Encounters with World Leaders

Rifka Ravitz: A Haredi Woman in Israeli Politics

Rifka Ravitz grew up in a religious neighborhood in Jerusalem and learned in a Bais Yaakov school before becoming an English teacher.
She married the son of a politician and began working as an intern for her father-in-law in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament.
Ravitz later became the parliamentarian assistant for Reuven Rivlin, who would later become the president of Israel.
She eventually became the chief of staff for the minister of communications, becoming the first Haredi woman to hold such a position.
Ravitz's husband is also a politician and served as the deputy mayor of Elad before becoming the mayor of Telstone.
In 2014, Ravitz and her husband worked on a campaign for him to become the president of Israel, which was a difficult and complicated process.
Ravitz has 12 children, which is not unusual for Haredi families in Israel, and most Haredi women work outside the home as teachers.
She has met with world leaders, including the Pope and the President of the United States.
Ravitz is known for standing her ground and has had world leaders bow to her.
She is an inspiration to many and has been featured in a video by Rabbi YOLO Gold.
Ravitz is also involved in the Orthodox Union's women's initiative, which aims to empower and educate Orthodox Jewish women.
A live podcast featuring Ravitz and other guests is coming soon.Meeting World Leaders: A Chief of Staff's Experience
The interviewee is a former Chief of Staff to the President of Israel.
It was not typical for a woman to hold such a high-ranking government job in Israel in the 1990s and early 2000s.
The interviewee was offered the position of Chief of Staff at the age of 37, which had never been held by a woman before.
The interviewee had a large family, which was not typical for someone in her position.
The interviewee was not accustomed to pushback from the ultra-Orthodox community, despite working in an area where they were not typically represented.
The interviewee was shocked when the current President of Israel won the election, as he had lost the first round of voting.
The interviewee met with Russian President Putin during a crisis involving an Arab state and received positive feedback from him.
The interviewee was nervous during high-level meetings with world leaders.
The interviewee had a personal meeting with Pope Francis to discuss a crisis involving land in Israel.
The interviewee did not shake hands with men, which was not typical protocol, and instead bowed politely.
The interviewee presented the Pope with a gift made from an olive branch.
The interviewee believes in the power of parents and the impact they can have on world leaders, as demonstrated by Putin's recollection of a Jewish family who had shown him kindness as a child.Meeting with Pope Francis and President Biden: A Religious Woman's Account
A religious woman from Israel was invited to meet with Pope Francis and President Biden.
She did not shake hands with men due to religious beliefs, which caused concern before the meeting.
The woman did not call her rabbi to ask for permission to shake hands, as she wanted to uphold her religious values.
The meeting with Pope Francis went well, and he was interested in learning about her religious community.
However, upon returning to Israel, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was upset with her for not shaking hands.
The woman had previously met with six world leaders, including Obama, Clinton, and Bush.
She and President Rivlin were invited to the White House by President Biden to say goodbye as Rivlin's term was ending.
They were hosted in the Roosevelt Salon and went through multiple security checkings.
After waiting for 15 minutes, President Biden invited them to a private meeting in the Oval Room.
During the meeting, they discussed environmental issues and asked about each other's spouses.
President Biden attempted to shake the woman's hand but quickly realized and respected her religious beliefs.
The woman reflects on the importance of standing up for one's values, even if it may not always result in a happy ending.Meeting with Joe Biden and Other High-Profile Figures
Rifka Levi, an Israeli chief of staff, met with Joe Biden and was impressed by his story about his mother's influence on him.
Biden showed Levi a picture of his mother on a shelf in his working room with Obama and himself standing next to her.
Levi was reminded of her grandmother's story of how she left Jerusalem during a time of war and famine to come to the US and later returned to Israel.
Levi also shared a story about meeting Gal Gadot and taking a selfie with her.
Levi believes that everyone has a duty to live after them and make a positive impact, like her parents and her husband's parents who left behind comfortable lives to come to Israel.
Levi also shared a story about Rabbi Baranovic who traveled to Miami to collect money for his yeshiva and met a friend who eventually donated a large sum of money to the yeshiva.
Levi met the queen of Spain during a state visit and was impressed by the hospitality of the Spanish hosts.
Levi believes in standing up for one's values and making a positive impact in the world.
Levi's encounter with high-profile figures like Biden and Gadot shows that one's values can resonate with people in positions of power.
Levi's family history and values have influenced her perspective on making a positive impact.
Levi's encounter with Rabbi Baranovic shows that unexpected encounters can lead to positive outcomes.
Levi's encounter with the queen of Spain highlights the importance of diplomacy and hospitality in international relations.