Simha Erlich

Simcha Ehrlich ( Hebrew שמחה ארליך; born 1915 in Poland, † 19 June 1983) was an Israeli politician. From 1977 to 1979 he was in the government of Menachem Begin, Minister of Finance and later Minister of Agriculture.

Life

Ehrlich was a member of the Youth Movement of the General Zionists. In 1938 he emigrated to Palestine and worked as a farmer in Nes Ziona. After the establishment of Israel, he became a member of the Liberal Party. In 1955 he was elected to the city council of Tel Aviv. He studied optics and founded a factory for contact lenses. From 1962 to 1965 he was mayor of Tel Aviv. In 1969 he resigned from the City Council and was elected on the list of Gachal, a coalition between the Liberal Party and Herut, in the Knesset. In 1976 he was elected Chairman of the Liberal Party.

After the parliamentary elections of 1977, he was appointed Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister. As finance minister, he attempted to boost the Israeli economy through the lifting of foreign exchange restrictions and taxes on foreign travel as well as reduce the cost of imported goods. But instead of the expected benefits, there was a deterioration in the balance of payments, a sharp rise in inflation and a massive increase in imported goods. Honestly therefore had to resign as finance minister in 1979, but retained his position as deputy Preminiermister and was responsible for the development of the Galilee, the Arab sector and the integration of new immigrants. After the elections of 1981 Ehrlich was appointed Minister of Agriculture and remained until his death deputy prime minister.