Politicsיואל ליאון

Joel Lion

Joel Lion is an Israeli diplomat who has served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 1993, including as ambassador to Ukraine and Israel's first resident ambassador to Moldova.

born 1964Ambassador to UkraineFirst resident ambassador to MoldovaHolocaust property restitution envoyThe Open a Door to Israel exhibition

Occupation: diplomat
Education: Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Joel Lion was born in 1964 in France

Joel Lion was born in France in 1964 and grew up in Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg. He went to a Yeshiva high school in Switzerland. In 1982 he immigrated to Israel through the Bnei Akiva Hachshara program.

He served in the IDF Artillery Corps as a staff sergeant. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, a master's in history from the University of Latvia and a PhD from Ariel University. He was also ordained as a rabbi.

Lion joined the foreign ministry in 1993 and served in Riga, Vienna and Berlin. From 2009 to 2011 he was spokesperson at the consulate in New York, and from 2011 to 2014 he was consul general in Montreal. In Jerusalem he led the public and academic affairs department and served as special envoy for Holocaust property restitution.

He was ambassador to Ukraine from 2018 to 2021. From April 2022 he was ambassador to Armenia and Moldova, and after the embassy in Chișinău opened he became the first resident ambassador to Moldova. In September 2026 he was appointed chargé d'affaires in Turkey.

Lion is married to Rivka and is a father of 8. He volunteers as an EMT with United Hatzalah.