Word: ben
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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...When David Ben-Gurion became Israel's first Prime Minister, in 1949, his mildly socialistic Mapai Party had less than a majority in the Knesset (Parliament). To form a government, he had a choice: coalition with the pro-Soviet Mapam, or with a bloc of four orthodox religious parties...
...Ben-Gurion chose the religious bloc...
...marriage of convenience began peacefully enough. Bride and bridegroom agreed that religious differences would be subordinate to foreign affairs (mainly trouble with the Arabs) and a precarious economic position. Ben-Gurion gave the religionist bloc three cabinet posts: Religious Affairs, Social Welfare, Health & Immigration...
They insisted on strict enforcement of the Sabbath, which caused grumbling from the more worldly Mapai partner. They demanded that Yemenite children, who were arriving at immigrant camps in droves, be entered in orthodox religious schools, and Ben-Gurion gave in. But when the government set up immigrant work villages, and the orthodox bloc insisted that the schooling arrangement be carried over into them, the Premier balked...
...refused when the bloc asked for the newly created ministry of Trade & Economy. For a while the religionist spouse left its government home, then returned when aged President Chaim Weizmann patched things up. Ben-Gurion got a non-partisan minister of Trade & Economy, but had to promise that the government would buy nothing but Kosher meat...