April 19, 2010
Ambassador Asher Naim was born in Tripoli, Libya. In 1944 he immigrated to Israel with his family. He fought in the Israeli War of Independence, and earned a Master of Jurisprudence from The Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He is a 45-year veteran of Israel’s Diplomatic Service and has left his mark everywhere he served.
Asher Naim was the Ambassador of Israel to Ethiopia (1990-91) at the time of Operation Solomon. He was instrumental in the negotiating process with President Mengistu and later with the winning rebels, headed by Meles Zenawi. Largely due to Ambassador Naim’s efforts, during a 24-hour period, 14,200 Ethiopian Jews were airlifted and flown to Israel.
After retiring from the Foreign Service in September 1995, with the rank of Ambassador, Mr. Naim continues his activity on behalf of the Ethiopian community's absorption and integration into Israel society, mainly through academic scholarships. He is chairman of the Israel-Korea Friendship Association, which works for closer relations between the two countries in the field of education and promotion of economic ties. Ambassador Naim is a Fellow at the Truman Institute for Peace at Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
He has co-authored two books on Jewish education and a book on Jerusalem. His most recent book, Saving the Lost Tribe: The Rescue and Redemption of the Ethiopian Jews, (Random House, 2003) reveals the inside story of Operation Solomon. Ambassador Naim and his wife, Hilda, have three children and reside in Jerusalem.
Ambassador Naim's possible lecture topics:
1. The Middle East Conflict: The Struggles for Change, Control, and Peace
2. Terrorism on the Rise? The Clash of Islam and Western Civilization
3. The behind the scenes story of Operation Solomon: The Exodus of Ethiopian Jews to Israel- and their absoption in Israel.
To schedule a campus speaking engagement please email anaim@macam.ac.il.