Born in Ukraine, Motzkin joined the Russian-Jewish Academic Society at the University of Berlin, a forerunner of political Zionism. At the First Zionist Congress he helped formulate the Basel Program for achieving a Jewish home…
Moynihan was the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in 1975 when the U.N. General Assembly passed Resolution 3379, equating Zionism with racism. He delivered a passionate speech lambasting the resolution and its supporters and…
Bin Zayed, known as MBZ, is the president of the United Arab Emirates and the ruler of Abu Dhabi. In August 2020 he signed the Abraham Accords to normalize relations between the UAE and Israel….
Kiryat Gat native Nes is one of Israel’s most prominent photographers. He stages art photos to convey themes of masculinity and identity, often reflecting the influence of iconic artworks and his experiences growing up gay…
Netanyahu has served as the Likud leader for all but six years since 1993. He is Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, holding the office from 1996 to 1999, 2009 to June 2021, and December 2022 to…
The older brother of Benjamin, Netanyahu was a military legend and the assault commander of the elite Sayeret Matkal commandos. A New York native who fought in the June 1967 war, he joined Sayeret Matkal…
Though he expressed antisemitic views in private, Nixon as the 37th U.S. president authorized the airlift that replenished Israel’s arms during the October 1973 war, providing the means for Israel to end the war with…
Born in Budapest, Nordau was a physician and writer. In 1883 he had his greatest publishing success with “The Conventional Lies of Our Civilization,” which attacked organized religion and other institutions. In the 1890s he…
The 44th U.S. president, Obama was less active in seeking Middle East peace than his three immediate predecessors and tried to strengthen relations with Israel’s neighbors. He split with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over…
An Arab politician and lawyer from Haifa, Odeh has led the far-left Hadash party since 2015 and headed the Joint List, a coalition of Arab-majority parties, in elections in 2019, 2020 and 2021. He served…
Olmert, a 10-year Jerusalem mayor, served as Israel’s 12th prime minister from 2006 to 2009, taking office for Kadima after Ariel Sharon’s stroke and resigning amid charges of bribery and obstruction of justice, for which…
A Palmach veteran of the War of Independence, Ophir was a comedian, actor and singer for whom the Israeli Film Academy Award was named. He starred in almost 30 films, including the Hebrew version of…
Oz was a journalist, a novelist and one of the first Israeli intellectuals to endorse a two-state solution through his 1967 article “Land of Our Forefathers.” He was a frequent critic of Israel’s military policies…
Israel’s most successful tennis player, Pe’er won five singles and three doubles titles on the Women’s Tennis Association tour. Her highest world ranking was No. 11 in 2011. She reached the singles quarterfinals of two…
Peres is the only Israeli to serve as prime minister and president. Born in Belarus, he arrived in Palestine in 1934. He helped establish and arm the initial IDF in the 1940s and launched a…
Perlman is an acclaimed violinist and conductor who was born in Tel Aviv, survived polio at age 4, and lives and teaches in New York. He has performed for U.S. presidents and British Queen Elizabeth…
A New York-born opera singer, De Philippe founded the Israel National Opera Company in 1947. She settled in Palestine after World War II and performed with the Palestine Folk Opera in 1945 and for the…
Pinsker was born in Russian-ruled Poland. He advocated full Jewish emancipation and joined the assimilationist Society for the Promotion of Culture Among the Jews of Russia, but pogroms in 1871 and 1881 pushed him to…
London-born Plesner has served since 2014 as the president of the nonpartisan Israel Democracy Institute, which conducts polling and advocates for government reforms to strengthen democracy. He was in the Knesset from 2007 to 2013…
The first female member of the Polish Parliament, Pomerantz-Meltzer represented a Zionist party. She supported Zionist youth groups and founded the Zionist Jewish Women’s Circle. She attended the Tenth Zionist Congress in 1911 and was…
Porath specialized in the history of Palestinian nationalism as a professor of Islamic and Middle Eastern studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His books include “Palestine Jewry and the Arab Question, 1917-1925” and “In…
Jerusalem-born actress Portman made her film debut as the star of 1994’s “Leon: The Professional.” She won an Oscar for 2010’s “Black Swan” and was nominated for two others. Her directorial debut was the 2015…
Below is a list of women who have made significant contributions to Israel in politics, culture, business and science. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but one that is meant to represent the vast contributions…
Considered one of the four mothers of modern Hebrew poetry, Raab was the only one born in the Land of Israel. She was the child of one of Petah Tikvah’s founding couples. Her poems celebrated…
