Aharon Yadlin

Israeli educator and politician (1926–2022)

Aharon Yadlin MK
Yadlin in 1974

Minister of Education
In office 1974–1977
Member of Knesset
In office 1959–1981

Personal details
Born	(1926-04-17)17 April 1926 Ben Shemen, British Mandate
Died	12 August 2022(2022-08-12) (aged 96)
Political party	Mapai (1959–1965) Alignment (1965–1968, 1969–1981) Labor Party (1968–1969)
Awards	Israel Prize (2010)

Aharon Yadlin (Hebrew: אהרן ידלין); 17 April 1926 – 12 August 2022, was an Israeli educator and politician.

Biography

Aharon Yadlin was born in Tel Aviv and grew up in moshav Ben Shemen and Rehovot during the Mandate era. He was active in the local scouting movement and served as its national coordinator. In 1946 he participated in the 11 points in the Negev project and was among the founders of kibbutz Be'eri. During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War he joined the Palmah.^[1]

From 1950 to 1952 he was a member of the executive committee of the Histadrut. He received an MA in history, economics and sociology from the Hebrew University. After the split in HaKibbutz HaMeuhad he moved to kibbutz Hatzerim. He was one of the founders of Beit Berl Academic College, where he taught sociology and served as its acting director from 1955 to 1957. From 1964 to 1972 he was chairman of Mapai's public committee for youth movements.^[1]

In 1960 he was elected to the fourth Knesset and again to the fifth in 1964, and remained an MK until 1979. He was a member of the Economic Affairs, Education and Culture, Constitution, Law and Justice, Internal Affairs, and the Foreign Affairs & Defense committees. In the ninth Knesset he was chairman of the Education committee. From 1964 to 1972 he was Deputy Minister of Education, and from 1972 to 1974 was secretary general of the Labor Party. From 1974 to 1977 he served as Minister of Education. He set in motion a long school day program in development towns and poverty stricken areas.^[1]

After his retirement from the Knesset in 1979 he served in several public roles, including secretary general of the United Kibbutz Movement from 1985 to 1989. He had three sons and eleven grandchildren.^[2] One of his sons is IDF General (res.) Amos Yadlin.

Yadlin died on 12 August 2022, at the age of 96.^[3]

Awards and recognition

In 2010, Yadlin was awarded the Israel Prize, for his lifetime achievement and special contribution to society and the State of Israel.^[4]^[5]

Published works

The Goal and the Movement: Clarifying the Socialist Idea and its Implementation (1969) (in Hebrew)
The Jewish Component of Israeli Education (1978) (in Hebrew)

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Aharon Yadlin". The Israeli Labor Movement (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on 2 December 2010. Retrieved 28 June 2008.
^ Salzman, Aviva (22 May 2006). "Interview with Aharon Yadlin". Israel Teachers Union (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 28 June 2008.
^ "הלך לעולמו בגיל 96 אהרן ידלין, מראשי תנועת העבודה וחתן פרס ישראל". ynet. 12 August 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
^ "Recipient's C.V (in Hebrew)". Israel Prize Official Site. Archived from the original on 21 October 2010.
^ "Israel Prize Judges' Rationale (in Hebrew)". Israel Prize Official Site. Archived from the original on 21 October 2010.