Influential Israeli Figures

Yona Wallach

New Poetry, New Society

Wallach was born in  September 29th 1944 in Kfar Ono. Yona Wallach was a famous poem writer.  She wrote about  lots of subjects like: depression, anxiety,sexuality etc. Till her death she had rebellious spirit. She never did as the social conventions said. This rebellious spirit also got into our culture. She talked about subjects that were a taboo in those times.

In my opinion, she had a great influence on the new Israeli poetry that wasn’t existing in the past.

Information Sources:

Wikipedia

Poetry international web

Golda Meir 

Women Power

Golda Meir, born Golda Mabovitch in Kiev, 1898, was an Israeli stateswoman and politician, who served as the minister of labor and foreign minister, as well as the world’s fourth and Israel’s first and only female prime minister.

Golda Meir  was the prime minister during Yom Kippur war on October 6,1973.Due to active protest movements, the negative reaction to the Agranat Committee Report, and her failling health she decided to resign as Prime Minister in April 1974.

In 1975, Meir was awarded the Israel Prize for her special contribution to society and the State of Israel.

Information Sources:
Wikipedia

Yitzhak Rabin

Peace And Hate

Yitzhak Rabin was born in March 1st 1922 and was murdered in November 4th 1995. He served in Haganah and his rank was ‘Rav Aluf’ (1941- 1967). Yitzhak Rabin was elected as Prime Minister on a platform embracing the Israeli – Palestinian peace process. Rabin won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994. He was assassinated by Yigal Amir when he was attending a mass rally in Tel Aviv and got shot there 3 times and he died the day after. The Rabin’s heritage was raised after his death. His death symbolized tolerance.

In my opinion, Yitzhak Rabin influenced the israeli community a lot because of his bravery and his work for peace.

Information Sources:

Wikipedia

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Nathan Alterman

Words as Best Friends

Nathan Alterman was born in Warsaw in August 14th  1910, Poland. He moved to Tel Aviv with his family in 1925. Alterman was an Israeli poet, playwright, journalist, and translator. Though never holding any elected office, Alterman was highly influential in Socialist Zionist politics, both before and after the establishment of the State of Israel. He won six awards for literature. Nathan Alterman has published poems including the two collection “Stars Outside” and “Joy of the Poor”. Alterman also appears on the 200 shekels bill.

Information Sources:
Wikipedia

Menashe Kadishman
Counting Sheep

Menashe Kadishman (1932-2015) was an Israeli painter and sculptor. He won 11 awards for his artworks. His artworks are well known for his minimalism in style sculptures and sheep paintings. Kadishman changed the art. His unique style inspired many people all over the world, art lovers and artists.
I chose Menashe Kadishman because I love his artworks and influenced me as well. His paintings show sheep that all look basically the same but each and every one is unique, like people, many people can look alike or behave the same but each one is unique and different.

Information Sources:

Wikipedia – Menashe Kadishman

Lucy Aharish
Co-living Believer

Lucy was born in Nazareth and raised in Dimona to an Arabic Muslim family, she was the only Arab kid within her classmates. Known for being the first Israeli-Arabic news reporter to report in Hebrew.

In 1987 at the age of six Lucy was caught in a terror attack in which Molotov Cocktails were thrown at her family’s car by Palestinian residents in Gaza strip.

Lucy works for co-living between Jews and Israeli Arabs and holds pro- Israeli opinions in the media. She dispraise racism and deprivation against Israeli Arabs.

She is criticized constantly from both sides of the map of the Israeli politics. Her marriage with the Israeli actor Tzachi Halevi put them in the center of attention and raised controversy within the Israeli society.

I find Lucy very influential because she speaks up for her beliefs even though it might cause controversy.

Information Sources:

Wikipedia

Gabriel Naddaf

A Matter of Church and State

Gabriel Naddaf (1973 – ) is an Israeli Greek Orthodox priest who serves as a judge in Israel’s religious court system and as a spokesman for the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

He is one of the founders of the Forum for Recruiting Christians in the Israel Defense Forces

In 2016 Naddaf was selected to light a torch at the Israeli Independence Day Ceremony on Mount Hertzel.

I chose Gabriel Naddaf due to his dedication and careness to Christians in Israel.

Information Sources:

Wikipedia

Ziva Mekonen-Degu

Leader for Her People

CEO of the Israel Association for Ethiopian Jews.‎ Mekonen-Degu was the manager of the Association’s social involvement unit. She is ‎highly experienced in working with the Ethiopian community, and has immense knowledge of ‎state and public authorities operations within the community. Mekonen-Degu led dozens of teachers and parents groups, ‎headed the programs of community staff in the Ksharim Program which runs in middle- ‎schools, and also trained dozens of mediators with the schools’ PACT ‎program.‎

As a student, she was part of the founding team of the Information Center for Ethiopian Youth, operated by the Israel Association for Ethiopian Jews. In that capacity, she was involved with helping Ethiopian youngsters who had dropped out of schools to find appropriate institutions and to reenter the system.

Information Sources:
Wikipedia

Gal Gadot

A Real Wonder Woman

Gal Gadot was born in April 30th 1985 in Rosh Hayin. She is  an Israeli actress and a model. She went on to earn worldwide fame for portraying Wonder Woman in the DC Extended Universe, beginning with Batman vs Superman, Dawn of Justice (2016), followed by the solo film Wonder Woman and the ensemble Justice League (both 2017).

In 2018, Gadot was included in Time’s annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Gadot’s influence is her role in Wonder Woman greatly   improved the level of confidence among teenage girls .

In my opinion Gal Gadot’s influence is not only with her role as a Wonder Woman but  in real life too, she talks and behaves like a real Wonder Woman.

Information Sources:

Wikipedia

IMDB

Hayom Israel