“I knew my future lay in building bridges between peoples and helping turn the Abraham Accords into reality on the ground…Even as a child, I felt a calling to bring together Jews and Muslims…After the Abraham Accords were signed, I sought a place where I could make greater impact…”
The Abraham Accords Shaped My Life Story
A vision is often born out of a personal journey, and mine began in 2020, the day I heard the historic announcement of the signing of the Abraham Accords - normalization agreements that Israel concluded with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan. Following this remarkable news of new winds sweeping the Middle East, enabling cooperation with regional partners in areas that once seemed imaginary, I knew my future lay in building bridges between peoples and helping turn the Abraham Accords into reality on the ground.
Even as a child, I felt a calling to bring together Jews and Muslims. Born into a family of Libyan descent, I fell in love with the Arabic language and culture, immersing myself in them both in high school and later at university – where I delved into Islam studies, Middle Eastern geopolitics, and economics. In parallel, I volunteered in organizations aiming to deepen Israel’s regional integration, developed connections with Arab partners across the region, and helped break down walls of fear, alienation, and hatred. After the Abraham Accords were signed, I sought a place where I could make greater impact and decided to join the newly established Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain in Israel as a Diplomatic Assistant to the Deputy Ambassador, focusing on strengthening Bahrain-Israel cooperation. I also became the first Israeli woman to serve on the embassy team.
“At that time, as a young Jewish woman exposed to Bahrain’s ecosystem, I learned about a new and fascinating concept central to the kingdom’s economic environment - “Islamic Banking” …It offers financial services aligned with the religious and cultural values of Islam and is especially prevalent in the Gulf states.”
Islamic Banking in Bahrain
At that time, as a young Jewish woman exposed to Bahrain’s ecosystem, I learned about a new and fascinating concept central to the kingdom’s economic environment - “Islamic Banking”, which operates according to “Sharia” (Islamic religious legal code) principles. It offers financial services aligned with the religious and cultural values of Islam and is especially prevalent in the Gulf states. Over the past 50 years, Islamic banking has developed worldwide into a major global industry, with Bahrain establishing itself as a pioneering hub.
