13 Facts About Haim-Moshe Shapira

Haim-Moshe Shapira was a key Israeli politician in the early days of the state's existence.

Haim-Moshe Shapira was born to Zalman Shapira and Rosa Krupnik in the Russian Empire in Grodno in what is today Belarus.

Haim-Moshe Shapira was educated in heder and a yeshiva, where he organised a youth group called Bnei Zion.

Haim-Moshe Shapira worked in the Education and Culture department of the National Jewish Council in Kaunas, and in 1919 set up the Young Mizrachi, which became a leading player in the religious Zionist youth movement in Lithuania.

In Israel's first elections in 1949, Haim-Moshe Shapira won a seat as a member of the United Religious Front bloc, an alliance of Agudat Yisrael, Poalei Agudat Yisrael, Mizrachi and his Hapoel HaMizrachi party.

Haim-Moshe Shapira was reappointed to his previous ministerial posts, and became Minister of Internal Affairs.

Haim-Moshe Shapira was reappointed Minister of Religions and Minister of Welfare.

Haim-Moshe Shapira's opinion differed from others in his party, including Zalman Shragai.

Haim-Moshe Shapira supported retreat from the Sinai Peninsula after the 1956 Suez Crisis.

Haim-Moshe Shapira said: "A bit more modesty, a bit less vanity and pride won't be unhelpful to us".

Haim-Moshe Shapira was the most vocal of the ministers opposing a pre-emptive Israeli attack before the Six Day War.

Haim-Moshe Shapira cited the opinion of Rabbi Joseph B Soloveitchik, who said that questions of territorial concessions should be decided by those who are experts in the fields of defense and national security.

Haim-Moshe Shapira remarked that Shapira's opinion differed from that of other party members.