Benyamin Elon

(1954 - )

Benyamin Elon was born in Jerusalem in 1954. He studied at Yeshivat Mercaz Harav and served as a chaplain in the IDF.

Benny Elon served as Rabbi of Kibbutz Shluchot from 1978-82, and as a Jewish Agency emissary in the United States from 1983-85. On his returnm, he taught at the Ateret Cohanim Center in Jerusalem, and in 1990 founded Yeshivat Beit Orot, of which he was Dean until 1996.

Elon has been a Knesset Member since 1996, when he was elected on the Moledet ticket. He has served as a member of the Knesset Internal Affairs and Environment Committee; the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee; the Committee on the Status of Women; and the Committee for Foreign Workers.

In October 2001, following the assassination of Tourism Minister Rechavam Ze'evy by Palestinian terrorists, Benyamin Elon was appointed Minister of Tourism.

Elon is married, and has six children. He has published commentaries on the teachings of Rabbi Kook, as well as numerous articles in the local press.