Michael Hasani


Rabbi Ya'akov-Michael Hasani was an Israeli politician who served as Minister of Welfare during two spells in the early 1970s.

Biography

Born Ya'akov Kantrovich in Będzin in Poland, Hasani studied at a yeshiva and was certified as a rabbi. He made aliyah in 1932 and was involved in the Haganah.
In 1951 he was elected to the Knesset on the Hapoel HaMizrachi list. He was re-elected in 1955, 1959, 1961, 1965 and 1969. In December 1969 he became Deputy Minister of Education and Culture, serving until 1 September 1970, when he was appointed Minister of Welfare. He remained minister After the 1973 elections, he retained his seat in the Knesset and continued in office as Minister of Welfare. However, less than a month after the government was formed, Hasani left the cabinet on 4 April 1974. He returned as Minister of Welfare in October that year, serving until his death in July 1975.