Amos Manor

Amos Manor (October 8, 1918 – August 5, 2007), born Arthur Mendelowitz, was a former Director of the Shin Bet, Israel's internal intelligence and security service, from 1953 until 1963.

Born into a Jewish family in Máramarossziget, in northern Transylvania Romania. Following the outbreak of World War II, he was drafted to the Hungarian Army, but in 1944 was transferred to the Auschwitz concentration camp. Prior to his immigration to Israel in 1949, he served as the secretary of the Bucharest, Romania branch of the Mossad Le'aliyah Bet for clandestine immigration to Israel, under the alias "Amos", which he later adopted as his first name. 1 month after he immigrated to Israel 1949 he joined Shin Bet.

Amos Manor is credited with building up the Shin Bet as a national institution capable of handling the many threats posed to internal Israeli security during that time.

In 1964 Manor began serving on the directorial board of several companies, banks and the stock market. He also worked as a business consultant for various textile firms. He was also a partner in the Atlas hotel management company.

Amos Manor spoke fluent Hebrew, Yiddish, English, French, German, Romanian and Hungarian.

In the ISA 1949 - appointed department head in the division for non-Arab affairs, and became the first department director for Eastern Europe.

1950 - appointed unit head within the division for non-Arab affairs.

1952 - appointed Deputy ISA Director

1953 - appointed ISA Director

1964 - retired from the ISA.

Post-retirement Following his service in the ISA, and until he died, Manor worked for a Swiss investment company active in Israel, as a consultant to various companies, and served as director of a number of companies. He was the chairman of the board of directors of a number of banks and of the stock exchange and was also a partner in the Atlas company for hotel management.