Moshe Kol

1911 - 1989

Israeli cabinet minister and political leader.

Moshe Kol was one of the signers of Israel's Declaration of Independence and a member of the provisional government. He was born on 28 May 1911 in Pinsk, Belorussia. He attended a Hebrew secondary school, founded a local Zionist youth movement, edited a Hebrew newspaper, and was one of the founders of the World General Zionist Organization.

Kol arrived in Palestine in 1932 and was active in many Zionist organizations. He became a member of the Histadrut's Executive, a post which he held until 1947. He was active in youth aliyah (immigration) activities, and in 1948, just before the formation of the state of Israel, he was elected world head of Youth Aliyah.

Kol was elected to the First Knesset and chaired its Education Committee. He headed the Progressive Party from 1949 and was chairman of the Liberal Party from 1961 to 1965, when the Progressives joined the Liberals. After the 1965 split in the Liberal Party, Kol founded and led the Independent Liberal Party. He held many Jewish Agency and cabinet posts during his lifetime, and served as minister of development and tourism (1965) and minister of tourism (1969). He died on 7 July 1989.

Bibliography

Information about Moshe Kol can be found at the Knesset Web page: http://www.knesset.gov.il/mk/eng/exmk_eng.asp?id=593.

— MARTIN MALIN
UPDATED BY GREGORY S. MAHLER