Yitzhak Ben-Zvi ((November 24, 1884 - April 23, 1963) was a historian, Labor Zionist leader, and the second and longest serving President of Israel. Born in Poltava, Ukraine, Ben-Zvi was the eldest son of Zvi Shimshelevitz, who later took the name Shimshi. He was active in the Jewish self-defense units organized in Ukraine to defend Jews during the pogroms of 1905, and joined the Poalei Zion (Workers of Zion) Zionist political party. Wikipedia
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