Michael Ben-Ari

Michael Ben-Ari
Ben-Ari in June 2009
Date of birth	(1963-10-12) 12 October 1963 (age 53)
Knessets	18
Faction represented in Knesset
2009–2012	National Union
2012–2013	Otzma LeYisrael

Michael Ben-Ari (Hebrew: מיכאל בן ארי‎‎, born 12 October 1963) is an Israeli politician, and former member of the Knesset. During the 18th Knesset, Ben Ari was a member of the National Union party, until it broke up as elections for the 19th Knesset approached and he co-established the Otzma LeYisrael party. He failed to be re-elected to the 19th Knesset. He was the first outspoken disciple of Rabbi Meir Kahane to have been elected to the Knesset. He has a Ph.D in Land of Israel and Archaeology studies.

Ben-Ari grew up in the Kfar Shalem neighbourhood in south Tel Aviv, born to Mizrahi Jewish parents from Iran and Afghanistan. He studied at the Bnei Akiva yeshiva at Kfar Haroeh, at the hesder yeshiva in Yamit, and at the Mercaz HaRav yeshiva. As part of his hesder army service, he was with the Nahal settlement at Neve Dekalim from 1982 to 1986. He studied education at Bar-Ilan University, gaining a BA, before studying the Talmud for a Master's degree, and the Land of Israel for a PhD. He was a rabbi teacher at the Darchei No'am Yeshiva in Petach Tikva as well as the Bnei Akiva Yeshiva in Giv'at Shmuel.