35 Facts About Amnon Rubinstein

Amnon Rubinstein was an Israeli legal scholar, politician and recipient of the Israel Prize.

Amnon Rubinstein's family opposed Labor Zionism and in his youth, he supported the Irgun.

Amnon Rubinstein was active in public life from a young age.

Amnon Rubinstein attended the Geula Commercial High School in Tel Aviv and later at a high school in Baltimore, United States.

Amnon Rubinstein later retrained and served in the anti-aircraft unit, continuing his service there in the reserves.

Amnon Rubinstein did his legal internship at the State Attorney's Office and with attorney Haim Yosef Zadok, who later became the Minister of Justice.

At the age of 25, during his studies, Amnon Rubinstein married Roni a fellow student and granddaughter of Jacob and Perla Shlush, founders of Tel Aviv.

Amnon Rubinstein returned to public activism after the Yom Kippur War.

Amnon Rubinstein held various leadership roles, including chairing the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, the Economic Affairs Committee, and the State Control Committee.

Amnon Rubinstein was a member of the Judicial Selection Committee.

Amnon Rubinstein announced his resignation from the Knesset in July 2002, which took effect in October of that year.

Amnon Rubinstein was a Liberal International patron and previously as a vice president of the organization.

In 1984, Amnon Rubinstein was appointed Minister of Communications in the National Unity Government led by Shimon Peres.

Amnon Rubinstein held this position until 1987, serving in the 21st and 22nd Israeli governments.

Amnon Rubinstein worked to introduce competition in the fuel industry by breaking the monopoly of fuel companies on imports.

In 1994, Amnon Rubinstein was appointed Minister of Education, Culture, and Sport after Shulamit Aloni's resignation.

Amnon Rubinstein accused the left of becoming increasingly radical in efforts to accommodate Palestinian rights.

In 2007, during a legal debate over proposed judicial reforms by Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann, Amnon Rubinstein supported several of Friedmann's initiatives.

In 1963, Amnon Rubinstein became the first dean of the Faculty of Law at Tel Aviv University, a position he held until 1970.

Amnon Rubinstein's research focused on the constitutional law of Israel, exploring topics such as the state's nature, Zionism, the status of the Law of Return, and the civil rights of Palestinian citizens of Israel.

In 2006, Amnon Rubinstein was awarded the Israel Prize for legal research.

Amnon Rubinstein held positions as a visiting professor at international academic institutions, including Stanford University and Columbia University.

Amnon Rubinstein had a media career as a columnist and commentator.

Amnon Rubinstein gained fame as a popular columnist and interviewee.

Amnon Rubinstein wrote regularly for the Ma'ariv weekend supplement and international publications, including The New York Times.

In 2005, Amnon Rubinstein published his first novel, The Blanket, which explored interconnected stories of Israeli characters from pre-state days to the present, addressing central themes in Israeli society.

Amnon Rubinstein followed this with Highway No 5, The Sea Above Us, Separate Entrance, and Forbidden Loves.

Amnon Rubinstein hosted a radio program on Kol HaMusika, A Musical Morning for Truck and Bus Drivers, from 2014 to 2015.

Amnon Rubinstein wrote extensively on the investigation and prosecution of public figures in Israel, arguing that enforcement bodies wield excessive and unchecked power over elected officials.

Amnon Rubinstein highlighted cases where such power appeared to have been misused.

In 2020, Amnon Rubinstein participated in The Future Archive, a documentation project highlighting the generation of intellectuals who significantly influenced early Israeli culture.

Amnon Rubinstein lived in Tel Aviv and died on January 18,2024.

Amnon Rubinstein was survived by a son and a daughter.

In 2003, Amnon Rubinstein was named a Knight of Quality Government in the Lifetime Achievement category by the Movement for Quality Government.

Amnon Rubinstein received the Hashin Prize for Academic Excellence in Law in 2010, the Gorney Prize for Public Law for his contribution to public law, the ISEF Award for social contribution in 2013, the Herzog Prize for unique contributions to Israel, and the Ramat Gan Literary Award.