0 0 9 . ▁ ▁Biography ▁Av sh alom ▁Vil an ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁K ib but z ▁Neg ba . ▁He ▁ ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁ID F ▁as ▁a ▁Master ▁Serge ant ▁in ▁S ayer et ▁Mat kal , ▁the ▁General ▁Staff ▁Re con na issance ▁Unit ▁alongside ▁two ▁future ▁ ▁prime ▁minister s ▁of ▁Israel : ▁E h ud ▁Bar ak ▁and ▁Benjamin ▁Net any ahu . ▁ ▁Vil an ▁studied ▁Econom ics ▁and ▁Philosoph y ▁at ▁the ▁Heb rew ▁University ▁of ▁Jerusalem . ▁ ▁He ▁worked ▁as ▁an ▁econom ist ▁and ▁agricult ural ist ▁before ▁becoming ▁an ▁em iss ary ▁for ▁Ha Sh omer ▁Hat za ir ▁and ▁K ib but z ▁Art zi ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 3 . ▁Upon ▁his ▁return ▁to ▁Israel ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁he ▁became ▁secretary ▁of ▁K ib but z ▁Art zi , ▁a ▁role ▁he ▁held ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁ ▁Vil an ▁continues ▁to ▁live ▁in ▁K ib but z ▁Neg ba . ▁ ▁He ▁is ▁married ▁with ▁two ▁children . ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁Vil an ▁became ▁involved ▁in ▁politics ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁found ing ▁member ▁of ▁Peace ▁Now . ▁He ▁joined ▁the ▁social ist ▁Map am , ▁and ▁became ▁party ▁secretary ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 . ▁When ▁Map am ▁merged ▁with ▁R atz ▁and ▁Shin ui ▁to ▁form ▁Mer etz ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2