion appointed Ephraim to replace his brother as director of the HEMED research unit, given his success abroad in procuring biological warfare materials and equipment to produce them.[9]

Scientific career

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In 1949, Katzir joined the Weizmann Institute of Science, where he established and headed the Department of Biophysics until his election as President in 1973. During part of this time, in the 1950s, he was a member of the Volunteer Corps. He lived and worked at the Weizmann Institute until his death. From 1966 to 1969, he served as the Chief Scientist of the Ministry of Defense,[10] a newly created role that replaced the position of Scientific Advisor to the Minister of Defense, previously held by Ernst David Bergmann since the establishment of the state. A committee he chaired reviewed the organization of governmental research and recommended the establishment of the role of Chief Scientist in various Israeli government ministries. The Chief Scientist's position in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce became a significant catalyst for the development of Israel's high-tech industry. In 1966, he was appointed a member of the Israel Atomic Energy Commission.[11]

Katzir placed significant emphasis on fostering scientific education. Along with Professor Shlomo Hestrin, he was the founding editor of the journal Mada and later served as a member of its editorial board. He chaired the Committee for the Advancement of Scientific Education for Youth from its establishment in 1968 until after his retirement from the presidency. Katzir continued his scientific research alongside his various non-scientific roles and even after stepping down from them. His research included the study of protein structures, aspects of solubility and insolubility, energy transfer between proteins, enzyme kinetics, and the chemical degradation of proteins. One of his most notable contributions was the development of a method for enzyme immobilization, which is widely used in the pharmaceutical and food industries.[12][13]

President of Israel

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Katzir visiting the archaeological excavations at Tel Dan, receiving explanations from archaeologist Vassilios Tzaferis

In March 1973, Katzir was nominated by the Israeli Labor Party as its candidate for the position of President of Israel after defeating Yitzhak Navon in the party's central committee vote. Katzir was the candidate of the former Mapai faction, supported by figures such as Golda Meir and Pinchas Sapir, while Navon was backed by the former Rafi faction. In April 1973, Katzir was elected by the Knesset as President, defeating Ephraim Elimelech Urbach.[14] He began his term on May 24, 1973. Katzir was the first President of Israel who grew up in the country. Upon his election, he Hebraized his name to Katzir, following the example of his brother, Aharon Katzir, who had been murdered the previous year.[15]

During his presidency, Katzir initiated the awarding of the President's Medal for Volunteerism, with the first recipients in 1974 being Yaakov Maimon and the Association for the Wellbeing of Israel's Soldiers. His term coincided with the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War. His statement on November 24, 1973, regarding responsibility for the war’s preparations –

"When all the actions connected to the war are clarified, I fear we will find many failings. I will take the risk of saying – military and political failings, for which we are all to blame, as we wanted to live in an utopia that was not entirely aligned with the reality in which we lived"

– drew significant criticism as it was perceived as an attempt to downplay the responsibility of the country’s leaders and military. This comment is often remembered as "we are all to blame."

On November 19, 1977, Katzir was the first to welcome President of Egypt Anwar Sadat during his historic visit to Israel.[16]

Post-Presidency

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Statue of Ephraim Katzir at Beit HaNassi

Katzir chose not to serve a second term as President. Upon completing his single term in 1978, he retired, citing two main reasons: his love for science and his belief that

"if you hold such an esteemed position for more than five years, you begin to look at those around you from above. I absolutely did not want that."

At the end of his presidency, all the gifts he had received were recorded as state property. However, certain artworks were loaned and displayed in his hometown of Rehovot.[17]

Later life and death

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Katzir in his later years, 2006

After retiring, Katzir returned to scientific research, focusing primarily on basic protein studies. He headed the Biotechnology Center at Tel Aviv University, where he was a founding member and active participant. He also taught and contributed to the center's scientific activities. In 1984, he joined the Academic Advisory Council of ORT Israel as its President. From 1986 to 1990, he served as President of World ORT.[18][19]

In 1988, Katzir was appointed Chairman of the National Biotechnology Committee and later became its President. In these roles, he significantly advanced biotechnology research and industry in Israel.[20]

On May 30, 2009, Katzir passed away at his home at the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot at the age of 93. In accordance with his wishes, he was buried not in the National Leaders' Plot at Mount Herzl but in the Rehovot cemetery, beside his wife Nina.[21]

His name has been commemorated in streets in Hod Hasharon, Ness Ziona, and Rehovot.

Awards

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He also received honorary degrees from various scientific societies and universities worldwide. The Department of Biotechnology Engineering at the ORT Braude Academic College of Engineering in Karmiel was named after him during his lifetime.

Family

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Katzir’s older brother, Professor Aharon Katzir, was also a scientist and joined him at the Weizmann Institute of Science, where he served as head of the Department of Polymer Research. Aharon was killed in the Lod Airport massacre in 1972,[29] carried out by Japanese terrorists.[30]

Katzir’s wife, Nina Katzir, the daughter of Meir Gottlieb, was born in Poland and passed away in 1986 in Israel. She was an English teacher renowned for her innovative teaching methods. She contributed a column to the "Jerusalem Post" dedicated to issues in teaching foreign languages. As First Lady of Israel, she organized meetings between children’s authors and their young readers. She initiated the celebration of International Children's Week in Israel, during which diplomats’ spouses shared stories about Israel with children in their home countries. Following the Yom Kippur War, she stirred minor controversy when she arranged for thousands of copies of "Playboy" magazine to be distributed to soldiers on the front lines at their request.[31][32]

Katzir and his wife had three children: one son, Meir Katzir, who serves as a professor of mathematics at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, and two daughters who passed away at a young age. Their daughter Nurit died in a gas inhalation accident.[33] In 1978, the "Nurit Katzir Municipal Theatre Center" in Jerusalem was established in her memory.[34] Their other daughter, Irit, ended her own life.[35]

Further reading

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  • Ephraim Katzir, Story of a Life, Jerusalem: Carmel Publishing, 2008.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Запис про народження 3 травня (ст. ст.) 1916 року Ефраїма Качальського в метричній книзі київського рабинату // ЦДІАК України. Ф. 1164. Оп. 1. Спр. 158 (колишній номер — 514). Арк. 337зв.–338. (ru) (uk)
  2. ^ a b Arnon, Ruth; Sela, Michael; Shindler, Colin (2016). "Ephraim Katchalski-Katzir. 16 May 1916 – 30 May 2009". Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society. 62: 267–275. doi:10.1098/rsbm.2016.0015.
  3. ^ Ephraim Katzir, Life Story, p. 18.
  4. ^ Memoir / A History of Her Own, Haaretz
  5. ^ He studied botany, zoology, chemistry and bacteriology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  6. ^ Ephraim Katzir's Biography, Fourth President of Israel, Office of the Prime Minister, Council for the Commemoration of Presidents and Prime Ministers of Israel.
  7. ^ "Ephraim Katzir Obituary: Scientist and President of Israel". The Guardian. 22 June 2009. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
  8. ^ Benny Morris, Benjamin Z. Kedar, ‘Cast thy bread’: Israeli biological warfare during the 1948 War Middle Eastern Studies 19 September 2022, pages =1-25 pp.2-3,p.19,n.15.
  9. ^ Benny Morris, Benjamin Z. Kedar, ‘Cast thy bread’: Israeli biological warfare during the 1948 War Middle Eastern Studies 19 September 2022, pages =1-25 p.9:'A major shift in modus operandi and personnel occurred after the return of Ephraim Katchalsky from New York, via Europe, to Palestine.82 On 13 May Ben-Gurion jotted down in his diary:‘Ephraim has come’, and then went on to list the scientist’s expenditure on chemicals and sniper-scopes (due to arrive by boat), four radar systems (still in the United States), and ‘biological materials’ that Katchalsky bought for $2,000 and most probably carried with him. Ben-Gurion decided that Ephraim should stay in the country and replace his brother Aharon as overall commander of HEMED.83 Evidently Ephraim’s efforts to obtain ‘germs and poisons’, or at least equipment to facilitate their weaponization, met with success, and we may assume that the ‘biological materials’ he acquired boosted the capabilities of HEMED B. (It is significant that the editors of the printed version of Ben Gurion’s war diary – Gershon Rivlin and Elhanan Oren – chose to delete the words ‘Biological materials $2000’ from the entry for that day.)8.'
  10. ^ Amos Carmel, "Prof. Ephraim Katzir: Chief Scientist of the Defense Establishment," Davar, July 22, 1966.
  11. ^ "Israel's fourth president, Ephraim Katzir, dies". The Times of India Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd. 31 May 2009. Retrieved 31 May 2009.
  12. ^ His initial research centered on simple synthetic protein models, but he also developed a method for binding enzymes, which helped lay the groundwork for what is now called enzyme engineering.
  13. ^ "Former President Ephraim Katzir Dies". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
  14. ^ Daniel Bloch, "Professor Katzir Elected President," Davar, April 11, 1973, pp. 9, 16.
  15. ^ Katz Gugenheim, Ariela (2019). Boicot. El pleito de Echeverría con Israel (in Spanish). Mexico: Universidad Iberoamericana/Cal y Arena. ISBN 978-607-8564-17-0. Archived from the original on 10 April 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  16. ^ "Sadat Arrives to Warm Welcome in Israel; Says He Has Specific Peace Proposals". The New York Times. 20 November 1977. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
  17. ^ Rafael Mann, "Any gift given to a public servant is state property," Ma'ariv, January 30, 1987, p. 20.
  18. ^ "The Weizmann Institute Mourns the Passing of Professor Ephraim Katzir". Weizmann Institute of Science. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
  19. ^ "Ephraim Katzir". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
  20. ^ "The Weizmann Institute Mourns the Passing of Professor Ephraim Katzir". Weizmann Institute of Science. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
  21. ^ "Ephraim Katzir Passes Away". Center for Israel Education. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
  22. ^ "Israel Prize recipients in 1959 (in Hebrew)". Israel Prize Official Site. Archived from the original on 7 March 2012.
  23. ^ "Ephraim Katzir". American Academy of Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  24. ^ "Ephraim Katchalski-Katzir". www.nasonline.org. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  25. ^ The International Who's Who 2004. p. 859.
  26. ^ "APS Member History". search.amphilsoc.org. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  27. ^ List of honorary members of the Romanian Academy (archived): http://web.archive.org/web/20061009092617/http://www.acad.ro/membri_ar/doc/membriOnoare2006.doc
  28. ^ "Katzir Scholarship Program". Archived from the original on 23 October 2009. Retrieved 23 October 2009.
  29. ^ "Airport Terror: The Lod Airport Massacre Remembrance". Insider Exclusive. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
  30. ^ "Terrorism at Tel Aviv Airport and the New Left Group of Japan". Office of Justice Programs. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
  31. ^ "Regarding the distribution of 'Playboy' to soldiers," Ma'ariv, December 26, 1973, p. 133.
  32. ^ https://rafimann.wordpress.com/2013/12/19/פלייבוי-אשת-הנשיא-וחיילי-צהל/ "Playboy, the President's Wife, and IDF Soldiers," in the blog Footnotes to History.
  33. ^ "Nurit Katzir found dead at her parents' home in Rehovot," HaBoker, November 14, 1965, p. 87.
  34. ^ "Nurit Katzir Municipal Theatre Center."
  35. ^ Nurit Katzir Jerusalem Theater Center Archived 17 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Jerusalem.muni.il. Retrieved on 9 September 2011.
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