Zalman Shazar

Zalman Shazar
זלמן שז "ר‎
Shazar in 1963
3rdPresident of Israel
In office May 21, 1963 – May 24, 1973
Prime Minister	David Ben-Gurion Levi Eshkol Yigal Allon(Acting) Golda Meir
Preceded by	Yitzhak Ben-Zvi
Succeeded by	Ephraim Katzir
Member of theKnesset
In office February 14, 1949 – October 8, 1956
Personal details
Born	Shneur Zalman Rubashov (1889-11-24)November 24, 1889 Mir,Miensk Governorate,Russian Empire(now Belarus)
Died	October 5, 1974(1974-10-05)(aged 84) Jerusalem
Citizenship	Russian Empire Mandatory Palestine Israel
Political party	Workers' Party
Spouse	Rachel Shazar
Children	1
Signature

Zalman Shazar(Hebrew:זלמן שז "ר;bornŠnejer Zalman Rubašow;Belarusian:Шнэер За́льман Рубашо́ў;Russian:Шне́ер За́лмен Рубашо́в;November 24, 1889 – October 5, 1974) was an Israeli politician, author and poet. Shazar served as thethird President of Israelfor two terms, from 1963 to 1973.

Biography

He was born to aHasidicfamily of theChabad-Lubavitchdenomination inMir,nearMiensk,in theRussian Empire(today inHoradnia Region,Belarus). His mother's family descended fromJoel Sirkis.In his early years Shazar received a religious education.

He remained involved with Chabad for the rest of his life, assistingRabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn,the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe in founding the village ofKfar Chabad,and at his behest, allowed the religious community in Israel to set up their own educational system.He later corresponded with the seventh Lubavitcher RebbeMenachem Mendel Schneerson,and visited him on multiple occasions.

In his teenage years he became involved in thePoale ZionMovement. He worked as a translator in a Zionist publishing house. He visited Palestine in 1911 but returned to Russia to serve in the army. In 1924, after his release, heimmigratedto theBritish Mandate of Palestine,settling inTel Aviv,and became a member of the secretariat of theHistadrut.

Shazar was married toRachel Katznelson-Shazar,with whom he had one daughter.

He died on October 5, 1974, and was buried onMount HerzlinJerusalem.

Journalistic and political career

Shazar served as the editor-in-chief of the Israeli newspaperDavarfrom 1944 to 1949.

He was elected to thefirst Knessetin 1949 as a member ofWorkers' Party,and was appointedMinister of EducationinDavid Ben-Gurion'sfirst government.He was not a member of Ben-Gurion'ssecond cabinet,but retained his seat in the1951and1955 elections.He also became a member of theJewish AgencyExecutive in 1952. He resigned from theKnessetin 1956, and from 1956 to 1960 was acting chairman of the Jewish Agency's Jerusalem Executive.

President of the State of Israel

Shazar withJoseph Kasa-Vubuduring his visit to Israel in 1963

Shazar waselected presidentby the Knesset in 1963. That same year, he attended thefuneral of John F. Kennedyafter hisassassinationinDallas.In 1964, when PopePaul VIvisited Israel, Shazar read to him the verse inMicahstating that though other nations might follow other gods, “we will walk in the Name of our Lord God forever”.He was re-elected for a second term in 1968.

In 1969, Shazar sent one of 73Apollo 11 Goodwill MessagestoNASAfor the historic first lunar landing. The message still rests on the lunar surface today. It states, "From the President of Israel in Jerusalem with hope for 'abundance of peace so long as the Moon endureth' (Psalms 72,7)."In 1973 he was succeeded byEphraim Katzir.

International and state visits

During his presidency Shazar made numerous international trips and state visits:

• United States -Funeral of President John F. Kennedy(1963), Funeral of PresidentDwight Eisenhower(1969), state visit and meeting with PresidentRichard Nixon(1971), memorial service to PresidentHarry Truman(1973), State Funeral ofLyndon B. Johnson(1973)
• United Kingdom -Funeral of Prime Minister Winston Churchill(1965)
• Nepal - State visit and meeting with KingMahendra of Nepal(1966)
• Uruguay - State visit and meeting with PresidentAlberto Héber Usher(1966)
• Chile - State visit and meeting with PresidentEduardo Frei Montalva(1966)
• Brazil - State visit and meeting with PresidentHumberto de Alencar Castelo Branco(1966)
• Canada - Centennial celebrations and meetings with Governor GeneralRoland Michenerand Prime MinisterLester Pearson(1967)
• Denmark - Funeral of KingFrederik IX of Denmark(1972)

Published works

• Morning Stars,Jewish Publication Society of America:Philadelphia, 1967. Translated from the Hebrew,Kochvei boker(Tel Aviv: Am Oved Publishers, 1950; 7th edition, 1966) byShulamith Schwartz Nardi.Library of Congress Card Catalog Number: 66-17828.

Awards and recognition

• In 1966, Shazar was the co-recipient (jointly withIsrael Efrat) of theBialik Prizeforliterature.
• Shazar's portrait appears on 200shekelbills.
• Zalman Shazar Junior High SchoolinKfar Sabais named after him.

See also

• List of Bialik Prize recipients

External links

• The Zalman Shazar CenterArchivedFebruary 26, 2014, at theWayback Machine
• Central Zionist Archivesin Jerusalemsite:Office of Zalman Shazar (S61).
• Zalman Shazaron the Knesset website