Michael Hasani

Michael Hasani was born in 1913 in Będzin

He was born Ya'akov Kantrovich in Będzin in 1913. He studied at the Torat Chaim yeshiva in Warsaw and was ordained as a rabbi. He also took general studies and passed matriculation exams as an external student.

He came to the Land of Israel in 1932 for the Maccabiah games and changed his surname so he could stay. He worked as a farm laborer, was among the first settlers of Kfar Yavetz and helped found Kibbutz Tirat Zvi. He was active in the Haganah and helped found HaShomer HaDati.

He chaired the agricultural center of Hapoel HaMizrachi and worked to expand religious settlement. He was elected to the Knesset in 1951 and served until his death, sitting for years on the Finance Committee. In December 1969 he became Deputy Minister of Education and Culture.

On 1 September 1970 he became Minister of Welfare and began recruiting volunteers for National Service. He resigned from the cabinet on 4 April 1974 and returned as minister on 30 October 1974. He died suddenly during a speech in Jenin in 1975 and was buried on the Mount of Olives in a state funeral.