Politicsעוזי אבן

Uzi Even

Uzi Even is an Israeli chemist and professor emeritus at Tel Aviv University who became the first openly gay member of the Knesset in 2002.

born 1940First openly gay Knesset memberResearch on cold molecular beamsLegal precedents for same-sex couples

Born: 18 October 1940, Haifa
Occupation: chemist, physicist, politician, pedagogue
Party: Meretz
Education: Tel Aviv University, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology

Uzi Even was born in 1940 in Haifa

Uzi Even was born in Haifa in 1940, during the British Mandate. His father, Gedalia Kaminetzky-Even, headed the political department of the Shai in the city.

He studied physics at the Technion, earning bachelor's and master's degrees, and completed a PhD at Tel Aviv University under Joshua Jortner. He worked as a nuclear scientist at the reactor near Dimona and in 1968 moved to Lekem, an agency that gathered scientific information abroad.

At Tel Aviv University he headed the School of Chemistry from 1989 to 1993 and researched cold molecular beams. In 1981 he told opposition leader Shimon Peres about plans for Operation Opera, and Peres's letter to Menachem Begin delayed it. In 1982 his security clearance was revoked after his sexual orientation became known.

His 1993 testimony in the Knesset led to changes in army rules on gay soldiers. In 1996 he won a suit against Tel Aviv University over spousal rights for his partner Amit Kama. As a Meretz member he entered the Knesset in 2002 and left it after the 2003 elections.

He married Kama in Canada in 2004, and in 2009 a court approved their adoption of their foster son, Yossi Even-Kama. The couple divorced through the Family Court in 2012. In 2018 he was named an honorary citizen of Tel Aviv-Yafo.

Uzi Even's life in 10 milestones

1940
Born in Haifa.
1968
Left the Dimona reactor and joined Lekem.
1981
Told Shimon Peres about plans for Operation Opera.
1982
Lost his security clearance because of his sexual orientation.
1993
Testified at the first Knesset session on gays and lesbians.
1996
Won a spousal rights suit against Tel Aviv University.
2002
Sworn in as a Meretz member of the Knesset.
2009
Court approved the adoption of his son Yossi.
2012
Divorced Amit Kama through the Family Court.
2018
Named an honorary citizen of Tel Aviv-Yafo.

Uzi Even served in the military

As an IDF reservist he reached the rank of lieutenant colonel, did secret research and served as an intelligence officer in the Six-Day War and the Yom Kippur War. In 1982 his clearance was revoked and his rank lowered.

Meretz