- Simha Erlich
MKs
Date of birth = 1915
Place of birth =Poland
Year of Aliyah = 1939
Date of death =19 June 1983
Place of death =
Knesset(s) = 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th
Party =Gahal ,Likud
Former parties =
Gov't roles = Deputy Prime Minister
Finance Minister
Agriculture MinisterSimha Erlich ( _he. שמחה ארליך, born 1915, died
19 June 1983 ) was anIsrael i politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Party and Minister of Finance underMenachem Begin , and is known for his attempt to liberalize theIsraeli economy .Biography
Erlich was born in 1915 in
Poland and was a member of theGeneral Zionists youth movement. He immigrated to Mandate Palestine in 1938 and worked as a farmer inNes Ziona . After the establishment of the State of Israel he found his place in the Liberal Party. In 1955 he was elected to theTel Aviv city council. He studiedoptics and founded a lens factory. In 1969 he quit the city council and was elected to the Knesset onGahal 's list (Gahal being a coalition between the Liberal Party andHerut ). In 1976 he was elected chairman of the Liberal Party. [http://likud1.ios.st/Front/NewsNet/reports.asp?reportId=5540 Simha Erlich] Likud 1]After the 1977 elections he was appointed Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister. As Minister of Finance he tried to cause an economic upheaval in Israel by abolishing foreign currency regulations and travel tax, as well as cheapening import goods. It soon turned out that Israel's economy was not prepared for such a drastic change, as could be seen by the subsequent deterioration of the balance of payments, the mass increase of goods import and sharp rise of inflation rate. Consequently, Erlich was forced to resign as Minister of Finance, but remained Deputy Prime Minister and was in charge of the development of the
Galilee , the Arab sector and re-absorption of emigrants.After the 1981 elections Erlich was appointed Agriculture Minister and remained incumbent Deputy Prime Minister. He died in 1983.
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External links
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