Menachem Elon
Menachem Elon | |
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מנחם אלון | |
Supreme Court of Israel judge | |
In office 1977–1993 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Düsseldorf, Germany | November 1, 1923
Died | February 6, 2013 Jerusalem, Israel | (aged 89)
Nationality | Israeli |
Spouse | Ruth Elon (Buchsbaum) |
Relatives |
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Alma mater | |
Occupation | Jurist |
Awards |
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Menachem Elon (
Elon served as a justice of the
Biography
Menachem Fetter (later Elon) was born in
The Elon family, a member of the
Academic career
Elon earned his diploma from the Tel Aviv School of Law and Economics in 1948. In the early 1950s, he worked as an attorney in private practice, while at the same time completing an
In 1963, Elon was appointed head of the Institute for Research in Jewish Law at the Hebrew University, where he edited 10 volumes of The Annual of the Institute for Research in Jewish Law, as well as a digest of the response of the medieval authorities. From 1968 to 1971, he served as editor of the Division of Jewish Law of the
He played a pivotal role in the
In 1979, Elon was awarded the Israel Prize for Hebrew law.[5]
Supreme Court of Israel
In 1977, he was appointed to the
Elon was involved in a number of important verdicts, including the acquittal of
Among Elon's prominent decisions were a ruling prohibiting registering the character of non-Orthodox conversions on Israeli identity cards, one ordering the return of a girl who had been transferred for adoption without her parents' consent, and the decision to order a local religious service committee to accept Leah Shakdiel as its first female member.[7] In 1988, he ruled that active euthanasia ("mercy killing") was illegal, because it negated the values of the State of Israel as a Jewish state (Yael Shefer v. The State of Israel).
In 1988, he was promoted to the position of deputy president of the Supreme Court, under Meir Shamgar. He served in this position until his retirement in 1993 after 16 years as a justice; he was succeeded as deputy president by Aharon Barak.
Presidential nomination
Supported by
Resumption of academic career
After retiring from the Supreme Court in 1993, he was elected President of the World Union of Jewish Studies, and served in that capacity until 2005.
Menachem Elon died in Jerusalem on February 6, 2013, and was buried in Har HaMenuchot (Jerusalem). He was 89.
Awards and honors
- in 1978, Katz Prize for Jewish studies.
- in 1979, Elon was awarded the Israel Prize in jurisprudence.
- in 1979, Ben-Meir Prize for Mishpat Ivri Research.
- In 1994, won a
- in 1994, Elon was awarded the Zeltner Prize for Legal Research.[12]
- in 1996, won the Israel Bar Association prize[13]
- in 1997, he received Honorary Degrees from Bar-Ilan University.[14]
- in 1997, Elon was awarded the "Knight of Quality Government" from Movement for Quality Government in Israel.[15]
- in 1999, he received Honorary Degrees from Jerusalem College of Technology
- in 2001, he received the Yakir Yerushalayim (Worthy Citizen of Jerusalem)[16] and Yakir Safed (2004).
Published works
Selected works in English
- Jewish Law: History, Sources, Principles, The Jewish Publication Society, 1994. ISBN 0-8276-0389-4.
- Decision of the Supreme Court of Israel in the Shefer Case (Yael Shefer v. The State of Israel), Falk Schlesinger Institute, 1996.
- The Tears of the Oppressed: An Examination Of The Agunah Problem: Background And Halakhic Sources, Ktav Pub Inc, 2004.
- The Ethiopian Jews (Bene Israel: a case study in the functioning of the Jewish legal system, New York, 1987.
- Talmudic civil law, New York, 1984.
- Jewish Law (Mishpat Ivri): Cases and Materials, Published by LexisNexis, New York, 1999.
Original writings (Hebrew)
- The Freedom of the Person of the Debtor in Jewish Law, Magnes, Jerusalem, 1964.
- Legislation in the Laws of the State of Israel and Within the Jurisdiction of the Civil and Rabbinical Courts, Published by Religious Kibbutz Movement, 1968.
- Mishpat Ivri – The sources and nature of Jewish law and its application in the state of Israel, Magnes, Jerusalem, 1973.
- Human Dignity and Freedom in the Methods of Enforcement of Judgments – The Values of a Jewish and Democratic State, Magnes, Jerusalem, 1999.
- The Status of Women – Law and Jurisdict, Tradition and transition, Press The Kibbutz Consolidated, Tel Aviv, 2005.
Edited books
- Digest of Responsa Literature of Spain and North Africa, Publisher The Hebrew University Magnes PressLtd, Jerusalem, 1981.
- Indices to the Responsa of Jewish Law: The Responsa of R. Asher ben Jehiel, Publisher The Hebrew University Magnes Press Ltd, Jerusalem, 1965.
- Indices to the Responsa of Jewish Law: The Responsa of R. Yom Tov Asevilli, Publisher The Hebrew University Magnes Press Ltd, Jerusalem, 1973.
- Indices to the Responsa of Jewish Law: The Responsa of R. Judah ben Asher, Publisher The Hebrew University Magnes Press Ltd, 1973.
- The Principles of Jewish Law, Keter Publishing House, Jerusalem, 1975.
See also
References
- ^ 'The Kennedys of the religious Zionist camp', Haaretz, 17 February 2010
- ^ Retired Justice Menachem Elon Dies at 90
- ^ Translated from the Hebrew by Bernard Auerbach and Melvin Sykes in four volumes
- ^ 'Elon's Contributions to Israeli Jurisprudence Immeasurable'
- ^ "Israel Prize Official Site – Recipients in 1979 (in Hebrew)".
- ^ "Our teacher" Menachem Elon By BERNARD AUERBACH
- ^ ‘Our teacher’ Menachem Elon
- ^ Justice Menachem Elon, Israel Prize laureate and world renowned Jewish Law professor passes away at 89
- ^ 'The Master of Jewish Jurisprudence'
- ^ "National Jewish Book Award | Book awards | LibraryThing". www.librarything.com. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
- ^ "Past Winners". Jewish Book Council. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
- ^ Zeltner Prize Archived December 9, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Prize acceptance speech (in Hebrew)
- ^ received Honorary Degrees from Bar-Ilan University
- ^ Knight of Quality Government
- ^ award Recipients of Yakir Yerushalayim award (in Hebrew) Archived November 17, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
External links
- Articles By Menachem Elon ) My Jewish Learning
- Medicine, Halacha, and Law The Values of a Jewish and Democratic State By Prof. Menachem Elon ) The Schlesinger Institute
- ‘Our teacher’ Menachem Elon - By Bernard Auerbach] ) The Jerusalem Post
- A thank you to Rabbi David Hartman, Dr. Menachem Elon - By Avi Weiss ) The Jerusalem Post
- PM Netanyahu Sends Condolence Letter to the Family of Prof. Menachem Elon ) Israeli Prime Minister's Office