Menahem Ariav

Menahem Ariav was born in 1929 in Berești

Menahem Ariav was born Menahem-Mendel Avdik in 1929 in Berești, Romania. His mother Otilia was a homemaker and his father Leon traded grain. In June 1941 Romanian fascists forced him and his mother from their home.

At 15 he joined the Gordonia youth movement and helped with illegal immigration. He moved to Israel in 1949 and trained at Kibbutz Masada, then joined Kibbutz Nir Am. He served in the Nahal and other units, then worked in farming and later in purchasing for the kibbutz.

In 1962 he moved to Nazareth Illit and became secretary of the local workers council. He joined the city council in 1965 and later served as acting mayor. In 1977, after a dispute with mayor Motke Alon, he formed a coalition with Likud and replaced him.

He led the city until 2008 and won all 7 elections he ran in. The population grew from 18.5 thousand in 1989 to 50 thousand in 1999. He also chaired the Galilee Development Authority council and the company for restituting property of Holocaust victims.

He left the Labor Party for Kadima in 2004. He died in 2017 and was buried in Nof HaGalil. He was survived by his wife Leah and 3 children.