First Lady of Israel

{{Short description|Unofficial title of wife of the President of Israel}}

{{Infobox Political post

| post = First Lady

| body = Israel

| insignia = Flag of Israel.svg

| insigniasize = 100px

| appointer = Knesset

| insigniacaption =

| image = Michal Herzog by Igal Slavin.jpeg

| incumbent = Michal Herzog

| incumbentsince = 7 July 2021

| residence = Beit HaNassi

| preceded by =

| termlength =

| formation = 17 February 1949

| inaugural = Vera Weizmann

| website =

| native_name = בת הזוג של נשיא מדינת ישראל

}}

First Lady of Israel ({{Langx|he|בת הזוג של נשיא מדינת ישראל}}) is the unofficial title of the wife of the president of Israel. The current first lady of Israel is Michal Herzog, wife of President Isaac Herzog.

History

There is no official role or office of the first lady of Israel, and the title "First Lady" was never adopted by the {{ill|Ministerial Committee for Symbols and Ceremonies|he|ועדת השרים לענייני סמלים וטקסים}},[https://www.mako.co.il/news-military/politics-q1_2018/Article-f15f2c676e92161004.htm The "First Lady" - will the head of ceremonies be fired? (in Hebrew)], Mako, 24 January 2018 although Reuven Rivlin's wife, Nechama Rivlin, was referred to as "First Lady" in English-language sources during her husband's presidency.{{cite news|title=The First Lady: Nechama Rivlin |url=http://archive.president.gov.il/English/ThePresident/Pages/TheFirstLady_CV.aspx |work=Office of the President of the State of Israel |access-date=2019-07-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190325095006/http://archive.president.gov.il/English/ThePresident/Pages/TheFirstLady_CV.aspx |archive-date=2019-03-25 |url-status=live}}{{cite news|first=Greer Fay|last=Cashman |title=Nechama Rivlin, scientist, art lover, wife of president, passes away |url=https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Nechama-Rivlin-scientist-art-lover-wife-of-president-passes-away-591540 |work=Jerusalem Post |date=2019-06-04 |access-date=2019-07-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190609073444/https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Nechama-Rivlin-scientist-art-lover-wife-of-president-passes-away-591540 |archive-date=2019-06-09 |url-status=live}} In 2018, then–prime ministerial spouse Sara Netanyahu was introduced as "First Lady" when receiving US vice president Mike Pence, causing controversy.

First ladies of Israel

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Name ! Portrait ! Term began ! Term ended ! President of Israel ! Notes
Vera Weizmann \| 100px \| 17 February 1949 \| 9 November 1952 \| Chaim Weizmann \| Wife of the first President of Israel. Born in the Russian Empire and immigrated to the United Kingdom.
Rachel Yanait Ben-Zvi \| 100px \| 16 December 1952 \| 23 April 1963 \| Yitzhak Ben-Zvi \| Born in present-day Ukraine, Ben-Zvi was an author, educator and leading proponent of Labor Zionism.
Rachel Katznelson-Shazar \| 100px \| 21 May 1963 \| 24 May 1973 \| Zalman Shazar \|
Nina Katzir \| 100px \| 24 May 1973 \| 29 May 1978 \| Ephraim Katzir \|
Ofira Navon \| 100px \| 29 May 1978 \| 5 May 1983 \| Yitzhak Navon \|
Aura Herzog \| 100px \| 5 May 1983 \| 13 May 1993 \| Chaim Herzog \| Founder of the Council for a Beautiful Israel{{cite news\|first=Greer Fay\|last=Cashman \|title=All In The Family: The legacy of Labor MK Isaac Herzog runs deep \|url=https://www.jpost.com/Features/In-Thespotlight/All-in-the-family \|work=Jerusalem Post \|date=2012-04-25 \|access-date=2019-07-02 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190515004350/https://www.jpost.com/Features/In-Thespotlight/All-in-the-family \|archive-date=2019-05-15 \|url-status=live}}
Reuma Weizman \| 100px \| 13 May 1993 \| 13 July 2000 \| Ezer Weizman \|
Gila Katsav \| 100px \| 1 August 2000 \| 1 July 2007 \| Moshe Katsav \| Gila Katsav's tenure ended on July 1, 2007, when her husband resigned the presidency.{{cite news\|first=Amnon \|last=Meranda \|title=Katsav submits letter of resignation \|url=https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3419000,00.html \|work=Ynet \|date=2007-06-29 \|access-date=2019-07-02 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160403140101/http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3419000,00.html \|archive-date=2016-04-03 \|url-status=live}}
Sonia Peres \| 100px \| 15 July 2007 \| 20 January 2011 \| rowspan="2"\| Shimon Peres \| Sonia Peres, who was Polish-born, disliked the role of wife of a politician and public figure. Though the country's first lady, she and Shimon Peres became estranged circa 2008 over his decision to remain in public office during their later life; the couple lived apart for the remainder of their lives.{{cite news\|first=Allison \|last=Kaplan Sommer \|title=Sonia Peres, Intensely Private Wife of Israel's President, Shunned the Spotlight \|url=https://forward.com/news/134964/sonia-peres-intensely-private-wife-of-israel-s-p/ \|work=The Forward \|date=2011-01-26 \|access-date=2019-07-02 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161105172018/https://forward.com/news/134964/sonia-peres-intensely-private-wife-of-israel-s-p/ \|archive-date=2016-11-05 \|url-status=live}}{{cite news\|title=Politics broke up my marriage, Peres says \|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/politics-broke-up-my-marriage-peres-says/ \|agency=Associated Press \|publisher=Times of Israel \|date=2014-05-05 \|access-date=2019-07-02 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160326052438/http://www.jpost.com/National-News/Sonia-Peres-presidents-wife-dies-at-87-in-Tel-Aviv \|archive-date=2016-03-26 \|url-status=live}} Sonia Peres died in role on January 20, 2011, at the age of 87.{{cite news\|title=Sonia Peres, president's wife, dies at 87 in Tel Aviv \|url=https://www.jpost.com/National-News/Sonia-Peres-presidents-wife-dies-at-87-in-Tel-Aviv \|work=Jerusalem Post \|date=2011-01-20 \|access-date=2019-07-02 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160326052438/http://www.jpost.com/National-News/Sonia-Peres-presidents-wife-dies-at-87-in-Tel-Aviv \|archive-date=2016-03-26 \|url-status=live}}
Position vacant \| \| 20 January 2011 \| 24 July 2014 \| First Lady Sonia Peres had died on January 20, 2011, while Shimon Peres was still in office.
Nechama Rivlin \| 100px \| 24 July 2014 \| 4 June 2019 \| rowspan="2"\| Reuven Rivlin \| Nechama Rivlin was a researcher and scientist at Hebrew University. She died in role from complications of a lung transplant on June 4, 2019.
Position vacant \| \| 4 June 2019 \| 7 July 2021 \| First Lady Nechama Rivlin died on June 4, 2019.
Michal Herzog \| 100px \| 7 July 2021 \| Present \| Isaac Herzog \| First Lady Michal Herzog is a lawyer.

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

Name

! Portrait

! Term began

! Term ended

! President of Israel

! Notes

Vera Weizmann

| 100px

| 17 February 1949

| 9 November 1952

| Chaim Weizmann

| Wife of the first President of Israel. Born in the Russian Empire and immigrated to the United Kingdom.

Rachel Yanait Ben-Zvi

| 100px

| 16 December 1952

| 23 April 1963

| Yitzhak Ben-Zvi

| Born in present-day Ukraine, Ben-Zvi was an author, educator and leading proponent of Labor Zionism.

Rachel Katznelson-Shazar

| 100px

| 21 May 1963

| 24 May 1973

| Zalman Shazar

Nina Katzir

| 100px

| 24 May 1973

| 29 May 1978

| Ephraim Katzir

Ofira Navon

| 100px

| 29 May 1978

| 5 May 1983

| Yitzhak Navon

Aura Herzog

| 100px

| 5 May 1983

| 13 May 1993

| Chaim Herzog

| Founder of the Council for a Beautiful Israel{{cite news|first=Greer Fay|last=Cashman |title=All In The Family: The legacy of Labor MK Isaac Herzog runs deep |url=https://www.jpost.com/Features/In-Thespotlight/All-in-the-family |work=Jerusalem Post |date=2012-04-25 |access-date=2019-07-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190515004350/https://www.jpost.com/Features/In-Thespotlight/All-in-the-family |archive-date=2019-05-15 |url-status=live}}

Reuma Weizman

| 100px

| 13 May 1993

| 13 July 2000

| Ezer Weizman

Gila Katsav

| 100px

| 1 August 2000

| 1 July 2007

| Moshe Katsav

| Gila Katsav's tenure ended on July 1, 2007, when her husband resigned the presidency.{{cite news|first=Amnon |last=Meranda |title=Katsav submits letter of resignation |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3419000,00.html |work=Ynet |date=2007-06-29 |access-date=2019-07-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160403140101/http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3419000,00.html |archive-date=2016-04-03 |url-status=live}}

Sonia Peres

| 100px

| 15 July 2007

| 20 January 2011

| rowspan="2"| Shimon Peres

| Sonia Peres, who was Polish-born, disliked the role of wife of a politician and public figure. Though the country's first lady, she and Shimon Peres became estranged circa 2008 over his decision to remain in public office during their later life; the couple lived apart for the remainder of their lives.{{cite news|first=Allison |last=Kaplan Sommer |title=Sonia Peres, Intensely Private Wife of Israel's President, Shunned the Spotlight |url=https://forward.com/news/134964/sonia-peres-intensely-private-wife-of-israel-s-p/ |work=The Forward |date=2011-01-26 |access-date=2019-07-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161105172018/https://forward.com/news/134964/sonia-peres-intensely-private-wife-of-israel-s-p/ |archive-date=2016-11-05 |url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=Politics broke up my marriage, Peres says |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/politics-broke-up-my-marriage-peres-says/ |agency=Associated Press |publisher=Times of Israel |date=2014-05-05 |access-date=2019-07-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160326052438/http://www.jpost.com/National-News/Sonia-Peres-presidents-wife-dies-at-87-in-Tel-Aviv |archive-date=2016-03-26 |url-status=live}} Sonia Peres died in role on January 20, 2011, at the age of 87.{{cite news|title=Sonia Peres, president's wife, dies at 87 in Tel Aviv |url=https://www.jpost.com/National-News/Sonia-Peres-presidents-wife-dies-at-87-in-Tel-Aviv |work=Jerusalem Post |date=2011-01-20 |access-date=2019-07-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160326052438/http://www.jpost.com/National-News/Sonia-Peres-presidents-wife-dies-at-87-in-Tel-Aviv |archive-date=2016-03-26 |url-status=live}}

Position vacant

| 20 January 2011

| 24 July 2014

| First Lady Sonia Peres had died on January 20, 2011, while Shimon Peres was still in office.

Nechama Rivlin

| 100px

| 24 July 2014

| 4 June 2019

| rowspan="2"| Reuven Rivlin

| Nechama Rivlin was a researcher and scientist at Hebrew University. She died in role from complications of a lung transplant on June 4, 2019.

Position vacant

| 4 June 2019