Akiva Tor is currently the Israeli Ambassador to the Republic of Korea since November 2020. Born on Fort Jackson,

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

, Tor received his B.A. in analytical philosophy from

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

in 1985, then received his MA in Political Science and Contemporary Jewish Thought from the

Hebrew University of Jerusalem The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; he, הַאוּנִיבֶרְסִיטָה הַעִבְרִית בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם) is a public research university based in Jerusalem, Israel. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Dr. Chaim Weiz ...

, and an MPA from Harvard Kennedy School in 2003 with the support of the

Wexner Foundation The Wexner Foundation focuses on the development of Jewish professional and volunteer leaders in North America and public leaders in Israel. Founded by Leslie Wexner, CEO of Limited Brands, and his wife, Abigail Wexner, the headquarters are loca ...

. He was a Goldman Fellow at Tel Aviv University in 2020. He made

aliyah Aliyah (, ; he, עֲלִיָּה ''ʿălīyyā'', ) is the immigration of Jews from Jewish diaspora, the diaspora to, historically, the geographical Land of Israel, which is in the modern era chiefly represented by the Israel, State of Israel ...

at age 24 and served as a paratrooper in the

Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; he, צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the Israel, State of Israel. It consists of three servic ...

from 1985 to 1987, and was honorably discharged from the IDF reserves as a

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

in 2008. Tor entered the Israel Foreign Ministry cadet course in November 1987 and began his diplomatic career as Director at the Israel Economic and Cultural Office in

Taipei Taipei (), officially Taipei City, is the capital and a special municipality of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Located in Northern Taiwan, Taipei City is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City that sits about southwest of the n ...

in 1996. On return to Israel he served as Deputy Spokesman from 1998 to 2000 and Deputy Director of the Department for Palestinian Affairs from 2000 to 2002. From 2003 to 2006, he was the World Jewish Affairs Adviser to the

President of Israel The president of the State of Israel ( he, נְשִׂיא מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, Nesi Medinat Yisra'el, or he, נְשִׂיא הַמְדִינָה, Nesi HaMedina, President of the State) is the head of state of Israel. The posi ...

. From 2008 to 2012, he was the Israel Consul General in San Francisco and Pacific Northwest. From 2013 to 2020, he was the Head of Bureau for World Jewish Affairs and World Religions in Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In June 2020, Tor was named Israeli Ambassador to South Korea. He assumed post in November 2020.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tor, Akiva Ambassadors of Israel to South Korea Living people Columbia College (New York) alumni Hebrew University of Jerusalem alumni Harvard Kennedy School alumni Israeli diplomats Year of birth missing (living people)