Naomi Blumenthal

Naomi Blumenthal was born in 1943 in Bitzaron

Naomi Blumenthal was born Naomi Greenbaum in Bitzaron on 22 November 1943, during the Mandate era. She served in the Nahal during her national service.

She studied acting at the Beit Zvi School of Art in Ramat Gan and graduated in 1967. She also earned a BA in Political Science and Criminology from Bar-Ilan University.

She acted at Habima, Ohel and the Khan Theater, among others. After her marriage she moved to Beersheba and was among the founders of the city theater in 1972. She had supporting roles in the films Abu el Banat in 1973 and Diamonds in 1975.

She was elected to the Knesset for Likud in 1992 and served until 2006. She chaired the Committee on the Status of Women and the Immigration and Absorption Committee. In 2001 Ariel Sharon appointed her Deputy Minister of National Infrastructure.

In 2006 she was convicted of election bribery and obstruction of justice for paying hotel stays of Likud central committee members before the party primaries. She was sentenced to 8 months in prison and 10 months suspended, and her appeal was rejected. In 2007 President Shimon Peres commuted the prison term to community service.