Meir Porush

Meir Porush is an Israeli politician and a member of Knesset since 1996.

Porush (born June 11, 1955) was born in Jerusalem. He served in the Israel Defense Forces and studied at a Talmudic college. He served as Director of Agudat Israel Offices in Jerusalem, was for 13 years a Member of the Jerusalem Municipal Council, and served as Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem.

Porush has been a Knesset Member since 1996, serving as a member of the Knesset Anti-Drug Abuse and Finance Committees, and as Chairman of the Parliamentary Inquiry Committee on the Continuing Financial Crisis of the Local Governments. In 1995, he was appointed as Deputy Minister of Housing and in June 2001 as Deputy Minister of Housing and Construction.

Porush ran for Mayor of Jerusalem in 2008, but lost the election to secular politician Nir Barkat, by 50% to 42%. He retained his Knesset seat in the 2009 elections, and was appointed Deputy Minister of Education. However, he resigned the posting in February 2011 as part of a seat rotation agreement. Following the 2015 election, he was appointed to the position of Deputy Minister of Education.

He is married and has 12 children.

Sources: Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs