Oshrat Kotler

Oshrat Kotler was born in 1965 in Tel Aviv

Kotler was born Oshrat Levi on 25 July 1965. Her family is of Bulgarian Jewish origin, descended from Jews expelled from Spain, and spoke Ladino. She grew up in Bat Yam and later in Ramat HaSharon.

She served in the IDF as a personnel and casualties officer in the Armored Corps. She then earned a BA in political science at Tel Aviv University and worked as a flight attendant during her studies. She later studied philosophy at the same university.

She began at a local cable news channel and joined Channel 2 News when it was founded. She presented the main newscast beside Jacob Eilon and was on air during the period of the Rabin assassination. From 1996 she hosted and edited Meet the Press, and in 1997 she interviewed Hamas leader Ahmad Yassin.

In December 2007 she began presenting the Saturday news on Channel 10, later called The Magazine, until June 2019. She also made documentary series on the arms industry, corruption, education and the environment. In November 2017 she told on air of an improper proposal from Alex Gilady, which set off further public disclosures by women.

She has written books, including A Story That Begins in Tears in 2006 and Hija Mia in 2009, about her family's Ladino roots. She now leads focusing workshops.