Yehuda Leib Maimon

Yehuda Leib Maimon (; 1 January 1875 – 10 July 1962, also known as Yehuda Leib HaCohen Maimon) was an Israeli rabbi, politician and leader of the Religious Zionist movement. He was Israel's first Minister of Religion.

Biography Yehuda Leib Fishman (later Maimon) was born in Mărculești, in the Soroksky Uyezd of the Bessarabia Governorate (then part of the Russian Empire, now in Moldova). He was Elected to the Committee of Five that edited the final format of the Declaration of Independence and was one of its signers. In Israel he served as a member of The Knesset, Minister of Religions and Minister of Victims of War. In 1936, he founded Mossad Harav Kook, a religious research foundation and notable publishing house named in honor of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook.

Maimon helped draft Israel's Declaration of Independence and was one of its signers. He was appointed Minister of Religions and Minister of War Victims in the provisional government established immediately after independence. He was elected to the first Knesset in 1949 as a member of the United Religious Front (an alliance of Agudat Yisrael, Poalei Agudat Yisrael, Mizrachi and Hapoel HaMizrachi) and retained his ministerial role in the first and second governments. He was the driving force behind a failed effort to reestablish the Sanhedrin. He lost his seat in the 1951 elections.

Awards and recognition In 1958, he was awarded the Israel Prize for his contribution to Rabbinical literature.

Kfar Maimon in the Negev is named after him