First Israeli Druze woman MK to be first Druze Jewish Agency emissary
Kamal-Mreeh will represent the Jewish Agency, in its efforts to connect with North American college campuses on Israel.
By GABRIELLE ABRAMSIncoming president Isaac Herzog and MK Gadeer Kamal-Mreeh(photo credit: THE JEWISH AGENCY FOR ISRAEL)
Former Blue and White and Yesh Atid MK Gadeer Kamal-Mreeh, the first female Druze Knesset member, will become the Jewish Agency’s first Druze emissary in Washington, where she will serve as a senior shlucha.Kamal-Mreeh will represent the Jewish Agency in its efforts to connect with North American college students. The Jewish Agency for Israel, which was created in 1929, has been instrumental in connecting Jews abroad with the State of Israel as well as facilitating aliyah.In Washington, Kamal-Mreeh will work collaboratively with Hillel International and the Jewish Agency’s Israel Campus Fellows. Her work will involve prioritizing community building among young Jews, aged 18-35, across local Jewish Community Centers (JCCs), Jewish Federations and the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA).The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington said it was looking forward to welcoming Kamal-Mreeh to its group of 10 shluchim in the area.“We are proud to support the continued innovation of the shlichut [mission] program by bringing new voices like Kamal-Mreeh’s to our community and to further strengthen our long-standing partnership with the Jewish Agency through launching this initiative,” it said.Kamal-Mreeh earned her degree from Bar-Ilan University in medical imaging and social sciences, as well as an MA from the University of Haifa in international relations. She served as an MK from 2019-2021 and chaired the Israel-Switzerland parliamentary friendship group, co-chaired the Israel-Germany friendship group and was a member of the Interior and Environment Committee and the Advancement of Women’s Status and Gender Equality Committee.“I am proud and excited to be a partner in bringing about this precedent-setting step, which will enable another Israeli voice to be heard, conveying the multifaceted reality of Israel to both Jewish and non-Jewish audiences throughout North America,” Kamal-Mreeh said.“I believe the time has come for all segments of Israeli society to be active partners in shaping global consciousness and that my unique identity as a woman from the Druze community will greatly contribute to my service, resulting in meaningful and innovative activities that will challenge and change perceptions,” she said.“In the name of pluralism and diversity, we will work to connect, bridge and emphasize what we have in common, for our country and for our future.”
