Moshe Sanbar, born on March twenty-nine, nineteen twenty-six in Hungary, is a distinguished economist and public figure in Israel. His early life was marked by the harrowing experience of surviving the Dachau Concentration Camp during the Second World War. After immigrating to Israel, he embarked on a career in economics, initially serving as an economic researcher before ascending to significant roles within the Ministry of Finance.
Sanbar's career in public service included pivotal positions such as head of the research division from nineteen fifty-eight to nineteen sixty, deputy director of the State Income Directorate from nineteen sixty to nineteen sixty-three, and head of the Budget Directorate, where he also acted as an economic advisor to the minister from nineteen sixty-three to nineteen sixty-eight. He played a crucial role as a consultant to finance ministers Levi Eshkol and Pinhas Sapir, and he was instrumental in the Sanbar Commission from nineteen seventy-seven to nineteen eighty-one, which focused on the relationship between local authorities and the central government in Israel.
Transitioning from public service, Sanbar became a prominent figure in the private sector, chairing various financial and industrial institutions. His commitment to education, culture, sports, and science was evident through his long-standing involvement with Habima Theatre and the College of Management, as well as his leadership at ICC in Israel. In the late nineteen eighties, he dedicated himself to advocating for Holocaust survivors, founding an umbrella organization that united over fifty independent groups, and serving as the world treasurer and chairman of the executive in the Claims Conference.
Throughout his career, Sanbar has been a champion for the needs of Holocaust survivors, participating in international commissions on property restitution and tirelessly working to improve their circumstances. His legacy is one of resilience, leadership, and unwavering commitment to social justice.