September 8, 2009 / Philadelphia
Benny Begin is a Minister without Portfolio in the Government of Israel. Born in Jerusalem, he is the son of the late Prime Minister Menachem Begin. He received his Ph.D. in geology from Colorado State University.
He was first elected to the Knesset in 1988 and served as Science Minister in the Netanyahu government from 1996 to 1997, when he resigned in protest against the Hebron Agreement. He subsequently founded a new political party but, due to his party's poor showing in the 1999 elections, Begin resigned his seat and quit politics. He was then appointed Director of the Geological Survey of Israel. On November 2, 2008, he announced his return to politics and returned to the Knesset after the 2009 elections.
On November 15th at the FPRI annual dinner Fouad Ajami was presented with the Seventh Annual Benjamin Franklin Public Service Award. The event was attended by over 360 people.
Dr. John M. Templeton, Jr. was dinner chairman.

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