Orthodox and son of Polish immigrant: Biden picks Jack Lew as new Israel ambassador

Jewish organisations welcomed President Joe Biden’s decision to nominate Jacob J. Lew as the next U.S. ambassador to Israel. 

Lew, who is an orthodox Jew and son of a Polish immigrant, has a long business and public office career behind him, including serving as Treasury Secretary for President Obama as well as Special Assistant to President Clinton.

He currently chairs the board of the National Committee on United States-China Relations, is co-president of the board of the National Library of Israel USA and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

AJC CEO Ted Deutch welcomed Biden’s “outstanding nomination”, saying: “Jack Lew’s distinguished record of public service makes him an exceptional choice to be the next U.S. Ambassador to Israel.”

“I look forward to working with him to advance the U.S.-Israel relationship, strengthen Israel’s place in the world, deepen the Abraham Accords, and expand ties between Israel and the Arab world. Jack Lew will be a tremendous Ambassador to Israel,” Deutch said.

ADL chief, Jonathan Greenblatt said he was “thrilled” to congratulate his “good friend” Jack Lew on being nominated as the US’s next ambassador to Israel

“I know Jack’s smarts, integrity and commitment to advancing the US-Israel relationship will be an asset to him in this new role,” Greenblatt said.

Former U.S. ambassador to Israel, Tom Nides, whom Lew will be replacing, told KAN Public Broadcaster that he is an “excellent choice. He knows Washington very well. I have known him for 25 years. He is a true friend of Israel – and he will certainly be an excellent ambassador.”

Israeli foreign minister Eli Cohen also welcomed the nomination, calling Lew a “true friend of Israel and we expect to work with him in the spirit of our alliance that is based on shared values.”

Lew, 68, will take over as ambassador during the one of the most tumultuous periods in the U.S.-Israel relationship, with the Biden administration issuing several unprecedented criticism at Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government.

Biden has criticised Netanyahu’s handling of the judicial reforms and said his coalition has some of the most “extreme” members he can remember.

Former ambassador Nides also fell out with some of the Israeli ministers, most notably Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chickli who told him to “mind his own business” after he publicly said that he had asked Netanyahu to put the brakes on the reforms.

The Biden administration is currently trying to bring about a normalisation deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel, which Lew will be expected to assist with in his capacity as ambassador.