President Ephraim Katzir

Ephraim Katzir, born Katchalski in Kyiv in 1916, was a biophysicist at the Weizmann Institute of Science, known for his work on polyamino acids and immobilized enzymes, and had served as chief scientist of the Defence Ministry. His brother Aharon, also a leading scientist, was murdered in the Lod Airport massacre of May 1972. The Knesset elected Ephraim the fourth president in 1973, and he took office on 24 May.

Five months later the Yom Kippur War broke out, and Katzir spent much of his term among the wounded and bereaved families. In November 1977 he welcomed the Egyptian president Anwar Sadat on his historic visit to Jerusalem, the first step toward peace with Egypt. He was the first scientist to hold the office and used it to promote science and education. He did not seek a second term, returned to research, and received the Japan Prize in 1985. He died in 2009.