David Benvenisti

David Benvenisti (Hebrew: דוד בנבנשתי‎‎) (1897 in Thessaloniki – 1993 in Jerusalem) a descendant of a known rabbis family in Thessaloniki) was a geographer and educator; received the 'Israel Prize' of 1982 for his life achievements in education and geography of Israel; and the Yakir Yerushalayim in 1969.

Benvenisti was married to Leah Friedman from Suwalki Poland. His sons are: Meron Benvenisti, a historian and writer who was the deputy mayor of Jerusalem for many years; and Refael (Rafi) Benvenisti, an economist and historian. His grandson is Eyal Benvenisti, a professor of law in Tel Aviv and New York City.

David Benvenisti's grandfather Shmuel Yosef was the Chief Justice of the Jewish Court in Thessaloniki. Emigrated to Palestine in 1913 to learn rabbinical studies in Jerusalem. In 1918 he finished studies in a teachers college 'The Hebrew Teachers' College of Jerusalem'. He enlisted in the Hebrew Battalion from Palestine of the British Army in 1918 and served during the First World War in Palestine and the Middle East until 1920.

In the 1930s he established with friends the now 'Israel Youth Hostel Association'. He received an M.A. degree in Geography from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1935. He was a member of the Jewish Haganah organization and was wounded in the battle of the siege of Jerusalem in 1948.

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