President Herzog set to visit UK next month as one of his first foreign trips

Isaac Herzog is set to make Britain one of the first foreign stops of his presidency with a visit next month, Jewish News can reveal.

The 11th president of Israel, who only took office this summer, will touch down in London for a trip that will include a glittering dinner honouring the life and legacy of former Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks, who passed away last November aged just 71. The event is hosted by The Genesis Prize Foundation.

He is also expected to attend an intimate tea at Stamford Bridge to view an exhibition of artwork of leading athletes athletes whose lives were killed in the Holocaust. The 49 Flames project was sponsored by Roman Abramovich and media partnered by the Jewish News.

Although it’s not believed to be a full state visit, Herzog will follow in the footsteps of his Dublin-born father who travelled to the UK when he served as the 6th president of Israel.

Isaac has often spoken with pride about his father’s British links, which included signing up to fight with the British army against the Nazis.

The current president attended a Jewish News reception at the British ambassadors residence in 2018 to mark the launch of our aliyah 100 project, in which both his father and uncle were featured.

He said at the time visiting the residence aged eight when his father was knighted brought home the “special connection” between the two nations. He added: “Aliyah is something you carry with you throughout your life and your children’s lives. We can’t escape our British roots and are proud of them, although sometimes we can be critical of the ancient motherland.”