Politicsיצחק לוי

Isaac Levy

Yitzhak Levy is an Israeli Orthodox rabbi and politician who led the National Religious Party from 1998 to 2002 and held several ministerial posts.

born 1947Leading the National Religious PartySeveral ministerial postsCo-founding the Ahi partyHelping found Elon Moreh

Born: 6 June 1947, Casablanca
Occupation: politician, rabbi
Party: National Religious Party
Education: Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavneh, Yeshivat Hakotel
Rank: Major

Isaac Levy was born in 1947 in Casablanca

Levy was born in Casablanca, Morocco, in 1947. His father, Daniel-Yitzhak Levy, later became a Knesset member for the National Religious Party. The family immigrated to Israel in 1957.

He studied at Yeshivat Hakotel in Jerusalem and was ordained as a rabbi. He served as an officer in the IDF and reached the rank of major.

He headed a yeshiva high school in Kfar Maimon and was active in the Bnei Akiva leadership. He helped found the settlement of Elon Moreh. He was secretary-general of the National Religious Movement from 1986.

He entered the Knesset in 1988. He served as Minister of Transportation, Education, Religious Affairs, Housing, and Tourism, and became party leader in 1998 after the death of Zevulun Hammer. In 2005 he and Effi Eitam left the party over the disengagement plan and founded Ahi, which joined the National Union.

His daughter Ayelet Hashahar was killed in a car bomb attack in Jerusalem in 2000. He retired from politics in December 2008. He is married with 5 children and lives in Kfar Maimon.