It is still too early to assess the influence Isaac Herzog wields as the State of Israel’s 11th president.
Although his sons have told him they will make sure he does not let the prestige get to his head, there was no need. Herzog, who took office two months ago, and has a multigenerational prestigious pedigree, has never exhibited arrogance.
Friendly, polite and soft-spoken, he is equally at home with all sectors of society.
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Since childhood, Herzog accompanied his father and uncles through corridors of power, and many of the who’s who in the Jewish world were guests in his parents’ home.
Although he has his own way of doing things, Herzog has in many respects followed in the footsteps of his father, Chaim who served as president from 1983 until 1993. The younger Herzog served in Military Intelligence, practiced law, went into politics and as citizen No. 1, became Israel's first second-generation president.
In a sense, Herzog came to the job better prepared than his predecessors – with the possible exception of Shimon Peres, who held more ministerial portfolios over the years than any other politician.
But Herzog has quite an impressive record of service of his own: cabinet secretary, minister of housing and construction; welfare and Diaspora and finally, chairman of the Jewish Agency.
With the exception of Miriam Peretz, all other candidates for president dropped out of the race, realizing they did not stand a chance. It was hardly surprising that Herzog’s was a landslide victory.
Like his grandfather - Chief Rabbi Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog - his father and his uncles, the new president will continue to fight antisemitism in all its manifestations. He will also continue to speak out against the nuclearization of Iran.
Herzog intends to be a very active president, and given the rise of antisemitism around the world, coupled with Iran’s nuclear threat, he will have more than enough opportunities to prove how influential he can be.