Dado Bar Kalifa

Dado Bar Kalifa was born in 1976 in Kiryat Ono

Bar Kalifa was born in Kiryat Ono to immigrants from Morocco. He studied at the Or Etzion boarding school in Merkaz Shapira and at the pre-army academy in Peduel. He later earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Ono Academic College and a master's in political science from the University of Haifa.

He enlisted in 1994 and joined the Golani reconnaissance unit, later fighting in southern Lebanon. In 2002 he moved to the Givati Brigade. In August 2008 he took command of the Shaked Battalion and led it in battle in Tel al-Hawa during the Gaza War.

He was a liaison officer to the United States Marine Corps and then commanded the Gaza Division's Southern Brigade from 2014 to 2016. He led the Givati Brigade from 2017 to 2019. As a brigadier general he commanded the Sinai Division and later the Gaash Division, which he led in the war against Hamas in Gaza, including in Shuja'iyya.

In 2024 he was promoted to major general and became head of the Personnel Directorate. In 2025 he also served for a time as acting head of the Military Advocate General's office. In 2026 he was chosen to head the Central Command from 2027.

He is religious and lives in Kfar Pines. He is married to Karin, a lawyer, and has 5 children.