About the Author
Yechiel M. Leiter
Yechiel (Michael) Leiter, PhD, has served as Israel’s Ambassador to the United States since January 2025. A seasoned policy expert and public servant, he previously held senior roles including adviser to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Chief of Staff to then-Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Deputy Director-General of the Ministry of Education, and Acting Chairman of the Israel Ports Company. He holds degrees in law and political science, a Master’s in International Relations, and a PhD in political philosophy. His post-doctoral research on the philosophy of John Locke and the Hebrew Bible was published by Cambridge University Press. Ambassador Leiter is a father of eight and grandfather of many. His eldest son, Maj. Moshe Yedidya Leiter—a medical doctor and IDF special forces officer—fell in combat in Gaza on November 10, 2023.
Sabrina Soffer
Sabrina Soffer serves as a Research and Diplomacy Fellow at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs. Her work spans policy, research, writing, media, and advocacy on antisemitism, Zionism, academia, and foreign policy, including roles as Deputy Chief of Staff at the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy, a contributor to congressional investigations into campus antisemitism, and research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. She has testified before American and Israeli officials and was selected for President Isaac Herzog’s Voice of the People initiative. A graduate of George Washington University, she earned degrees in Philosophy with a focus in Public Affairs and Judaic Studies, and held leadership roles as President of Chabad and Commissioner of the university’s Task Force to Combat Antisemitism.
