Former mayor of Jerusalem, Teddy (Theodore) Kollek, has passed away this morning, at the age of 95.
Kollek was born in Vienna, Austria, on May 27th 1911. He immigrated to Israel, which was under the British mandate, in 1934 and was one of the founders of Kibbutz Ein Gev.
Kollek was born in Vienna, Austria, on May 27th 1911. He immigrated to Israel, which was under the British mandate, in 1934 and was one of the founders of Kibbutz Ein Gev.
During the Second World War he helped European Jews escape the Nazi regime and immigrate to Israel. After the war he was sent on a mission from the „Haganah” to help with weapons shipments for the fighting forces in Israel.
When the state of Israel was founded he served as the official envoy to Washington D.C and later was appointed as Director General of the Prime-Ministers’ office, the late David Ben-Gurion.
In 1965 he was elected as mayor of Jerusalem, a position he held for 28 years until 1993. Two years after he was elected the city was unified in the Six Days War and Teddy became the first mayor of the unified city. Teddy made sure Jerusalem was unified not only in name but also in practice.
During his tenure Kollek worked relentlessly towards the development and advancement of Jerusalem. He dedicated all his efforts to raise funds for the city, with no distinction between the different parts or populations.
Also in his tenure, many public buildings and institutes were built in Jerusalem, including The Israel Museum, which Teddy was among its founders, The Jerusalem Theater, The Jerusalem Cinematheque, The „Teddy” Stadium (Dedicated to him), Safra Square and many more. In 1988 he was awarded the Israel Prize for special contribution to the People and the State of Israel.
In 1966 he founded the Jerusalem Foundation. He kept working for the foundation until his last days and raise funds from his friends and allies around the world.
The city of Jerusalem is mourning and the flags at Safra Square were lowered to half-mast. The mayor of Jerusalem, Uri Lupolianski, expressed deep sadness over the passing of Kollek. „Teddy was Jerusalem and Jerusalem was Teddy. With his spirit and personality he symbolized the true unified Jerusalem, the capital of Israel. The city of Jerusalem and the entire state are indebted to Teddy for his tremendous contribution to the people of Israel, the state and its capital”.
BreuerPress-info
When the state of Israel was founded he served as the official envoy to Washington D.C and later was appointed as Director General of the Prime-Ministers’ office, the late David Ben-Gurion.
In 1965 he was elected as mayor of Jerusalem, a position he held for 28 years until 1993. Two years after he was elected the city was unified in the Six Days War and Teddy became the first mayor of the unified city. Teddy made sure Jerusalem was unified not only in name but also in practice.
During his tenure Kollek worked relentlessly towards the development and advancement of Jerusalem. He dedicated all his efforts to raise funds for the city, with no distinction between the different parts or populations.
Also in his tenure, many public buildings and institutes were built in Jerusalem, including The Israel Museum, which Teddy was among its founders, The Jerusalem Theater, The Jerusalem Cinematheque, The „Teddy” Stadium (Dedicated to him), Safra Square and many more. In 1988 he was awarded the Israel Prize for special contribution to the People and the State of Israel.
In 1966 he founded the Jerusalem Foundation. He kept working for the foundation until his last days and raise funds from his friends and allies around the world.
The city of Jerusalem is mourning and the flags at Safra Square were lowered to half-mast. The mayor of Jerusalem, Uri Lupolianski, expressed deep sadness over the passing of Kollek. „Teddy was Jerusalem and Jerusalem was Teddy. With his spirit and personality he symbolized the true unified Jerusalem, the capital of Israel. The city of Jerusalem and the entire state are indebted to Teddy for his tremendous contribution to the people of Israel, the state and its capital”.
BreuerPress-info
