Rashela Mizrahi ( mk, Рашела Мизрахи) is a Macedonian

veterinarian A veterinarian (vet), also known as a veterinary surgeon or veterinary physician, is a medical professional who practices veterinary medicine. They manage a wide range of health conditions and injuries in non-human animals. Along with this, vet ...

and politician, who was the first Jewish minister of

North Macedonia North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Socialist Feder ...

. A member of the

VMRO-DPMNE Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization – Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity ( mk, Внатрешна македонска револуционерна организација – Демократска партија за ...

party, she was dismissed in February 2020 after appearing with signs of the country's previous name (Macedonia). Mizrahi has reported facing

antisemitic Antisemitism (also spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism) is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who holds such positions is called an antisemite. Antisemitism is considered to be a form of racism. Antis ...

abuse and a hostile political environment since before taking office as the Labour and Social Policy Minister.

Early life

Rasela Mizrahi was born on November 24, 1981 in

Skopje Skopje ( , , ; mk, Скопје ; sq, Shkup) is the capital and largest city of North Macedonia. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre. The territory of Skopje has been inhabited since at least 4000 BC; r ...

SFR Yugoslavia The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as SFR Yugoslavia or simply as Yugoslavia, was a country in Central and Southeast Europe. It emerged in 1945, following World War II, and lasted until 1992, with the breakup of Yug ...

to Viktor and Liljana Mizrahi. She has a brother, Rahamim. Many of her family members were murdered in the

Holocaust The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe; a ...

. Mizrahi worked at

SS. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje The Saints Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje ( mk, Универзитет „Св. Кирил и Методиј“ во Скопје) is the oldest and largest public university in North Macedonia. It is named after the Byzantine Christia ...

from 2007 to 2009.

Dismissal

Mizrahi caused controversy when she stood in front of a plaque with the country's former name, the Republic of Macedonia, instead of the Republic of North Macedonia.

Minister of Foreign Affairs A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between cou ...

Nikola Dimitrov Nikola Dimitrov (born 30 September 1972) is a Macedonian politician and diplomat, who has served as Minister of Foreign Affairs for North Macedonia from 31 May 2017 to 30 August 2020. He also served as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in 200 ...

, received a verbal note of protest from the Greek government. On February 15, 2020, the

Assembly of North Macedonia The Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia ( mk, Собрание на Република Северна Македонија, sq, Kuvendi i Republikës së Maqedonisë së Veriut), or the Sobranie ( mk, Собрание, "Assembly"), is t ...

voted to dismiss Mizrahi, with 62 votes for dismissal and 26 votes against.

Re-election

In the parliamentary elections of June 2020, Mizrahi was again elected to the

.РАШЕЛА МИЗРАХИ
/ref> Among her responsibilities is the presidency of the North Macedonia - Israel Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group.International Affairs Division

The Knesset The Knesset ( he, הַכְּנֶסֶת ; "gathering" or "assembly") is the unicameral legislature of Israel. As the supreme state body, the Knesset is sovereign and thus has complete control of the entirety of the Israeli government (with th ...

References

Living people Jewish politicians Women government ministers of North Macedonia Government ministers of North Macedonia Macedonian Jews Jewish women politicians 1981 births People from Skopje {{NorthMacedonia-politician-stub