Yehoshua Rabinovitz

Yehoshua Rabinovitz (Hebrew: יהושע רבינוביץ; 12 November 1911 – 14 August 1979) was an Israeli politician who served as a government minister and mayor of Tel Aviv.

Born in Vishneva in the Russian Empire (today in Belarus), Rabinovitz attended high school in Vilnius, and went on to train as a teacher in the same city.^[1] He worked as a teacher and headmaster, and was a member of the HeHalutz movement.^[1] He emigrated to Mandatory Palestine in 1934 and studied in the economics and law school of Tel Aviv University.^[1] Prior to independence he worked for Hamashbir Lazarchan, and was involved in the Haganah.^[2]

In 1955 he was elected onto Tel Aviv city council, serving until 1959.^[1] That year he became Deputy Mayor in charge of Finances, a position he held until becoming mayor in 1969.^[1] He served as mayor until 1974.^[2] Rabinovitz was succeeded as mayor by Shlomo Lahat.

Although not a member of the Knesset, he was appointed Minister of Housing in March 1974 by Golda Meir.^[1] After Meir resigned, he became Minister of Finance in Yitzhak Rabin's government, serving until 1977.^[2] In the 1977 elections he was elected to the Knesset on the Alignment list, but lost his cabinet post as Likud formed a right-wing government.^[2]

While attending the funeral of David Horowitz in August 1979, Rabinovitz suffered a heart attack and died from it soon after.^[2] His seat was taken by Esther Herlitz.^[3]

Yarkon Park in Tel Aviv, officially named "Ganei Yehoshua," is named for him.^[4]