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A membership card of the Provisional State Council, issued to Binyamin Mintz, representative of the Poalei Agudat Yisrael party. Hand-signed by the Prime Minister of the Provisional Government David Ben-Gurion and by government secretary Ze'ev Sherf. [Tel-Aviv, 1948 or early 1949].
An official membership card issued by Provisional Government of the State of Israel to a member of the Provisional State Council. The card bears the member's name, Binyamin Mintz (added by hand) and a passport photograph of Mintz (stapled to the card). Hand-signed by Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and by the government secretary Ze'ev Sherf. Stamped twice with the embossed stamp of the "Provisional Government – the State of Israel" (Hebrew).
The Provisional State Council was the legislature of Israel from May 1948 (taking the place of His Majesty's Privy Council) until February 1949, when the Knesset was established. The Council, chaired by Chaim Weizman, had 37 members representing various parties (some of whom stepped down and were replaced by others during the council's tenure). Since the battles of the War of Independence sometimes prevented members from attending meetings, 27 deputy members were appointed.
Binyamin Mintz (1903-1961) was an ultra-Orthodox leader, journalist, writer and one of the founders of the Poalei Agudat Yisrael party. He was a member of the four first Israeli Knessets. During the British mandate for Palestine, he was a member of the Security Committee and Rescue Committee of the Jewish Agency, and after World War II, was sent on various missions to DP camps in Europe. With the establishment of the State of Israel, he was appointed a member of the Provisional State Council and served as the deputy Speaker of the second, third and fourth Knesset. In 1960, he was appointed Minister of Postal Services, serving until his death in 1961.
Approx. 7.5X10 cm. Fair condition. Creases. Some stains. Tears to edges and fold line. Numbered in pencil on top.