Ambassador Ido Aharoni -

Consul General of Israel in New York

Ambassador Ido Aharoni is Consul General of Israel in New York, representing the State of Israel to communities from throughout the tri-state areas of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. He has been a member of Israel’s Foreign Service since the summer of 1991. Ido held two overseas positions, in Los Angeles and New York, during his tenure in Israel’s diplomatic corps.

While serving as Consul for Media and Public Affairs in New York, he became familiar with nation-branding methods which he later introduced to his superiors in Jerusalem. His efforts in this area, which continue until today, have brought about a paradigm shift in Israel’s public image by Israeli officials in Israel and the United States.
In February 2011, Ido Aharoni officially assumed the post of Consul General of Israel in New York, after serving as Acting Consul General since August 2010. As Consul General, he represents the State of Israel to communities from throughout the tri-state areas of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.
He has been a member of Israel’s Foreign Service since the summer of 1991. During his tenure in Israel’s diplomatic corps, Aharoni held two overseas positions, in Los Angeles and New York.

In September 2007, Aharoni was appointed to serve as the Head of Israel’s Brand Management Team in Jerusalem. Prior to this, in the spring of 2006, he had been appointed to serve as a Senior Advisor to Israel’s Foreign Minister and Vice Prime Minister, in charge of media and public affairs.

Between 2001 and 2005, Ido Aharoni served as Consul for Media and Public Affairs at the Consulate General of Israel in New York. He assumed this position several weeks prior to the 9/11 terror attacks. As the head of the department, Aharoni oversaw the operation of Israel’s largest public affairs and media relations apparatus worldwide. He handled media relations and community outreach, as well as a variety of informational services.

While in New York, Aharoni became familiar with nation-branding methods, which he later introduced to his superiors in Jerusalem. This effort resulted in bringing about a paradigm shift in the perception of Israel’s public image by Israeli officials, both in Israel and in the USA.

Prior to his arrival in New York, Aharoni served as a Policy Advisor to the Director-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem. Over the years, Aharoni served five Directors-General.

From 1994 to 1998, Aharoni served as Israel’s Consul for Communications and Public Affairs at the Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles. In that position, Aharoni covered the seven southwestern states of the USA and worked extensively in some of America’s top markets (Greater Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Tucson, Salt Lake City and Denver).

In the spring of 1993, upon completion of the Foreign Ministry’s cadet program, Aharoni was appointed to serve under then Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, as Policy Assistant to Israel’s Chief negotiator with the Palestinians.

Before joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Aharoni earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Tel Aviv University with a joint-major in Film and Television, Sociology and Anthropology. He then moved to the United States where he obtained a Master’s Degree in Mass Communications from Emerson College in Boston.

Ido Aharoni served in the Israel Defense Forces as a company commander in the infantry during the first Lebanon war. He retired from military reserves, at the age of 48, as a Major (Ret). He is married to Julie Goodman-Aharoni, a native of Los Angeles. They have three children: Talia, Sharon and Adam.