Page 34 - HaMizrachi RH-YK 5784 USA

A Proud Daughter of Olim:

An Interview with

Ambassador Tzipi Hotovely

Ambassador Tzipi Hotovely has emerged as one of the leading religious women in Israeli politics
and diplomacy. After becoming a Member of Knesset at 31 and serving as a government minister,
she has served as the Israeli Ambassador to the United Kingdom since August 2020.
Rabbi Aron White spoke with Ambassador Hotovely about her work, the Israel-UK relationship,
and the connection between Israel and Diaspora Jews.

Thank you for speaking with us, Ambassador Hotovely. Throughout your life, you have gone on shlichut three
Tell us about your experience as Israel’s Ambassador to times – as a shlicha of the Jewish Agency to Atlanta,
the UK. Georgia, as a shlicha of Bnei Akiva to France, and now the
Ambassador of the State of Israel to the UK. What drew
It has been a great and productive term here, even if it was you to this line of work, representing and connecting
difficult at the beginning, arriving during the middle of the
pandemic. I was honored to be able to present my credentials to people to Israel around the world?
the Queen, which was a very special experience. We got to chat You are correct – and I also served briefly in the government as
for about 20 minutes, and she was actually very informed about the Diaspora Affairs Minister. I have always felt a strong con-
Israel – she said to me, “You have had too many elections!” My nection to the Jewish Diaspora, as my parents made Aliyah, and
husband made the beracha on seeing royalty, and it definitely I remember when my grandparents came to join us on Aliyah in
was a special moment. Israel. I believe that olim, with all of their diversity and different

34 |