Minister Michael Malkieli Opens Up: "It's Hard to Choose Between Family and Work, It's Heart-Wrenching"

Age: 40

Profession: Minister of Religious Services and Knesset Member

Marital status: "Father to seven wonderful children, married to Tehila – a woman of valor, the cornerstone of the household"

Place of residence: Neve Yaakov, Jerusalem

A Childhood of Simplicity: "I spent my childhood near the Bukharan neighborhood in Jerusalem. I grew up close to many of Israel's greats, including the head of the yeshiva, the genius Rabbi Moshe Tzadkah, may he live long and well, and many other greats of Jerusalem. My parents' home was very simple, but in our family, we always knew that Torah study and humility before Israel's greats were of utmost importance.

"As a young boy, I was educated at 'Yekirei Yerushalayim' yeshiva, where from the head of the yeshiva, Rabbi Yehuda Cohen, I received the foundational tools for life. These are the foundations that enable me even today to understand that in all situations, I must know before whom I stand and what I am obligated to do. Later, I studied at Hebron Yeshiva in Jerusalem, where I attended classes from the head of the yeshiva, the genius Rabbi David Cohen, to whom I remain close to this day."

An Unforgettable Figure: "The most significant figure from my childhood to this day is the monumental Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, of blessed memory. As a small child, I used to go with my father to the Saturday night class given by the rabbi. I would sit with many other children, and we all listened. We didn't need to understand every word, just to gaze at the rabbi's unique presence. Each time, the excitement reached new heights, as if it was the first and only time."

My Professional Path: "Over the years, I earned a bachelor's degree in education and a master's in public policy. I served as a member of the Jerusalem City Council and have been a Knesset member for the past six and a half years. Currently, I continue in my role as a Knesset member and serve as Minister of Religious Services.

"Despite this, the most important roles to me are those I held in earlier years: when I taught at Kiryat Noar Yeshiva and served as a ram at Tiferet Zvi Yeshiva. I am also proud of the Torah articles I published, among others, on the 'Hidabroot' website."

Daily Routine: "I wake up and pray, drop off the kids at their educational institutions, and then switch to my public representative role, which encompasses my whole being. Being a public representative means responding to personal inquiries from all citizens of Israel, without considering what the person approaching me is wearing or what was written on the ballot they cast; it means participating in many meetings and tours, and of course, there is also office work. My day's duties usually end with attending celebrations until very late at night. It's not always easy to reach events, but personally, it brings me joy and allows me to go to bed with happiness."

The Difficulty in the Role: "I am a public figure and also have a family. I often have to decide where to be at a certain time, and it's not an easy decision. The ability to balance things is very complex and doesn't always allow for a simple decision. It's clear that family always comes first, but I wish I had more quality time with them."

What Angers Me: "It pains me that people don't always know what truly happens in the religious services in the country. I want to emphasize that contrary to how some try to portray it, the vast majority engaged in marriage services, burial, kashrut, etc., are people who took their positions mainly due to an overwhelming sense of mission to help Jews in times of joy and, G-d forbid, in times of trouble. Some may be surprised, but the Ministry of Religious Services has the largest number of volunteers of any government ministry, who leave everything, even late at night, to bring another Jew to a Jewish burial."

A Moment of Satisfaction: "One of the things that gave me immense satisfaction is the opportunity to be part of making the tomb of the patriarchs in the Cave of Machpelah accessible to people with disabilities. There is nothing more sublime than helping a son to visit his father's grave. Another subject I was delighted to be involved in is the care for the Department of Religious Buildings in the Ministry of Religious Services, which includes the construction of mikvahs. I feel that I've had the enormous privilege to increase purity among the people of Israel."

Seek Out a Rabbi: "Unlike others who need to decide for themselves who their rabbi is, for me it is obvious that the Council of Torah Sages are those who lead the people, and they are the ones who make the decisions on every topic and issue. Personal decisions in my life also come to them for resolution."

One on One

Your most defining moment in life?

"There is no doubt that the day the world awoke without Rabbi Yosef, of blessed memory, was a completely different world. To this day, I feel the immense void left behind."

An emotional story you've been part of?

"About a year ago, I was invited to visit a yeshiva for young men on the spectrum and saw a young man communicating with electrodes and summarizing the Talmud he studies with true self-sacrifice. It struck me forcefully and raised the question in me: 'Where am I in terms of true devotion and effort in studying Torah, despite my many occupations?'"

What do you regret in your life?

"That as a young man and a yeshiva student, I didn't visit enough for counsel and blessings from Rabbi Yosef, of blessed memory, a figure who comes into the world only once in several centuries and was in our generation."

A Torah book you are especially connected to?

"The 'Yabia Omer' series which teaches a bit about the immense greatness of Rabbi Yosef, of blessed memory, who, along with his public leadership, was the greatest in the recent generations."

If you weren't in this position, what would you be doing?

"Without a doubt, I would be studying full-time at a kollel or teaching at a yeshiva. The Torah is our purpose in the world, and beyond that, it is the true elixir of life. There is no status or role in the world that compares to it or serves as a replacement."

A final sentence?

"In my role as a public servant, I pray to Hashem to give me the strength to continue seeing helping every Jew as a mission and goal, with no barrier or impediment, and in my role as a simple man, I end with the prayer of Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk: 'That we should see each other's merits...' The real prayer and aspiration fit for every Jew at all times."