Victor Shem-Tov

VictorShemTov

Victor Shem-Tov (1915 – 8 March 2014) was an Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset and held several ministerial positions. He was a prominent figure in the Mapam and later the Meretz political parties.

Early Life

Victor Shem-Tov was born in Bulgaria in 1915. He immigrated to Mandatory Palestine in 1939, where he became involved in the labor movement and joined the Histadrut, the General Federation of Labor in Israel.

Political Career

Shem-Tov was first elected to the Knesset in 1961 as a member of the Mapam party. He served in the Knesset until 1981. During his tenure, he held several key ministerial positions.

Ministerial Positions

• Minister of Health (1969–1977): Shem-Tov served as the Minister of Health under Prime Ministers Golda Meir and Yitzhak Rabin. During his time in office, he worked on expanding healthcare services and improving the public health system in Israel.
• Minister of Welfare (1977): Briefly served as the Minister of Welfare before the 1977 Israeli legislative election.

Later Life and Legacy

After retiring from politics, Shem-Tov continued to be active in various social and political causes. He passed away on 8 March 2014 at the age of 98. His contributions to Israeli politics, particularly in the field of healthcare, are remembered as significant.

See Also

• Knesset
• Mapam
• Meretz
• Golda Meir
• Yitzhak Rabin