Politicsאפרים קציר

Ephraim Katzir

Ephraim Katzir was an Israeli biophysicist who served as Israel's fourth president, from 1973 to 1978.

1916 to 2009Fourth President of IsraelEnzyme immobilization methodWeizmann Institute Biophysics DepartmentHosting Anwar Sadat in 1977

Born: 3 May 1916, Kyiv
Died: 30 May 2009, Rehovot
Occupation: university teacher, politician, biophysicist
Party: Israeli Labor Party
Education: Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Harvard University, Columbia University
Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
Founded: 1978)

Ephraim Katzir was born in 1916 in Kyiv

Ephraim Katchalski was born in Kyiv in 1916 to Yehuda and Tzilya Katchalski. His family moved to Mandatory Palestine in 1925 and settled in Jerusalem. He attended the Hebrew Gymnasium in Rehavia.

He studied science at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, earning an MSc in 1938 and a PhD in 1941. He later continued his studies in the United States, including at Columbia University and Harvard University.

In 1939 he completed a Haganah officers' course. In May 1948 he was appointed commander of the IDF Science Corps, known as HEMED.

In 1949 he joined the Weizmann Institute of Science, where he founded and headed the Department of Biophysics. He developed a method for binding enzymes that is used in the drug and food industries. He also served as chief scientist of the defense establishment from 1966.

The Knesset elected him president in 1973, and he took office on 24 May 1973. In November 1977 he welcomed Egyptian President Anwar Sadat to Israel. He did not seek a second term in 1978, returned to research, and died at his home in Rehovot on 30 May 2009.