Moshe Sanbar

Moshe Sanbar

Moshe Sanbar (Hebrew: משה זנבר‎; born 29 March 1926) is an economist and Israeli public figure. He served as governor of the Bank of Israel during 1971–1976.^[1] The Moshe Sanbar Institute for Applied Economic Research was named in his honor.^[2]

Sanbar was born on March 29, 1926 in Kecskemet, Hungary. His high school studies ended upon the Nazi occupation of Hungary. In June 1944 he was drafted to the Labour Service and shortly later sent to the Dachau concentration camp in Germany. His parents, Solomon and Margaret Sandberg, were murdered in Auschwitz in 1944. Upon his liberation by the Allied forces in April 1945, Sanbar contracted typhus. Following his recovery he returned to Hungary and studied economy in Budapest University.

In 1948 Sanbar made Aliyah to Israel and was drafted to the IDF. He was discharged after his injury in the Israeli War of Independence. His MA studies at the Hebrew University of economics and sociology were completed in 1953.

For many years Sanbar was active in financial affairs within the academy, in public service and in the private sector. Between 1960- 1971 he held high level functions in the Israeli Ministry of Finance, concluding as a financial advisor to Minister Pinhas Sapir and as the Director of Budgeting.^[3] During these years Sanbar was involved with financial legislation and headed several government committees. On the subject of budget planning he was invited to advise the UN. Following the Six Day War he conducted the economic policies concerning the Palestinians, as well as the development of unified Jerusalem.

In 1970 he was appointed Acting Minister of Trade and Industry, acting for Minister Sapir who remained active in his simulatenous appoitment as Minister of Finance. Between 1971 and 1976 Sanbar served as Governor of the Bank of Israel. His actions during and after Yom Kippur war maintained a stabilized market.

After his retirement from public service Sanbar held many duties in the private sector, as head of industrial and financial institutions. Among his posts he was Chairman of Bank Leumi (1988–1995). In the years 1976 - 1981 he chaired the national committee for the structure and work of local authorities in Israel. Since 1995 Sanbar serves as financial consultant, alongside voluntary work in cultural, educational and social organizations. He was also elected President of ICC Israel and served as a member of its international executive.

Since 1987 he has been active in various national and international organizations working for the benefit of Holocaust survivors. He was Chairman of the Executive Board, Treasurer and Deputy Chairman of the Claims Conference.^[4]

References

1. ^ Short biographical introduction in the Bank of Israel's official website
2. ^ Institute's official website
3. ^ Short biographical introduction in the Bank of Israel's official website
4. ^ Biographical introduction on Yad VasShem's website

Persondata
Name	Sanbar, Moshe
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1926
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death