Ya'akov Margi
Ya'akov Margi | |
---|---|
יַעֲקֹב מַרְגִּי | |
![]() Margi in 2023 | |
Ministerial roles | |
2009–2013 | Minister of Religious Services |
2022–2025 | Minister of Welfare and Social Affairs |
Faction represented in the Knesset | |
2003– | Shas |
Personal details | |
Born | Rabat, Morocco | 18 November 1960
Ya'akov Margi (Hebrew: יַעֲקֹב מַרְגִּי; born 18 November 1960) is an Israeli politician who currently serves as a member of the Knesset for Shas.[1] He served as the Minister of Welfare and Social Affairs from 2022 until 2025 and as the Minister of Religious Services from 2009 until 2013.
Biography
[edit]Margi was born in Rabat in Morocco and brought to Israel during Operation Yachin in 1962.
Between 1993 and 2003, he served as chairman of the local religious council in Beersheba. Since 2001, he has been the director general of Shas. He was first elected to the Knesset in 2003. After retaining his seat in the 2006 elections, Margi served as group chairperson of the party's faction at the Knesset. He also served briefly as chairman of the House Committee.
He retained his seat again in the 2009 elections, having been placed sixth on the Shas list, and was appointed Minister of Religious Services in the Netanyahu government.[2]
Margi lives in Sde Tzvi, a moshav in Southern Israel. He is married, and a father of two.[1]
During Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Israel, he wrote a letter to the pontiff demanding that he clearly condemn the purveyors of Holocaust denial and antisemitism.[3]
He was appointed as the Minister of Welfare and Social Affairs in 2022[4] and served until his resignation in 2025, following Shas' exit from the government.[5]
Margi replaced Semion Moshiashvili in the Knesset upon his return.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Yakov Margi knesset.gov.il
- ^ Netanyahu sworn in as Israel's prime minister Archived 2 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine Haaretz, 1 April 2009.
- ^ Israel demands Pope Benedict XVI condemn Holocaust deniers The Telegraph, 8 May 2009
- ^ Who’s who in the new Netanyahu-led government The Times of Israel, 29 December 2022
- ^ Shas ministers file resignations as party withdraws from government The Times of Israel, 17 July 2025
- ^ Members of 25th Knesset Knesset
External links
[edit]- Ya'akov Margi on the Knesset website