BEN-YEHUDAH, BARUKH

BEN-YEHUDAH, BARUKH (1894–1990), Israeli educator. Ben-Yehudah, who was born in Marijampole, Lithuania, settled in Ereẓ Israel in 1911. During World War i he joined kevuẓat Deganyah, teaching there and at Rosh Pinnah. He then studied at the University of Brussels and, after receiving a degree in mathematics and physics in 1924, returned to teaching. He became principal of the Herẓlia Gymnasium in Tel Aviv. In 1927 he helped found the pioneering high school youth movement Ḥugim (later known as Maḥanot Olim). He also founded the Teachers' Council for the Jewish National Fund. He was director of the education department of the Va'ad Le'ummi in 1947, and the first director-general of the Ministry of Education and Culture of the State of Israel (until 1951). In 1979 he was awarded the Israel Prize for education. His books include Toledot ha-Ẓiyyonut ("The History of Zionism," 1943); Ha-Keren ha-Meḥannekhet: Tenu'at Morim Lema'an Ẓiyyon u-Ge'ulatah ("The Educating Fund: The Teachers' Movement for Zion and its Redemption" 1949, 1952); Ta'amei ha-Mikra le-Vattei Sefer ("Biblical Cantillation for Schools," 1968); Kol ha-Ḥinnukh ha-Ẓiyyoni ("The Voice of Zionist Education," 1955); and Yesodot u-Derakhim ("Fundamentals and Ways," 1952). He also wrote on teaching mathematics: Hora'at ha-Matematikah be-Veit ha-Sefer ha-Tikhon ("The Teaching of Mathematics in High School," 2 vols., 1959–60) and mathematics texts.

[Abraham Aharoni]