For several years in the 1970s and 1980s I had a deeply meaningful relationship with this extraordinary, extraordinary man who passed away today. He was not known outside Israel and, for most of his life, he was unknown in Israel, too.
I was on an Israel program at the end of my teen years, and Dov Shilansky was brought in as a special lecturer to talk about the Holocaust in a three-part series of talks. His English was uninspiring, and everyone in the room was bored to tears by this utterly boring speaker. Several of the teens were joking about this most boring speaker of all time. I actually felt bad for him, so I approached him privately at the end of his last lecture to our group to thank him for taking the time and trouble to speak to us. He was deeply touched and conveyed that “You know, English is not my first language.” He could see that people in the room unintentionally were nodding off on him. All I could think to respond was: “It’s not the words. It’s the feeling.”
Soon after, when I returned to America, I Iooked this man up. It turned out that he knew more about the Holocaust than he had told us – he had been a prisoner in Dachau. Later, one of the few who ever survived Dachau, he had been aboard “The Altalena” with Menachem Begin. And suddenly I realized that I had been in the presence of a giant, one of the greatest men I ever would know personally. He was not much of an English speaker, but 15 years later he would be named the Speaker of the Knesset. So he was more of a speaker than we teens had realized. And he was a political leader who was incorruptible, would not compromise his love for the Land of Israel. He never sold out to his dying day.
May G-d bless and protect the soul of Dov Shilansky.
Land of Israel Supporter & Ex-Knesset Speaker Dov Shilansky, 86
by Hillel Fendel
He will be buried in the Kiryat Sha’ul cemetery in Tel Aviv on Friday at 10:45.
Born in Lithuanian in 1924, Shilansky fought as a lad in the underground against the Nazis, and was later to deported to the Dachau concentration camp. He was a commander in the Etzel in both Germany and Italy, and in 1948 he immigrated to Israel aboard the ill-fated Altalena.
MK Ben-Ari: "Dov Shilansky's death marks the end of a generation of politicians with integrity who do not zig-zag ideologically according to narrow interests and passing popular whims."
Greatly affected by the trauma of Haganah Jews firing on the Altalena in an effort to keep arms from reaching the Irgun, Shilansky enlisted in the fledgling Israel Defense Forces, and fought in Israel’s ensuing wars. In the early 1950’s, he took part in the efforts against receiving reparations from Germany, and was ultimately sentenced to 21 months in prison for his troubles.
He earned an LL.B from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, worked as an attorney, and became a member of the Ethics Committee of the Israel Bar Association and the International Organization of Jewish Law Professionals. In 1977, when the Likud, under Menachem Begin, won its first election, he was elected to the Knesset as a member of that party. He continued to serve in the Knesset until 1996, and was voted the Knesset Speaker in 1988. In 1993 he was a candidate for President, but lost to Ezer Weizman. He was later often listed in the ceremonial 120th slot in the Likud's election lists of candidates.
For several years, Shilansky had a weekly spot on Arutz-7's Hebrew language broadcasts.
He refused to shake the hands of German leaders, and strongly opposed the public performance of Richard Wagner's music in Israel. "I can't understand the fanaticism of those who insist on playing this music in Israel," he said. "Would that they would have the same fanaticism for the Land of Israel!"
Education Minister Gideon Saar said, “Dov Shilansky as a precious person, a proud Jew and Zionist, complete in his love and dedication to the Nation of Israel and the Land of Israel. He was committed to passing on the memory of the Holocaust, and was sensitive to the poor and needy.”
Shilansky was in fact known for inviting homeless people to his Friday night Sabbath dinners. When his son fell in battle in Lebanon, he promptly began a program of twinning schools in central Israel with those on the northern border. Known for his geniality and sense of humor, he explained his opposition to a proposed barbecue grill in the Knesset as follows: “I can just see MKs waiting on line for their hot dog to be grilled, and then the bell sounds for a vote and they come running in to the plenum with their hot dogs…”
Prime Minister Netanyahu said, “The People of Israel have lost one of its most dedicated and exemplary leaders. Shilansky was among those national movement founders who survived the Holocaust. He dedicated his life to ensuring the revival of the Jewish People on its Land. In all of his posts, but especially that of Knesset Speaker, he was a symbol of integrity and the absolute commitment to the Jewish People, the memory of the Holocaust, Zionism, the Land of Israel and moral human values. The entire nation bows its head in memory and deep appreciation of his work and his personality. The story of his life is the story of our people."
Knesset Speaker Ruby Rivlin said, "Shilansky was strong-willed in his opinions, but pleasant in his dealings with people. He had a constant smile, despite the tribulations of his life, including the horrors of the Holocaust and the loss of his son in the line of duty. He will be remembered as a solid rock and a symbol of belief in the justness of our cause."
MK Michael Ben-Ari (National Union) said, "Dov Shilansky's death marks the end of a generation of politicians with integrity who do not zig-zag ideologically according to narrow interests and passing popular whims. He was a believer in the Greater Land of Israel who until his dying day did not forgive the Germans and their supporters. May his memory be blessed."
