19 Facts About Teddy Kollek

Theodor "Teddy" Kollek was an Israeli politician who served as the mayor of Jerusalem from 1965 to 1993, and founder of the Jerusalem Foundation.

Theodor Teddy Kollek was born in Nagy-Vazsony, 120km from Budapest, Hungary.

In 1935, three years before the Nazis seized power in Austria, the Teddy Kollek family immigrated to British-controlled Mandatory Palestine.

In 1942 Teddy Kollek was appointed the Jewish Agency's deputy head of intelligence.

Teddy Kollek succeeded Reuven Zaslani and preceded Zeev Sherf in this function, and was carrying out the Jewish Agency's policy of assisting the British in fighting these groups.

Teddy Kollek was a key figure in creating an alliance between the Mossad and the CIA during the 1940s and 1950s.

Teddy Kollek became a close ally of David Ben-Gurion, serving in the latter's governments from 1952 as the director general of the prime minister's office.

In 1965 Teddy Kollek succeeded Mordechai Ish-Shalom as Mayor of Jerusalem.

Teddy Kollek was once called the greatest builder of Jerusalem since Herod.

Teddy Kollek was re-elected five times, in 1969,1973,1978,1983, and 1989, serving 28 years as mayor of Jerusalem.

Teddy Kollek advocated religious tolerance and made numerous efforts to reach out to the Arab community during his tenure.

Teddy Kollek dedicated himself to many cultural projects during his lengthy term in office, and served as the founder and head of the Jerusalem Foundation, through which he helped finance the projects.

Teddy Kollek was instrumental in the establishment of the Jerusalem Theater.

Teddy Kollek once remarked that Israel needed a strong army, but it needed expressions of culture and civilization.

Teddy Kollek was considered the "number-one friend" of the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo, which occupied a 15-acre site in Romema from 1950 to 1991.

Teddy Kollek promoted the idea of moving the zoo to a larger location and upgrading it to a state-of-the-art institution.

Teddy Kollek helped the zoo raise money to build the elephant enclosure and to bring in female elephants from Thailand at $50,000 apiece.

Teddy Kollek continued to be active in retirement, maintaining a five-day work week into his nineties, even as he became increasingly infirm.

Teddy Kollek is buried at the Mount Herzl national cemetery, Jerusalem.