Welcome to the 6th installment of Conversations with Friends,  a blog focused on the enlightening and entertaining conversations I have with an assortment of accomplished professionals, thought leaders, and game changers. And yes, they are my friends, and I am very proud of them. But, way beyond that, these are bright people with genuine passion and great insights that I want to share with others. Through our discussions, I hope to present a bird’s eye into the unique nuances and points of view that make these conversations really interesting.

April 28, 2016 – New York, NY –  Have you ever had an experience that is just on a whole other level than the average? I am sure you have – we all have. The kind of moment that happens expectantly, in the blink of an eye and takes you by surprise. I do my best to mark those moments as “extraordinary” in my imaginary book of mental notes.

One of these moments happened to me about 10 years ago (it may be longer; the book is imaginary after all). I was sitting in a committee meeting, in a lovely board room in midtown Manhattan, for a charity that I have now long been involved with and we were going over the agenda items.

It was announced that we were going to have a guest speaker that morning at the end of our meeting.  At that time, I was relatively new to the committee, which was made up of very senior executives in the fields of marketing and communications. In addition to being pretty “green” in terms of being involved in a more serious capacity – to be honest – I was also slightly intimidated by the “wattage” in the room! As a result, I listened intently to all that was going on. When it was time for the official meeting to adjourn, and the speaker to being talking, I was all ears… little did I know that I was just moments away from experiencing the brilliance of a young(er) Ido Aharoni.

He was working at the Consulate then, in the Media department. Within moments, I was captivated by what he was saying. While I had long been interested in Israeli affairs, I had never heard anyone talk about what he was telling us, with such passion, authority, and clarity. At the end of his presentation, I jumped up and walked over to him to introduce myself and thank him… and that was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

From that day on, I have had the great privilege of having countless wonderful, educational, and inspiring conversations with Ido… And this is what we talked about the other day, in the midst of all the buzz happening in his memorabilia filled office here in Manhattan…

Hilarie: When we first became friends– let’s say 15 years ago– did you imagine that you would end up on the extraordinary trajectory that you have followed?

Ido: No. (Then a pregnant pause…) Well, because when you work for the government (Israeli), it’s hard to plan a career. The way it works is that almost every position is open to eligible employees and so the working environment is highly competitive. I think I was lucky. Somehow, I managed to become some sort of a specialist in North American affairs. I had the right education and background in marketing and communications.

Hilarie: I recall the story you told me about stepping into your current role, can you tell it again?

Ido: I came back to New York (from Israel) first as the acting Consul General. At the time, there was no permanent Consul General in place. This was in August 2010. I came with one suitcase, prepared to stay three weeks (which of course in and of itself amazes me, because I can’t even go away for a weekend with only one suitcase). Upon arrival, since I knew the turf quite well from my previous term in New York, I made a decision to function as if I am here, in the role, forever. So, I convened the staff, booked meetings from day one, and just kept going. Then, three weeks passed and no word came down from the Foreign Ministry, so I kept going. Then, four weeks passed, kept going, and so on. By February of 2011 it became official, I received the appointment (Consul General) and by April 2011, I even received the personal rank of Ambassador.

Hilarie: Let’s take a step back…after coming to the US for college, how did you get your start in public service? 

Ido: I went to Emerson College (Boston) from 1988 to 1990 to get my Master’s Degree in Mass Communications, after graduating from Tel Aviv University. During that time I interned as a production assistant at Ch. 5 WCVB in Needham, MA. I interned for a show called ‘Chronicle’… I think it’s still around! (he says with a wistful smile). After that I went back to Israel and re-joined Israel’s Educational TV (like PBS in the US), where I had freelanced prior to coming to the US for school. My job was with a newscast called, “A New Evening”. And my timing was unbelievable– I started on August 1^st (1990) and on August 2^nd, Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. That event prompted the First Gulf War of January 1991. Israel was attacked by 39 Scud missiles that were launched by Saddam in an attempt to break the US-led anti-Iraq coalition. It was a very exciting time to work for a news organization, right in the middle of it all. Of course, it was very intense and we worked non-stop. At the end of my first year, I wanted to be recognized for my efforts by way of a promotion, but that didn’t happen. And around that time, I saw an ad for the prestigious cadet program of Israel’s Foreign Ministry, so I applied and surprisingly was accepted. That started me on this path.

Hilarie: I am making the assumption that you had a mentor, did you?

Ido: No, not one per se, though there were a few men who really influenced me. The first was my first boss, Ambassador Uriel (Uri) Savir who served here in New York as consul-general as well. Uri was a hard-working man who was not afraid of expressing his creativity in the work place. I also learned a tremendous amount from observing leaders such as Shimon Peres and Ariel Sharon, as they both were extraordinary and worked tirelessly to shape the development of Israel. And here in the US, PR guru Howard Rubenstein was a great teacher by being a real sounding board as I learned how to navigate public perceptions.

Hilarie: You have lived in many places, where were you the happiest? And are there any places that you really didn’t like?

Ido: I truly love every place I have ever lived (I look at him quizzically, as to say, really?). Yes, I mean it (with a big smile). I love big cities and I love suburbs… I spent more than 16 years working and living in the United States. I lived in Boston, Los Angeles and New York. In New York, I lived four years in Westchester and six years in Manhattan. I did some work at many other major cities in North America and Europe. Also, I spent significant time in Toronto. I was born in a hospital in Jaffa and grew up in Holon (south of Tel Aviv) and now my permanent home in Israel is in a beautiful mountain community called Har-Adar, which is near Jerusalem. And I love them all! I guess, what really makes me happy is to be around great people. And I have met the most extraordinary people throughout my career, really unbelievable. I’m very lucky because my job is all about public affairs. I would guess that someone who doesn’t have a real love for people and humanity would have a very difficult time in this position.

Hilarie: After knowing you for many years, one of the things that I find so remarkable about you is that your demeanor is always so pleasant, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you really “stressed”. In your position, dealing on a daily basis with so many, seemingly unending, yet very timely and pressurized situations, how do you stay so calm?

Ido:  Keep in mind that, sadly, we (Israelis) have become somewhat experts in crisis management. Especially when experiencing war, like I did in 1982 in Lebanon. (He served in the Israel Defense Forces as a company commander in the infantry during the Lebanon war. He currently holds the rank of Major (Res).)

But, I really have two thoughts on this:

One, my observation is that usually Israelis tend to react to crisis with less anxiety than others.

And two, the presence of a professional compass helps. I was fortunate enough in my career to develop one guiding and organizing principle. That principle now enjoys a tremendous amount of acceptance and support from all streams of Jewish and Israeli society. At the core lies the understanding that, collectively, we need to improve the performance of the State of Israel by adhering to the basics of marketing: highlighting your advantages and assets rather than engaging in an endless debate that centers around your problems.

It’s really basic marketing (as I nod my head in knowing agreement). To boost the “product”, talk about what’s good about it… when you realize that, everything becomes easier. To me it was like an epiphany: the realization that things become much easier and smoother when you realize that we are all here to do good for our country. Period.

Touring Israel with NY Governor Andrew Cuomo

Hilarie: What is the best part about being a consul-general?

Ido: You are in a position to make things happen. Many people want to do good things but they are not in a position to do that. This role puts me in a place where I can make connections and introductions, and jumpstart things… I can try to turn ideas into something real.

In 2002 I started a new global conversation about Israel that extends far beyond geopolitics. It was a much broader and more positive conversation in nature. Luckily, I have been able to engage many more people in this different conversation about Israel, for example, people who don’t have any interest in Middle Eastern affairs. They tuned in because they discovered that Israel can be relevant to their lives.

The key word is relevance. Israel has a number of relative advantages in the sciences, arts, environment, medicine, culinary arts, ethnic diversity, spirituality and religion, security, technology, etc., that many people would find appealing if they were aware of Israel’s success and relevance in these fields. People are attracted to Israeli innovation and creativity once they are introduced to it. And by making these connections, one can create new opportunities, partnerships, and friendships for both the communities I work with here in the U.S. and the State of Israel. It can be very rewarding.

Hilarie: What do you think, for those of us who have never been an Ambassador, would be the most surprising part of your job?

Ido: Walking around with security all the time is not as fun as it seems. Don’t get me wrong, these are consummate professionals and lovely people and they do a wonderful job of protecting all of us, and I am very grateful for the work that they do. Some people might think it’s cool (to have a security detail)… but in reality, it’s not. People may not understand that it’s all the time, not just on occasion, so it’s hard, sometimes, to have a private moment.

Hilarie: Ok, that being said… and, I can understand if you can’t answer this question, but, has your security detail ever “lost” you? 

Ido: Yes… but it might have been the other way around where I lost them (with “a wink and a smile”).

Hilarie: I am sure you are friendly with many other people from other nations that have roles like yours. What do you think are the benefits and challenges of representing Israel in particular?

Ido: Our job is more difficult because sadly we became defined by our problems. We became defined by the perception that our geopolitical hardships are the key to understanding all events in the Middle East. This creates the misperception about the centrality of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict in world affairs. The truth is, as much as it’s important to resolve the conflict, it’s still only one of the many active national, religious, ethnic and tribal conflicts in the world. So we then have a responsibility to broaden the conversation about Israel so it would not be defined by its problems only. Yes, when it’s appropriate, we must engage with others about our geopolitical situation. We call it “crisis management”. But at the same time we must also make sure that Israel has a relevant presence outside the context of a regional conflict.

A country like Israel cannot spend most of its energy just on managing crisis. In order to grow you need to invest more in the implementation of long-term strategies. A benefit that is unique to representing Israel, especially here in the United States and New York in particular, is that we are extremely lucky to have a large Jewish diaspora that is very active and engaged economically, philanthropically, politically, and culturally. It’s largely thanks to them that I am able to do many of the things that I have done. There are many countries that have diasporas in the U.S., but ours is unique because it’s so highly organized and philanthropic.

(Amb. Aharoni with Elie Wiesel)

Hilarie: And being in your position, that of a diplomat representing the only democracy in the Middle East, how do you answer the question that is on everyone’s mind… what do you think of the US Presidential election?

Ido: Israelis in general see themselves as an extension of the American value system in a hostile territory. We think we are very “American”… After 9/11, for example, Israelis were sobbing (like it was their country too). Did you know that the first 9/11 monument (outside of the US) to have all the names of the victims inscribed was in Israel? (I shook my head no and he went on) It was erected by the JNF (Jewish National Fund) in a forest outside of Jerusalem.

Israelis, by definition, admire the U.S. Presidential process, so whoever is elected is going to be popular in Israel.

In terms of this election, we have to recognize the tremendous impact of technology, not just as a platform, but in a sense of how we live now. We live in a world dominated by brands – and essentially this is a competition between political brands. We seldom think of our political leaders as brands but in 2016, it’s an integral part of the process. (That’s a really excellent point!)

We are in the midst of a global transition attributed, in my humble view, to the information revolution. (Funny, I keep thinking we are actually witnessing a political revolution – but agree that it’s nothing short of phenomenal).

Hilarie: Understanding that you are a well-known and very highly regarded public figure (I can honestly say, after all these years I have never heard anything but praise for you!), how do you balance your private life with your public role?

Ido: I don’t, really. I have very little of what would be considered private life in my job. It’s a total position. What I mean is that the totality of this position (as he explains using both hands as if holding a globe) is all-consuming; I am always on. There is no other way of performing this job.

Hilarie: Now, I have to ask about the TRULY important stuff… I was a very devoted dog “Mom” for many years (still miss my beloved Lucky every day)… what role does your dog have in your life?

Ido: Woody is a constant source of joy and happiness! (He says this with the biggest smile I have seen since starting this conversation – true to form for us dog people – nothing makes us smile quite like our pups!) He loves people, he always goes up to them and he’s very friendly. Woody thinks he is a human being and behaves accordingly. He really is a huge part of our family, we love him.

Woody Aharoni

Hilarie: You/we (we live in the same ‘hood’) currently live in a very dog-friendly neighborhood in Manhattan, are dogs as “popular” in Israel? And if so, are they treated the same was as they are here, like real members of the family?

Ido: Yes, dogs are hugely popular in Israel. Naturally, they have more space to run around than they do here in Manhattan. Where I live in Israel, for example, most dogs are not on leashes, so (he says with a laugh) sometimes there can be some issues with cleaning up after them! But Israelis love dogs very much just like people do here in the U.S.

Hilarie: Speaking of culture, what do you find the most similar and most different about “lifestyle” in the US/NYC and in Israel?

Ido: Well, like I said earlier, Israelis feel like we are an extension of American society and share the same values. Israel is the ultimate creation of diversity and fusion. The country is made up of many different “tribes”; it is such a diverse group of people from so many different places and backgrounds. You’ll find   representation of views from all ends of the cultural, social, and political spectrum. Israelis very often go out and explore new blends and cultural mixtures and look to expand their own personal horizons, very much like what you find here in New York. So it’s no surprise that our two societies are so connected in so many ways. Especially here in New York, you can very often feel that same spirit of all-encompassing curiosity that is so present throughout Israel.

Hilarie: If you could go anywhere in the world, just as a “regular” person, where you either have or haven’t been – where would you go and why?

Ido: Oh, there are so many places I’d like to go. I guess the instinct of every person who comes from a family of people who were uprooted at some point from their homelands is to go back and visit those places. My ancestors all came from Arab and Muslim lands. My father’s family came to Jerusalem from Bukhara in 1872, which is now part of Uzbekistan, and my mother’s parents came to Tel Aviv from Yemen in 1913. If I could, I guess, these would be the two places I would choose to visit as a “private” citizen.

Thank you, my dear, dear friend for sharing your stories, insights and wisdom…you are simply, extraordinary!

Ido Aharoni is the 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 he has 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. In the spring of 2006, he was appointed to serve as a Senior Advisor to Israel’s Foreign Minister and Vice Prime Minister, in charge of media and public affairs. Between 2001-2005, 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 terror attacks of 9/11.  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, 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, 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 he 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.

Hilarie S. Viener is Founder of Viener&Partners, a brand and marketing consultancy based in Manhattan. Her career has afforded her to work with over 100 brands from start-ups to Fortune 100’s, all over the globe.  Her prior experience includes roles as Executive Vice President, North America of The Value Engineers, global brand consultancy and President of branding and digital agency, WONDER. Ms. Viener is a graduate of American University’s School of Communication in Washington, DC.  She began her career at Wells Rich Greene Advertising, then moved on to roles at Griffin Bacal, Lowe & Partners and BBDO.

For more information or to review past editions of CWF, please go to www.vienerandpartners.com