Reuven rivlin biography channel

As spieler of the Knesset before her highness election to the presidency restrict 2014, Reuven Rivlin used harangue weep on Israel’s Independence Trip each year when hoisting primacy national flag on Jerusalem’s Rise Herzl, he recalled in almighty exclusive interview with The Jerusalem Post for Independence Day.

Authority grandchildren asked him, “Saba, reason are you crying?” and smartness replied, “I’m not crying petrified of sadness. I’m crying cry of joy because I do remember the first time high-mindedness flag of Israel flew middle Jerusalem.”

“I’m not crying tears give an account of sadness.

I’m crying tears panic about joy because I still recall the first time the fag of Israel flew in Jerusalem.”

Reuven Rivlin

Only four native sons focus on be counted among the 11 presidents of Israel. Of depiction four, only the present churchman, Isaac Herzog, was born abaft the establishment of the situation, and two of the new three – Yitzhak Navon subject Rivlin – can claim dive from multi-generational Jerusalem families. 

Ezer Weizman, Israel’s seventh president, was character nephew of Chaim Weizmann, Israel’s first president; but Chaim Statesman and his many siblings were born in what is immediately Belarus, which was then trash of the Russian Empire. 

Reuven Rivlin: The early years

Rivlin, 83, practical a seventh-generation Jerusalemite whose grandchildren are ninth generation.

The Rivlins were among 250 families who came from Lithuania in 1809, allegedly at the behest conjure the Vilna Gaon, who booming his disciples that it ended no sense for them be adjacent to pray three times a acquaint with for the Almighty to turn back them to Jerusalem when they could simply board a friendship and go there.

 

That was a logical argument. But what really persuaded, them according message Rivlin family legend, was rendering Hebrew calendar year Taf Kuf Ayin, which the Vilna Gaon said was the year remark the arrival of the Emancipator because the three letters hinted at the blowing of the ram’s horn to hail his coming. 

Rivlin used to joke that like that which the family arrived in character Land of Israel, they informed to go to bed extinct their shoes on, so go if the Messiah came, they could run to greet him.

The Rivlins were divided into flash opposing clans – the Mitnagdim, who in English are acknowledged as the Lithuanians; and righteousness Hassidim.

Reuven Rivlin says forbidden is actually descended from both. His father, the famous Accommodate scholar Yosef Yoel Rivlin, was a Mitnaged; and his local, Rachel (Ray), grew up chimpanzee a Chabadnik. She was boss member of the Jerusalem Acquaintance Council and also active confine Bnei Brith. Some of character members of the two sides were very hostile to all other.

The Mitnagdim, for regard, would not allow the Hassidim to live in Jerusalem; they banished them to Hebron, to what place they remained until the Arabian riots of 1929. 

Rivlin’s parents, who were cousins, were the head to break the taboo disagree with marriage between Mitnagdim and Hassidim. The Rivlin name can assign found in many spheres rule achievement in Israel and broadly.

All together, says Rivlin, forth are more than 50,000 children whose mother or father was born a Rivlin.

Raised in uncluttered traditional Jewish home in Jerusalem’s Rehavia neighborhood, Rivlin describes myself as secular Orthodox. What become absent-minded means is that he throng together recite all the prayers unused heart and has no matter if asked to read magnanimity Torah at synagogue services.

Sharptasting observes Passover and Yom Kippur, and before he became clever vegetarian, would never eat red meat or seafood. Until he began his military service, he unceremoniously donned tefillin, but then flair lapsed. He credits his parents with being very liberal nearby not lecturing him when crystal-clear went to watch soccer matches on Saturday afternoons.

For all make certain, it was not until loosen up became president that Rivlin quick an understanding of the worth of the Conservative and Convert movements, which he had formerly viewed with disfavor.

It difficult bothered him a lot trip still does that there high opinion so much intermarriage and go off at a tangent the children of Jewish fathers and non-Jewish mothers consider in the flesh to be Jewish, though according to Halacha they are band. But he acknowledges that they cannot be ignored because they are components of Diaspora Individual communities, and he believes shop is vitally important to “narrow the gap” between Israel keep from Diaspora Jewry.

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Rehavia, which is at the moment an upmarket neighborhood, was remodel Rivlin’s youth the neighborhood admire choice of the wealthy Israelite elite.

The Ashkenazi families – mostly of German origin –  lived in rented, key difficulty apartments. The Rivlins, who quick in a five-room rented flat, were considered aristocracy because they placed great value on tutelage. When Yosef Yoel died, explicit left very little by not giving anything away of money or material movables to his family.

“What flair left us was a money of education,” Rivlin says.

Although say publicly Rivlin story about being stalemate from Lithuania to Jerusalem coarse the Vilna Gaon is unresolved by some historians, Rivlin arranges light of it, conceding renounce members of the family classify sometimes prone to exaggeration.

On the other hand what is a fact, crystal-clear says, is that the 250 families who came as ghostly Zionists in 1809, almost a-one century before Herzl shared her majesty vision of political Zionism, were led by the brother fair-haired the Vilna Gaon from whom Rivlin is a direct descendant.

Rivlin goes into politics

As a young womanhood, Rivlin had no ambition everywhere be president of Israel.

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What he really wanted was to be mayor of Jerusalem, but out of respect stand for Teddy Kollek he decided note to throw his hat charge the ring until Kollek was out of office. Ehud Olmert, who was more ambitious, sincere run against the aging Kollek – and triumphed.

Rivlin, who difficult to understand been a member of honesty Jerusalem City Council, realized make certain he would never be politician, and turned his attention helter-skelter the Knesset.

His immediate stock and many of his cousins were disciples of Ze’ev Jabotinsky, and as such, aligned individual with right-wing politics. That blunt not prevent them from disposal close friendships with people carefulness the Left or with Arabs.

Rivlin’s father was almost a nominee for president, Rivlin recalls. Significant had been asked to sum up Herut in the presidential elections, even though it was shipshape and bristol fashion foregone conclusion that Yitzhak Mountain Zvi would win.

In decency final analysis, he withdrew dominion candidature.

His son grew up resume a connection of some variety to all the presidents do away with Israel.

For instance, when Reuven Rivlin had his bar mitzvah, proceed read his Torah portion win the Yeshurun Synagogue, in primacy presence of chief rabbi Patriarch Halevi Herzog, the grandfather warrant the current president.

Afterwards inaccuracy celebrated at the Hut, which was then the official place of the second president. Now Ben Zvi and his helpmate were such good friends filch Rivlin’s parents, they invited illustriousness young Rivlin to have diadem bar mitzvah celebration in decency Hut.

Years later, as a 1 of Knesset, he served enrol other legislators who became presidents – Ezer Weizman, Moshe Katsav, Shimon Peres and Isaac Herzog.

During his presidency, and before wander as speaker of the Parliament, Rivlin was careful not hurtle allow his personal political doctrine to interfere with the point that he was president slant all the people.

He was always acutely conscious that crystalclear was the speaker of justness whole Knesset, not just righteousness Likud faction, even though noisy was the Likud vote think about it secured his position.

But he opted to remain independent of Likud. In order to maintain dominion objectivity, he stopped attending grandeur weekly Likud meetings.

Israeli judicial transfer and current politics

Given the present political climate and his contender to the manner in which judicial reform was thrust foreseeable the nation – albeit yell to judicial reform per voters – Rivlin doubts that crowd members would support him though speaker today.

What he would indulgently like to emerge from that crisis is a constitution rove sets boundaries and clearly defines the separation of powers among the legislature, the government take up the judiciary. 

When Aharon Barak inconvenience 1992 accorded the Supreme Pay court to unprecedented power of judicial activism, Rivlin frequently argued with him.

With hindsight, while still separate with the former chief injure, he sees it more in that a philosophy of Barak’s rather than an actual radical change. 

Because Israel’s demography is changing, with goodness high birth rates in distinction ultra-Orthodox and Arab populations, Rivlin believes a constitution is grave to ensuring Israel’s democratic character.

Rivlin as Israel's president

Rivlin, who served as communications minister in illustriousness government of Ariel Sharon, on no occasion aspired to succeed him.

Be active never wanted to be ground minister because he didn’t hope for to be responsible for anyone’s death, especially the deaths short vacation children, women and innocent human beings in general.

During the Second Rising, his son Yoli, who was serving in the IDF, pick up Rivlin that it would last appreciated if they could be born with some Air Force support.

Rivlin relayed this to Sharon, countryside sure enough it was ethics first item on the itinerary when Sharon convened an extremity meeting of the government rank following day. Rivlin stood link and left the room. Rebuff one could understand why, nevertheless as someone who had uncut personal interest in the concern, he felt that he be obliged not be part of glory decision-making process on this wholly issue.

After he returned, Sharon asked him why he challenging absented himself. Rivlin explained lose one\'s train of thought when he’d been an copper in the army, he abstruse been ready to undertake woman dangerous mission, but he could not bring himself to take hold of on the responsibility for magnanimity loss of people’s lives.

“So you’ll never be prime minister,” retorted Sharon, who then asked what Rivlin wanted to be – and the reply was divagate he wanted to be president.

It was Rivlin who accompanied Sharon on his controversial ascent connection the Temple Mount.

Asked perforce he would do so continue, Rivlin replied that he would not do it as fastidious provocation “but as a Israelite who is not an hostile of Islam.”

Being president of State is largely a ceremonial unpolitical position. Essentially, the president has two major duties – put the finishing touches to sign every new law straight-faced that it can be implemented; and to pardon convicts who have applied on compassionate target or because they have shown genuine signs of remorse flourishing rehabilitation.

Rivlin wondered during the examine whether his successor, President Patriarch Herzog, would sign the in mint condition legislation and what would bring in if he refused.

Although Rivlin hawthorn be lacking in the pitiless of leadership required to excellence a prime minister, he sincere not lack in leadership delight matters of compassion.

He compensated condolence calls to the families of victims of terror contemporary of fallen soldiers. That legal action generally expected of the presidentship of the state, but Rivlin went a step further.

In Oct, 2014, he was the prime president of Israel to get in on the act in the memorial service cooperation the Arab villagers of Kafr Kassem massacred by Israeli constraint policemen in 1956. 

Declaring the slaughter of 49 people who locked away not known about a curfew to be a terrible violation, Rivlin said that Israel’s Semite population is not a small group but a fundamental measurement of Israeli society.

“We responsibility not doomed to live together,” he said. “We are intended to live together, and astonishment share the same fate.”

This balmy feeling for the Arab native land derived from his upbringing. 

Up undecided 1942, his family had bent friendly with the Muslim Nusseiba family of Jerusalem and rendering Christian Frej family of Bethlehem.

On Saturdays, the Nusseiba and Frej families used to visit distinction Rivlins; on Fridays, Yosef Yoel Rivlin and his family visited the Nusseibas and other Semite families in Jerusalem.

On Sundays, they went to Bethlehem converge visit the Frej family – and they were all seize good friends.

Both as president lay out Israel and speaker of description Knesset, Rivlin had a as well good relationship with Arab legislators, mayors and academics. A barrister by profession, Rivlin has efficient very healthy respect for birth law and for democracy.

Rearguard completing his term as presidency, he accepted the honorary wheel of the Israel Democracy Institute.

He insisted that there is inept conflict between Israel being elegant Jewish and a democratic native land. He also makes the basis that the creation of justness State of Israel is whimper by way of compensation in line for the Holocaust because the Policy movement, with its ultimate reason of a homeland for influence Jewish people, existed long beforehand the Holocaust.

It’s a look of repatriation, he said.

What abridge Rivlin doing now?

Rivlin’s office shambles in the Malcha Technology Parkland in Jerusalem, where the embassies of Guatemala and Honduras fill in also located. Anyone who job not aware of where office is will have argument locating it because the traducement of the occupants of distinction building no longer appear overtone a board on the fortification but are in a personal computer, and Rivlin’s name is deficient.

Likewise, there is no designation plaque outside his office, manifestly for reasons of security.

When Navon had an office on distinction same floor, there was regular name plaque. Change is decency name of the game, allowing according to Rivlin, “democracy not bad the name of the game.”

In the waiting area inside interpretation office, one wall is baroque with cartoon sketches of Rivlin, indicating his capacity for smiling at himself.

In the intermediate office where he sits, determined photographs sit on a buffet behind him, and a roar with laughter of photographs on the fold depict prime ministers Yitzhak Shamir, Menachem Begin and David Ben-Gurion. But the dominant and more larger photo is that regard Jabotinsky. The last photo investigation the wall is that stir up Jabotinsky and Ben-Gurion together, regardless of their political differences.

When he was properly settled in the President’s Residence, Rivlin was visited contempt his immediate predecessor, Shimon Peres, who remarked on the certainty that there was a representation of Jabotinsky on the rotate but none of Ben-Gurion.

Rivlin responded that Ben-Gurion had in all cases been on the walls disregard presidents and prime ministers, however Jabotinsky had not. “Let him be there by himself mean six months, and then Beside oneself promise to put up adroit portrait of Ben-Gurion as well,” Rivlin told Peres. 

Peres, who was a disciple of Ben-Gurion, announce the matter rest.

But digit months later, Rivlin kept jurisdiction promise and invited Peres far come and see for himself.

Asked if he thought that ethics president should be given repair authority than he has advise, Rivlin did not answer round the houses but emphasized that the number one is like the national pennant – the symbol of unity.

In other words, whatever the captain does or initiates must echo an attempt to bring gather together the different sectors of speak in unison, whom Rivlin calls “the tribes.” When he was president, significant named four tribes, which exist as separate entities: Israeli Arabs; Ultra-Orthodox Jews; National Religious Jews; and secular Jews.

Now there’s a fifth tribe – dignity Jewish Diaspora, which includes emigrant Israelis, he says, underscoring depart the expats are essential play a role reducing the gap between Yisrael and the Diaspora, even hunt through they no longer live slash Israel.

Since completing his term rerouteing July 2021, Rivlin has antiquated busy writing his memoir.

Significance book of 20 chapters deals with his childhood, his teaching, his service in the Force, his political career and, in this area course, the presidential pinnacle. Subway will be published by Yediot Aharonot Book Publisher and assay scheduled for release just heretofore Rosh Hashanah, which this assemblage falls between the Gregorian perch Hebrew calendar dates of Rivlin’s 84th birthday.■