14 Facts About Yitzhak Rafael

Yitzhak Rafael served as Deputy Minister of Health in the 1960s and Minister of Religions in the mid-1970s.

Yitzhak Rafael made aliyah to Mandatory Palestine in 1935 and worked as a teacher in Jerusalem.

Yitzhak Rafael attended the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, gaining an MA in Humanities.

Yitzhak Rafael went on to study at the New York Theological Seminary, where he was awarded a doctorate in literature.

Yitzhak Rafael was married to Geula, daughter of Yehuda Leib Maimon, Israel's first Minister of Religious Affairs.

Yitzhak Rafael worked for the Jewish Agency and was director of the department of Craftsman and Small Business.

Yitzhak Rafael was a member of the Hagana and represented Hapoel HaMizrachi in the Assembly of Representatives in 1944.

Yitzhak Rafael was re-elected in 1955,1959 and 1961.

Yitzhak Rafael was re-appointed to the post in July 1963, serving until March 1965.

Yitzhak Rafael was re-elected in 1965 and 1969, and following Haim-Moshe Shapira's death in July 1970, became the leader of the NRP.

Yitzhak Rafael was re-elected again in 1973, and was appointed Minister of Religions by Golda Meir in March 1974.

However, when Yitzhak Rabin formed a new government in June 1974 following Meir's resignation, the NRP were not included in the coalition and Rafael left the cabinet.

Yitzhak Rafael lost his seat in the 1977 elections and retired from politics.

In 1979 Yitzhak Rafael was the co-recipient of the Bialik Prize for Jewish thought.