Dissentchik, Aryeh
DISSENTCHIK, ARYEH
DISSENTCHIK, ARYEH (1907–1978), Israeli journalist. Born in Riga, Dissentchik worked in daily journalism in his home city. Active from his youth in the Revisionist movement, he served in Paris in the early 1930s as Ze'ev *Jabotinsky's secretary. After he immigrated to Palestine in 1934, he worked on the Revisionist newspaper Ha-Yarden, moving after its closure to the Ha-Boker newspaper. In 1948 Dissentchik joined Maariv as deputy editor to its founding editor-chief, Dr Azriel *Carlebach. When Carlebach died in 1956 Dissentchik replaced him, serving in the post until 1974. Dissentchik was a hardened newsman, widely connected with the Israeli political establishment, who ensured that Maariv maintained its dominant position as the country's largest-selling newspaper at the time as well as providing serious in-depth coverage and commentary. He was also the Israel correspondent of the Associated Press news agency for 10 years and a member of the world board of the International Press Institute. In 1978 he won the Sokolow Prize for outstanding journalism. One of his sons, Iddo, later became editor of Maariv as well.
[Yoel Cohen (2nd ed.)]