Ephraim Katzir (Katchalski), the 4th President of Israel, a native of Kyiv, was also a writer, journalist, and public figure.

Ukrainian-Jewish relations are rich in shared pages of history and outstanding individuals who played a significant role in the establishment and development of the State of Israel.

Ephraim Katzir (Katchalski)

This includes Ephraim Katzir (Katchalski) – a native of Kyiv, an outstanding biophysicist, and an influential Israeli politician, the fourth President of Israel.

Born in Kyiv

He was born in 1916 in Kyiv, but a few years later the family moved to “Palestine.” Ephraim grew up in an intellectual family where his grandfather was a respected rabbi, so respect for Jewish traditions was always important to him. After settling in Palestine with his family, the boy graduated from a gymnasium in Jerusalem and then entered the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Scientific Activity and Achievements

His professional interest and area of development became the world of biophysics, as evidenced by his successes in university studies and research: in 1941, Ephraim received a doctorate in biophysics.

His research on amino acids and proteins gained recognition and attracted attention in the scientific world. In 1950, he received the Weizmann Prize, followed by the Israel Prize and the Rothschild Prize. For significant scientific achievements, Ephraim Katchalski was admitted to the National Academy of Sciences of Israel, and later he was invited to membership in the American Academy of Sciences.

4th President of Israel

Such a successful scientific career played a special role for Ephraim: he was invited to run for the presidency of Israel by Golda Meir, who was then the Prime Minister. Katchalski was an unquestionable moral and intellectual authority of that time, so he received great support in the presidential elections.

In May 1973, he assumed the position of the fourth President of Israel. His tenure was not without challenges; on the contrary, it was full of historical and fateful decisions for the state.

In 1973, as president, he, along with the country, experienced the Yom Kippur War and a series of complex diplomatic challenges of that time. Ephraim Katzir’s popularity was significant, giving him a strong chance of being re-elected for a second presidential term in 1978, but he decided to return to scientific work.

Memory of Ukraine

Ephraim Katzir always remembered and frequently recalled the city of his birth and childhood – Kyiv.

In his memoirs, written shortly before his death, Kyiv memories often appear. After his presidency, he visited Kyiv, particularly as a world-renowned scientist.

Buried in Jerusalem

He lived a bright, meaningful life, fulfilling himself as a political figure and as a researcher. He died in 2009 in Israel at the venerable age of 93, surrounded by his loved ones. He is buried in Jerusalem.

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