DRUCKMAN, HAIM

(1933- )

   Born in Poland, he immigrated (see Aliya) to Palestine in 1944. He was one of the founders of the Bnei Akiva youth movement. He split from the National Religious Party (NRP) and helped to establish the Morasha (Heritage) Party. He was elected to the 11th Knesset on the Morasha list.Druckman was inserted into the number 2 slot on the NRP's list of candidates for the 17 May 1999 election (see KNESSET ELECTIONS) to the 15th Knesset. He subsequently resigned from the NRP and withdrew from party politics. A founder of the militant Gush Emunim, he is a forceful opponent of territorial compromise in the Occupied Territories, suggesting that it is consistent with Halacha (Jewish law) for soldiers to disobey orders to evacuate Jewish settlements. Druckman was especially prominent in his opposition to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to disengage from the Gaza Strip and parts of the northern West Bank. In 1997 and 1998, Rabbi Druckman headed a committee of representatives of various streams of Judaism mandated to achieve compromise on the status of adopted children converted to Judaism outside of Israel. He was appointed to head the committee of rabbis from various streams of Judaism to prepare those wishing to convert to Judaism in Israel, as recommended by a government committee headed by Yaakov Ne'eman.

   See also Religion.