Ephraim Katzir

Ephraim Katzir (;

Biography Efraim Katchalski (later Katzir) was the son of Yudel-Gersh (Yehuda) and Tzilya Katchalski, in Kiev, in the Russian Empire (today in Ukraine). In 1925 (several publications cite 1922 ), he immigrated to Mandatory Palestine with his family and settled in Jerusalem. In 1932, he graduated from Gymnasia Rehavia.

Like his elder brother, Aharon, Katzir was interested in science. He studied botany, zoology, chemistry and bacteriology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In 1938 he received an MSc, and in 1941 he received a PhD degree. In May Ben-Gurion appointed Ephraim to replace his brother as director of the HEMED research unit, given his success abroad in procuring biological warfare materials and equipment to produce them.

Katzir was married to Nina (née Gottlieb), born in Mogilev, present-day Belarus in 1914, who died in 1986. As an English teacher, Nina developed a unique method for teaching language. As the president's wife, she introduced the custom of inviting the authors of children's books and their young readers to the President's Residence. She established the Nurit Katzir Jerusalem Theater Center in 1978 in memory of their deceased daughter, Nurit, who died from accidental carbon monoxide exposure. Another daughter, Irit, killed herself. They had a son, Meir, and three grandchildren. Katzir died on 30 May 2009 at his home in Rehovot.

Scientific career After continuing his studies at the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, Columbia University and Harvard University, he returned to Israel and became head of the Department of Biophysics at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, an institution he helped to found. In 1966–1968, Katzir was Chief Scientist of the Israel Defense Forces.

In November 1977, he hosted President Anwar Sadat of Egypt in the first ever official visit to Israeli-controlled territory by an Arab head of state. As of today, it remains the only such visit.

In 1978, he declined to stand for a second term due to his wife's illness, In 1966, he was elected to the American Philosophical Society In 1966, he was elected to the United States National Academy of Sciences In 1972, he was awarded the Sir Hans Krebs Medal of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies In 1976, he was elected to the American Philosophical Society In 1977, he was elected a Foreign Member of the Royal Society (ForMemRS) He is also a recipient of the Tchernichovsky Prize for exemplary translation.

He also received honorary degrees from various scientific societies and universities worldwide. The Department of Biotechnology Engineering at the ORT Braude Academic College of Engineering in Karmiel was named after him during his lifetime.