Zvulun Hammer was born in Haifa, where he attended the Yavneh religious school. He graduated from Bar-Ilan University with a degree in Judaic Studies and Education. At the university, he headed the student union and was also a member of the presidium of the Israel Student Association and the World Union of Jewish Students.

Political career

Hammer’s political career began when he became chairman of the NRP (National Religious Party) – Department for Youth and Younger Generations. He was one of the NRP’s most outstanding young men. After the Yom Kippur War in 1973, Hammer became Minister of Welfare in the government of Yitzhak Rabin.

In 1977, with a change of government, Hammer became Minister of Education under Menahem Begin, a first for the NRP. He further developed the education system, placing particular emphasis on expanding religious education. Hammer retained his post under the second Begin government and again in the Yitzhak Shamir government until the 1984 elections.

In October 1986, Zvulun Hammer became Minister of Religious Affairs, and again Minister...

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