Dvora Netzer

Dvora Netzer was born in 1897 in Mena

Netzer was born in 1897 in Mena, in the Russian Empire, the eldest of 7 children. Her father was a Chabad Hasid and a Zionist who taught Hebrew in a school he set up in his home. She studied with him as a child and later attended a gymnasium in Konotop.

In 1917 she began medical studies at the University of Yekaterinoslav, then left to teach and earned a teaching certificate. In 1920 she returned to her studies and completed biology studies in Kharkov. She married Shraga Nosovistzky in June 1920.

She was active in HeHalutz and Youth of Zion and guided young people. She was arrested several times for her Zionist activity in 1921, 1922 and 1923. In 1923 she met David Ben-Gurion in Moscow and later received an immigration permit.

She arrived in 1925 with her husband and son and settled in Tel Aviv. She headed a school for working youths until 1949. In 1933 she founded the Working Mothers Organisation and served as its secretary until 1967.

In 1949 she was elected to the first Knesset for Mapai and was re-elected 5 times. From 1965 to 1969 she was a Deputy Speaker, and in November 1968 she served as Acting Speaker and de facto Acting President for 5 days. She retired in 1969 and died in 1989.