Deed Poll

A 'deed poll' is a legal document that binds a single person to a particular course of action (in this case, changing one's name for all purposes). The term 'deed' is common to signed, written agreements that have been shown to all concerned parties.

‘Shinnuy ha-Shem’ (Hebrew: ????? ?? “Changing the Name”) is the Jewish custom of changing a person's name, as a tribute to his achievements, or redress (Leviticus 24:11; Deuteronomy 28:58).

Case-in-point, the early generation, who were born outside Israel, changed their names and did so as part of the Zionist idea of “throwing-off ghetto names” and "taking-on Hebrew names”. Such concerns tended to fade away in subsequent generations.

That said, it is not a requirement for Israeli Prime Ministers to change their names before taking office. Some however may have chosen to adopt a Hebrew name for personal; cultural; political reasons, or to disguise indigeneity, but not as a universal practice.

This is a list of the Prime Ministers organized chronologically.

• David Ben-Gurion (1886–1973), in office (1948–53; 1955–63), the primary national founder of the State of Israel, was born: David Gruen, in Poland.
• Moshe Sharett (1894–1965), in office (1953–55), was born: Moshe Shertok, in Ukraine.
• Levi Eshkol (1895–1969), in office (1963–69), was born: Levi Shkolnik, in Ukraine.
• Golda Meir (1898–1978), in office (1969–74), was born: Goldie Mabovitch, in Ukraine.
• Yitzhak Rabin (1922–1995), in office (1974–77; 1992–95), was born: Isaac Rubitzov, in *Palestine. Origin: Ukraine.
• Menachem Begin (1913–1992), in office (1977–83), was born: Mieczys?aw Biegun (still debated), in Belarus.
• Yitz?ak Shamir (1915–2012), in office (1983–84; 1986–92), was born: Yitz?ak Jazernicki, in Belarus.
• Shimon Peres (1923–2016), in office (1984–86; 1995–96), was born: Shimon Perski, in Belarus.
• Benjamin Netanyahu also spelled: Binyamin (1949– ), in office (1996–99, 2009–21; 2022– ), was born: Benzion Mileikowsky, in Israel. Origin: Poland.
• Ehud Barak (1942– ), in office (1999–2001), was born: Ehud Brog, in Palestine. Origin: Lithuania.
• Ariel Sharon (1928–2014), in office (2001–06), was born: Ariel Scheinerman, in Palestine, origin: Georgia.
• Ehud Olmert (1945– ), in office (2006–09), was born in Palestine. Origin: Russia.
• Naftali Bennett (1972– ), in office (2021–22), was born in Israel. Origin: Poland.
• Yair Lapid (1963– ), in office (2022–2022), was born Yiar Lampel in Israel. Origin: Serbia.

Question is, “Does changing one’s name affects one’s personality, talents or fate?” Psychoanalyst have it that one’s persona will change with changing one’s name like changing one’s hairstyle; thoughts, or clothes. Everything one does in this divine world of destiny is fated…

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Food for thought!

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* Under the British Mandate (1920–1948), the whole region of today’s Israel was known as Palestine.