THE PEOPLE AND THE LAND RELIGIOUS ZIONIST LEADERS

OUR SERIES ON LEADERS WHO HAVE SHAPED RELIGIOUS OVER THE LAST 150 YEARS

Rav Yehuda Leib HaKohen Maimon

av Yehuda Leib HaKohen He served as ’s first Minister of and whose name was Moshe ben Maimon (born Fishman, 1875- Religion; helped draft Israel’s Decla- Maimon. 1962) was born in Bessarabia, ration of Independence and was one Rthen part of the Russian Empire. Rav of its signatories, and played a pivotal Rav Maimon was appointed Minister Maimon studied in Lithuanian yeshi- role in promoting Judaism in the new of Religion and Minister in Charge vot and after receiving semicha from Jewish State. A polymath and prolific of War Casualties in both the provi- Rav Yechiel Mechel Epstein, author author, he was awarded the Israel sional government and the First Knes- of the Aruch HaShulchan, he served Prize for his contribution to rabbinic set. Elected to the first in as maggid in Marculesti and then literature (1958). 1949 as a member of the United Reli- as Rabbi of Ungeni (1905-13). He gious Front (an alliance of Agudat Yis- became active in the Chibbat Tzion rael, Poalei , Mizrachi movement, for whom he wrote pas- and HaPoel HaMizrachi), he retained sionate pro-aliyah material and, after his ministerial role in the first and meeting Rav Isaac Jacob Reines second governments, resigned from (1900), the founder of Mizrachi, the Israeli cabinet over a dispute he took an active part in Miz- with Ben-Gurion, ceased his rachi’s founding conference in political activities after the death Vilna (1902) and in its first of his wife in 1957 and then world conference in Press- devoted himself entirely to lit- burg, Bratislava. erary work.

After making aliyah (1913), Rav Maimon played what was Rav Maimon was among unquestionably the dominant the founders of Mizrachi’s role in promoting Judaism in broad educational network the founding of the new Jewish in Eretz Yisrael. Imprisoned State and in its nascent govern- by the Turkish authorities at the mental institutions, particularly outbreak of World War I and con- through his remarkable friendship demned to death, he was ultimately with Ben-Gurion, who held him in freed due to active intervention by the highest regard. Jewish American leaders. He traveled to the United States, where he helped He was instrumental in ensuring that organize and strengthen Mizrachi all government institutions, including and, after returning to Eretz Yisrael Rav Maimon was one of many gov- the army, serve only kosher food, in on the first ship to reach its shores ernment ministers who, at Ben-Gu- promoting public Shabbat observance after World War I, he and Rav Kook rion’s request, Hebraicized his orig- (including by government officials), established the institution of the inal, exilic name. Not surprisingly, and in convincing Ben-Gurion to vest Chief Rabbinate. In 1936, he founded he did not much care for the name the Chief Rabbinate with authority .the literal translation of Fish- over marriage and divorce matters) איש דג -Mossad HaRav Kook, which still pub lishes religious books. As Chairman man); as he explained it, he chose the He is also credited with the wide because his family was acceptance amongst Zionist halachic מימון of the Jewish Agency Executive, he name was interned by the British on “Black descended from the Rambam (Mai- authorities of reciting Hallel on Yom Saturday” in June 1946. monides), whom he greatly admired HaAtzmaut. 

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