As we mentioned in last month’s edition, Haim Gutin has been appointed the new Israel Tourism Commissioner for North and South America, taking over from Arie Sommer, who has returned to Jerusalem after the completion of his second term as commissioner.
So, this month, we thought we’d give you a glimpse into the life of our new commissioner. Prior to his new posting in New York, Haim was the Israel Ministry of Tourism’s Senior Deputy Director-General for Human Resources and Logistics, based in Jerusalem. Earlier on in his career, after earning his B.A. in History at Tel Aviv University, and his M.A. in Communications at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Haim joined the Ministry of Tourism in 1982 and since then has worked in a variety of roles for the Ministry, including several previous posts in North America.
Haim also currently serves on the board of several Israeli non-governmental organizations, including the Tisch Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem, the Advisory Council on Tourism Guides’ Ethics, and as director of the Nations’ Culture Youth Center and the East Jerusalem Development Company. Additionally, Haim served in the Israel Defense Forces from 1975 to 1978 as a combat medic. He and his wife, Haya, have three sons: Ido, Amir, and Almog.
We are so pleased to welcome Haim to our “family” in New York, so we hope you’ll also join us in wishing him and his family the very best as Haim seeks to serve North and South America by inviting friends like you to come and experience Israel in person!
Did you know that you can learn all about visiting Israel with just a few clicks of your mouse? Visit the official Israel Ministry of Tourism website at www.goisrael.com.