Luz (Lozinsky), Kadish
LUZ (Lozinsky), KADISH
LUZ (Lozinsky), KADISH (1895–1972), Israeli politician and third speaker of the *Knesset, member of the Second to Sixth Knessets. Born in Bobruisk, Belorussia, Luz received traditional schooling. He studied economics and social sciences at the University of St. Petersburg, and science and agriculture at Odessa and Dorpat, Estonia. He was one of the founders of the *He-Ḥalutz movement. In 1916–17 he served in the Russian army and received the rank of officer at the outbreak of the Russian Revolution. He was one of the founders of the organization of Jewish soldiers in Russia, initiated by Joseph *Trumpeldor. In 1920 Luz settled in Palestine, where he worked on land reclamation at *Kiryat Anavim and *Be'er Toviyyah, and on road construction in the Jezreel Valley. In 1921 he joined kibbutz *Deganyah Bet. He was a member of the secretariat of the Central Control Committee of the *Histadrut in 1935–40, a member of the Tel Aviv Workers Council secretariat in 1941–42, and a member of the Ḥever ha-Kevuẓot secretariat in 1949–51. Later on he was a member of the secretariat of Iḥud ha-Kevuẓot ve-ha-Kibbutzim and a member of the Mapai Central Committee. Luz was a delegate to the Twentieth Zionist Congress in 1937 and of the Twenty-Second Congress in 1946. He was a member of the Haganah, and in the War of Independence fought in the Jordan Valley. Luz was elected to the Second Knesset on the Mapai list in 1951. He served as minister of agriculture in 1955–59. He was elected speaker of the Knesset in 1959, serving in this position for ten years. During this period the new Knesset building was built, and Luz presided over the festive opening in August 1966. He provided artist Marc Chagall with the quotes from the Old Testament on which he based most of the pictures that appear on the three tapestries he made for the Knesset State Hall. Luz's moderation and impartiality made him a popular figure with all the parliamentary groups in the House.
His writings include Avnei Derekh ("Milestones," 1962), a book of memoirs, Eḥad mi-Sheneim-Asar (1970), and numerous articles and booklets on labor problems and the kibbutz movement. In 1974 there appeared Adam ve-Derekh: Devarim bi-Khtav u-Be'al Peh, Mi-Shelo ve-Alav, containing items by and about him.
[Susan Hattis Rolef (2nd ed.)]