President Isaac Herzog will leave for a two-day visit to New York on Sunday. This will be his fifth visit to the US since taking office in July of 2021.
Herzog has been invited to speak at Yeshiva University’s 101st annual Hanukkah Dinner, where he will receive an honorary doctorate. While in New York, he will also be the guest of honor of the American Zionist Movement.
At both events, Herzog will focus on the surge of antisemitism throughout America, which has come from both the Left and the Right.
During his brief stay, he will also meet with members of Congress and senators, as well as with presidents of leading American universities.
Herzog's NY history
Herzog is very familiar with New York, having been a student at the Ramaz School, while his father represented Israel at the United Nations and famously tore up the UN resolution equating Zionism with Racism, saying that it was nothing more than a piece of paper.
The president also studied at Cornell University. Yeshiva University, the flagship Jewish university, was established in 1886 with the aim of combining secular and Torah knowledge.
Former US ambassador to Israel, Daniel Kurtzer, is among its alumni.
There has been a sharp increase in applications for enrollment at YU since so many American universities have become unpleasant and unsafe for Jewish students.
Herzog leaves Israel amid the controversy over whether or not he will give a positive response to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who wants to be relieved of the charges against him and of his courtroom appearances so that he can continue with his political activities without interruption.
Among the theories expressed on the issue is that Herzog has no choice but to deny Netanyahu’s request, because this is the real test of Israel’s democracy.
Another theory was expressed on Thursday by veteran political broadcast journalist Rina Matzliach, who believes that Herzog will return to politics after completing his term and will once again vie for the position that he wanted most – prime minister.
Herzog is a former chairman of the Labor Party.