By Prime Minister’s Media Adviser
Professor Ben-Zion Netanyahu, the father of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, passed away early Monday, April 30, 2012 at his home in Jerusalem. His son was able to visit the night before.
Prof. Netanyahu was born in Warsaw on March 25, 1910, and named Ben-Zion Mileikowsky. In 1920, he and his family immigrated to the Land of Israel. In 1944, he married Tzila, whom he had met during his studies there. Ben-Zion Netanyahu had three sons – the late Col. Yonatan Netanyahu, who fell during Operation Yonatan at Entebbe; Benjamin, the Prime Minister of Israel; and Ido, a doctor, author and playwright.
Prof. Netanyahu was among the great historians of the Jewish People. In his research, he focused on the history of the medieval Spanish Jewish community and the history of Zionism. Among his books are a biography of Don Isaac Abravanel, a history of the Spanish Marranos and his major work, “The Origins of the Inquisition in Fifteenth Century Spain” – which received global acclaim. He also authored “The Founding Fathers of Zionism” – an account of the lives of the founders of political Zionism – Leon Pinsker, Theodor Herzl, Max Nordau, Israel Zangwill and Zeev Jabotinsky.
Prof. Netanyahu was the editor-in-chief of the Hebrew Encyclopedia for over a decade, and served as Professor of Jewish Studies at various U.S. universities. He concluded his academic career as Professor emeritus at Cornell University.
From his days as a student in Jerusalem, he was involved in public Zionist activities. He was a supporter of Zeev Jabotinsky and edited a newspaper that featured Prof. Joseph Klausner and poet Uri Tzvi Greenberg.
He defended those who were accused of murdering Chaim Arlozorov and, to this end, persuaded his father, Rabbi Natan Mileikowsky, to enlist the support of Rabbi Avraham Isaac Hacohen Kook to defend the accused. Rabbi Kook later delivered a moving eulogy for Rabbi Mileikovsky.
In 1939 Prof. Netanyahu traveled to London and persuaded Jabotinsky to relocate to the U.S.A., a rising world power where one could more readily garner support for the Jewish state. Although Jabotinsky died shortly after arrival in the U.S.A., Netanyahu continued to raise support for the creation of a Jewish state throughout the war and afterward.
In this context, he met with many U.S. Jewish leaders of the period, as well as with Senators, Congressmen, authors, poets and leaders, including Dean Acheson and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Upon the establishment of the State, he returned from the US and moved with his young family to Jerusalem’s Talpiot neighborhood. He dedicated himself to his research, in which he was assisted by his wife Tzila, a native of Petah Tikva and his life’s partner for over 50 years.
In 1952, the Netanyahu family moved to its home a 4 Haportzim Street, where he passed away.
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