Daniel B. Shapiro
Encyclopedia
Daniel B. Shapiro is the 19th United States Ambassador to Israel
. He was nominated by President Obama on March 29, 2011, and confirmed by the Senate
on May 29. He was sworn in
as ambassador by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on July 8, 2011.
Previously, he was the senior director for the Middle East
and North Africa
on the United States National Security Council
. Shapiro is active in the Washington Jewish community and speaks fluent Hebrew and some Arabic.
, one of four children of novelist Elizabeth Klein Shapiro and University of Illinois English professor emeritus Michael Shapiro. He went to Westview Elementary and Edison Middle school in Champaign, and graduated from the University Laboratory High School of Urbana, Illinois in 1986. He first entered Washington University, spending his sophomore
year in Israel, and then transferred to Brandeis University
, where he obtained a bachelor's degree
in 1991 in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies. Two years later he got a master's degree
in Middle Eastern Politics from Harvard University
.
Shapiro speaks both Hebrew and Arabic.
Shapiro is married to Julie Fisher. The couple has three children. They are members of the Conservative Jewish
Adas Israel Congregation
in Washington.
. From 1995 to 1999 he was a legislative assistant and senior foreign policy adviser to Senator Dianne Feinstein
. From 1999 to 2001 he sat on the National Security Council
under President Bill Clinton
, as director of legislative affairs and as a Congressional liaison for National Security Advisor
Sandy Berger
. From 2001 to 2007 he was first legislative advisor and then deputy chief of staff (primarily on foreign policy issues) for U.S. Senator Bill Nelson
. From 2007 till 2008 he was vice president of the Washington, D.C. lobbying firm Timmons & Company
.
Shapiro has served as an advisor to Barack Obama on Middle East and Jewish community
issues since 2007, also assisting as strategist and fundraiser. He accompanied Obama on his July 2008 trip to Israel; in August 2008, Obama appointed him senior policy adviser and Jewish Outreach coordinator for his 2008 presidential campaign
.
In January 2009, Shapiro was appointed senior director for the Middle East and North Africa of the U.S. National Security Council. Focusing on Israel, he has attended every Israel related meeting, and met with every senior Israeli diplomat and military officer who visited Washington. Until September 2010, when the peace process
collapsed, Shapiro visited Israel at least once a month and accompanied U.S. special envoy
for Middle East Peace George J. Mitchell
on all his trips to the region, taking a central role in talks regarding the failed settlement
building freeze and the strengthening of military cooperation between the U.S. and Israel. He has maintained close relations with Benyamin Netanyahu, in spite of the tensions between the Israeli prime minister and President Obama.
United States Ambassador to Israel
The United States Ambassador to Israel is the official representative of the President of the United States to the head of state of Israel.Until 1948 the area that is now the state of Israel had been under British administration as part of the League of Nations/United Nations British Mandate for...
. He was nominated by President Obama on March 29, 2011, and confirmed by the Senate
Advice and consent
Advice and consent is an English phrase frequently used in enacting formulae of bills and in other legal or constitutional contexts, describing a situation in which the executive branch of a government enacts something previously approved of by the legislative branch.-General:The expression is...
on May 29. He was sworn in
Oath of office
An oath of office is an oath or affirmation a person takes before undertaking the duties of an office, usually a position in government or within a religious body, although such oaths are sometimes required of officers of other organizations...
as ambassador by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on July 8, 2011.
Previously, he was the senior director for the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
on the United States National Security Council
United States National Security Council
The White House National Security Council in the United States is the principal forum used by the President of the United States for considering national security and foreign policy matters with his senior national security advisors and Cabinet officials and is part of the Executive Office of the...
. Shapiro is active in the Washington Jewish community and speaks fluent Hebrew and some Arabic.
Family and education
Shapiro was born in Champaign, IllinoisChampaign, Illinois
Champaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. The city is located south of Chicago, west of Indianapolis, Indiana, and 178 miles northeast of St. Louis, Missouri. Though surrounded by farm communities, Champaign is notable for sharing the campus of the University of...
, one of four children of novelist Elizabeth Klein Shapiro and University of Illinois English professor emeritus Michael Shapiro. He went to Westview Elementary and Edison Middle school in Champaign, and graduated from the University Laboratory High School of Urbana, Illinois in 1986. He first entered Washington University, spending his sophomore
Sophomore
Sophomore is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the second year of study at high school or university.The word is also used as a synonym for "second", for the second album or EP released by a musician or group, the second movie of a director, or the second season of a...
year in Israel, and then transferred to Brandeis University
Brandeis University
Brandeis University is an American private research university with a liberal arts focus. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, Massachusetts, nine miles west of Boston. The University has an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. In 2011, it...
, where he obtained a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in 1991 in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies. Two years later he got a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in Middle Eastern Politics from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
.
Shapiro speaks both Hebrew and Arabic.
Shapiro is married to Julie Fisher. The couple has three children. They are members of the Conservative Jewish
Conservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism is a modern stream of Judaism that arose out of intellectual currents in Germany in the mid-19th century and took institutional form in the United States in the early 1900s.Conservative Judaism has its roots in the school of thought known as Positive-Historical Judaism,...
Adas Israel Congregation
Adas Israel Congregation (Washington, D.C.)
Adas Israel, located in the Cleveland Park neighborhood, is the largest Conservative synagogue in Washington, D.C.-History:The congregation was founded in 1869 by 69 members of the Washington Hebrew Congregation who objected to that congregation's move towards Reform Judaism.Sermons were given in...
in Washington.
Career
From 1993 to 1995 Shapiro served as a professional staff member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee under Chairman Lee H. HamiltonLee H. Hamilton
Lee Herbert Hamilton is a former member of the United States House of Representatives and currently a member of the U.S. Homeland Security Advisory Council. A member of the Democratic Party, Hamilton represented the 9th congressional district of Indiana from 1965 to 1999...
. From 1995 to 1999 he was a legislative assistant and senior foreign policy adviser to Senator Dianne Feinstein
Dianne Feinstein
Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein is the senior U.S. Senator from California. A member of the Democratic Party, she has served in the Senate since 1992. She also served as 38th Mayor of San Francisco from 1978 to 1988....
. From 1999 to 2001 he sat on the National Security Council
National Security Council
A National Security Council is usually an executive branch governmental body responsible for coordinating policy on national security issues and advising chief executives on matters related to national security...
under President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, as director of legislative affairs and as a Congressional liaison for National Security Advisor
National Security Advisor (United States)
The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, commonly referred to as the National Security Advisor , serves as the chief advisor to the President of the United States on national security issues...
Sandy Berger
Sandy Berger
Samuel Richard "Sandy" Berger was United States National Security Advisor, under President Bill Clinton from 1997 to 2001. In his position, he helped to formulate the foreign policy of the Clinton Administration...
. From 2001 to 2007 he was first legislative advisor and then deputy chief of staff (primarily on foreign policy issues) for U.S. Senator Bill Nelson
Bill Nelson
Clarence William "Bill" Nelson is the senior United States Senator from the state of Florida and a member of the Democratic Party. He is a former U.S. Representative and former Treasurer and Insurance Commissioner of Florida...
. From 2007 till 2008 he was vice president of the Washington, D.C. lobbying firm Timmons & Company
Timmons & Company
Timmons & Company is an American lobbying firm based in Washington, D.C.. After William Timmons left the Ford White House in 1975, he founded this company along with Tom Korologos, who had reported to Timmons as Nixon's White House legislative liaison....
.
Shapiro has served as an advisor to Barack Obama on Middle East and Jewish community
American Jews
American Jews, also known as Jewish Americans, are American citizens of the Jewish faith or Jewish ethnicity. The Jewish community in the United States is composed predominantly of Ashkenazi Jews who emigrated from Central and Eastern Europe, and their U.S.-born descendants...
issues since 2007, also assisting as strategist and fundraiser. He accompanied Obama on his July 2008 trip to Israel; in August 2008, Obama appointed him senior policy adviser and Jewish Outreach coordinator for his 2008 presidential campaign
Barack Obama presidential campaign, 2008
Barack Obama, then junior United States Senator from Illinois, announced his candidacy for the presidency of the United States in Springfield, Illinois, on February 10, 2007. On August 27, 2008, he was declared nominee of the Democratic Party for the 2008 presidential election...
.
In January 2009, Shapiro was appointed senior director for the Middle East and North Africa of the U.S. National Security Council. Focusing on Israel, he has attended every Israel related meeting, and met with every senior Israeli diplomat and military officer who visited Washington. Until September 2010, when the peace process
Peace process
Peace process may refer to:* in general:** Peacebuilding** Conflict resolution* specifically:** Northern Ireland peace process, efforts from c.1993 to end "the Troubles"...
collapsed, Shapiro visited Israel at least once a month and accompanied U.S. special envoy
Diplomatic rank
Diplomatic rank is the system of professional and social rank used in the world of diplomacy and international relations. Over time it has been formalized on an international basis.-Ranks:...
for Middle East Peace George J. Mitchell
George J. Mitchell
George John Mitchell, Jr., is the former U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Peace under the Obama administration. A Democrat, Mitchell was a United States Senator who served as the Senate Majority Leader from 1989 to 1995...
on all his trips to the region, taking a central role in talks regarding the failed settlement
Israeli settlement
An Israeli settlement is a Jewish civilian community built on land that was captured by Israel from Jordan, Egypt, and Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War and is considered occupied territory by the international community. Such settlements currently exist in the West Bank...
building freeze and the strengthening of military cooperation between the U.S. and Israel. He has maintained close relations with Benyamin Netanyahu, in spite of the tensions between the Israeli prime minister and President Obama.