Yitzhak Rachamim Navon (1921–2015) was an Israeli politician, diplomat, playwright, and author who served as Israel’s fifth president (1978–83.) He was the first Sephardi Jew and the first Israeli president born in Jerusalem.
Navon studied Arabic and Islamic studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem before working as a teacher. He joined the Haganah’s Arab Intelligence Unit, contributing to Israel’s early security efforts. In 1951, he became political secretary to Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion, later serving as his bureau chief.
Elected to the Knesset in 1965, he chaired the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee before becoming president. His presidency focused on education, cultural preservation, and Jewish-Arab relations. Afterward, he returned to politics as Minister of Culture and Education (1984–90.)
Navon was also a playwright and author, best known for Bustan Sefardi (1969,) a play celebrating Sephardic culture and Ladino. His All the Way: The Autobiography of Yitzhak Navon offers insights into his life and career.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Yitzhak Navon
It’s not that I don’t have opinions, rather that I’m paid not to think aloud.
—Yitzhak Navon
Topics: Opinions, Opinion
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