Ya'akov Margi Explained

Birth Date:18 November 1960
Birth Place:Rabat, Morocco
Office1:Ministerial roles
Suboffice1:Minister of Religious Services
Subterm1:2009–2013
Suboffice2:Minister of Welfare and Social Affairs
Subterm2:2022–
Subterm3:2003–
Suboffice3:Shas
Office3:Faction represented in the Knesset

Ya'akov Margi (Hebrew: יַעֲקֹב מַרְגִּי, born 18 November 1960) is an Israeli politician who currently serves as the Minister of Welfare and Social Affairs. Margi also serves as a member of the Knesset for Shas.

Biography

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.[1]

Margi lives in Sde Tzvi, a moshav in Southern Israel. He is married, and a father of two.[2]

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]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1075341.html Netanyahu sworn in as Israel's prime minister
  2. https://www.knesset.gov.il/mk/eng/mk_eng.asp?mk_individual_id_t=751 Yakov Margi
  3. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/jordan/5297039/Israel-demands-Pope-Benedict-XVI-condemn-Holocaust-deniers.html Israel demands Pope Benedict XVI condemn Holocaust deniers