Former Education Ministry Director-General Ben-Zion Del Passes Away at 86
Ben-Zion (Benci) Del, a prominent educator and jurist who served as Director-General of the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sport, passed away on Saturday morning at the age of 86. His funeral was held Saturday evening in the community of Nehalim, where he resided for many years.
Del dedicated decades to significant work in education. He began his career in the 1960s as a teacher, eventually becoming deputy principal and then principal of the "Netzach Israel" school in Petah Tikva. In the 1970s, he served as an aide to Michael Hazani, then Deputy Minister of Education and Minister of Social Welfare. Del continued to advance within the ministry, holding positions such as Director of Development and Director of Teaching Staff.
His career reached its peak when, in 1990, then-Minister of Education Zevulun Hammer appointed him Deputy Director-General. Del served as the Director-General of the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sport from 1996 to 1999, during Hammer's tenure as minister.
Born and raised in the Nachalat Binyamin neighborhood, Del studied at Yeshivat Hadarom and was part of the Yavneh nucleus of the Bnei Akiva movement. He served in the Paratrooper Nahal unit of the IDF and was a youth leader for Bnei Akiva. He held teaching certificates and academic degrees in education, political science, Jewish education, and law.
Throughout his life, Del combined his educational work with extensive public and cultural activities. In 2011, he chaired the "Del Committee," which examined parental payments in religious high schools. He was also a leader of the "Zman Masa" program, aimed at strengthening Jewish identity in state schools. Del held leadership roles in educational institutions, including Kiryat Hachinuch Givat Washington and the Mazmor music school. He also served on the boards of Sha'arei Mishpat Academic Center, Ono Academic College, and the Cameri Theater.
Del is survived by his wife, Tzipora, and five children. His daughter, Moriah, is married to the artist and cartoonist Shi Charka.
