The Israeli ambassador Michael Brodsky presented his children’s book in Ukrainian in Kyiv

In Kyiv, an unusual children’s book in Ukrainian was presented, co-authored by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Israel to Ukraine, Michael Brodsky. The publication titled “How to Grow a Diplomat at Home: A Guide for Future Ambassadors and Their Parents” (translated from Ukrainian – “How to Raise a Diplomat at Home: A Guide for Future Ambassadors and Their Parents“) was created by him together with his wife, Israeli artist, animator, and cultural attaché Regina Shafir.

Details of the story on July 31, 2026 Ukrainian resource UA NEWS (ukr.).

The book is already available for sale on the website of the Ukrainian publisher – https://bohdan-books.com/catalog/book/351389/

The presentation took place at the end of July 2026, a few days before the end of Brodsky’s diplomatic tenure in Ukraine. Therefore, the book became not only a family creative project but also a kind of farewell gift to the country where the diplomat’s family had to live through one of the most challenging periods in modern history.

Despite the wording, it is not a strict textbook or a manual for parents who have decided to predetermine their child’s future profession. The authors created a light, humorous, and illustrated story about the qualities a diplomat should possess and why the ability to negotiate is necessary long before starting an adult career.

A joint project of Michael Brodsky and Regina Shafir

The initiator of the book’s creation was Regina Shafir. According to Michael Brodsky, each of the spouses has their own profession, interests, and creative directions, but until now they had not tried to combine their abilities in one project.

Brodsky wrote the text, drawing on his many years of diplomatic service experience, and Regina Shafir prepared the illustrations. During the presentation, the ambassador emphasized that he considers his wife’s drawings to be the main part of the book.

“It was my wife’s idea to create a joint book. We decided to combine our talents and do something together. Each of us has a separate career, each of us has separate interests, but for the first time, we decided that we could do something together. I hope we did something good,” the diplomat said during the book presentation at the Readea bookstore.

“I wrote the text, but the main thing is the drawings made by Regina, she is a well-known artist in Israel. And we started working on the book last winter,” the diplomat noted.

Work on the book began in the winter of 2025–2026. For a family raising three children, this project became an opportunity to combine the professional experience of a diplomat, the artistic perspective of an illustrator, and the personal observations of parents.

Diplomacy does not begin at the embassy

One of the main ideas of the book is that a child’s first diplomatic skills are acquired not at university or in public service.

They appear at home when it is necessary to negotiate with parents, brothers, or sisters, explain one’s position, listen to another person, and find a solution that suits everyone. Essentially, family disputes about household chores, movie choices, or the last chocolate can become the first negotiations in the life of a future diplomat.

Regina Shafir noted that the book “How to Grow a Diplomat at Home: A Guide for Future Ambassadors and Their Parents” is not a guide to raising a diplomat or a general guide to raising children. It is simply an opportunity for a young reader to think about such a profession.

“To ensure your children succeed in life, the main thing is to love them. It is important to observe the child to identify their abilities at the right moment, see what they are drawn to, and support the child in their choice,” said Regina, who has experience raising three children.

The authors talk about the profession with humor, but at the same time draw attention to the qualities without which diplomatic work is impossible:

• the ability to listen to the interlocutor;
• the ability to calmly explain one’s position;
• the willingness to seek compromise;
• respect for people with different views;
• observational skills and curiosity;
• a sense of responsibility;
• the ability to maintain a sense of humor even in difficult circumstances.

The publishing house “Navchalna Knyha — Bohdan” calls diplomacy one of the most prestigious, attractive, and at the same time mysterious professions. For such work, as noted in the annotation, special abilities, talents, character traits, and a good sense of humor are required.

For NAnovosti — News of Israel this detail is especially important: the book appeared at a time when diplomacy between Israel and Ukraine is daily confronted not with theoretical exercises, but with the consequences of two wars, security issues, humanitarian aid, evacuation, treatment of the injured, and maintaining ties between societies.

This is not a guide to raising a diplomat

Regina Shafir separately emphasized that the book should not be perceived as a literal guide to raising a future ambassador. Its task is to introduce the child to the profession and help them think about their own abilities.

According to the artist, parents should not choose their child’s life path in advance. It is much more important to carefully observe what interests them, notice their abilities, and support the choice they make.

“To ensure your children succeed in life, the main thing is to love them. It is important to observe the child to identify their abilities at the right moment, see what they are drawn to, and support their choice,” said Regina Shafir.

One of the first young readers of the book named Dmitry said that he quickly read it, paid attention to the illustrations, and thought about the questions the authors address to children. Thus, the book not only tells about diplomats but also invites the young reader to reflect on their own behavior, interests, and ways of communicating with others.

From Soviet childhood to Israeli diplomatic service

During the presentation, Michael Brodsky was asked if he could imagine himself as a diplomat in his childhood. He replied that in Soviet times such a career seemed almost unattainable.

Brodsky was born in 1972 in Leningrad. In 1990, he repatriated to Israel with his family. It was after the move, according to the diplomat, that a “window of opportunities” opened up for him, which did not exist in the Soviet Union.

In Israel, Brodsky received an education at Tel Aviv University, and in 2002 he began his diplomatic service. He worked in Israeli missions in Moscow and London, served as the ambassador of Israel to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, and in August 2021, he headed the Israeli embassy in Ukraine.

In fact, most of his tenure in Kyiv coincided with the period of full-scale Russian aggression. The Israeli embassy had to work under conditions of missile attacks, citizen evacuations, the closure and subsequent reopening of the diplomatic mission, as well as the constantly changing situation in Ukraine and Israel.

The book as the conclusion of a challenging tenure

Michael Brodsky began his work in Ukraine on August 9, 2021. Just a few months later, the full-scale Russian invasion began, completely changing the nature of the diplomatic mission.

Instead of predominantly protocol, economic, and cultural work, the embassy was involved in solving emergency tasks. Simultaneously, after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Brodsky himself had to represent a country that was also at war.

During this period, partnership relations between Israel and Ukraine were maintained, but complex issues arose related to the volumes of military aid, political statements, votes in international organizations, and different perceptions of threats from Russia and Iran.

Against this backdrop, the release of a children’s book seems intentionally distant from political disputes. Brodsky and Shafir leave behind a story not about disagreements between governments, but about the ability to talk, listen, and negotiate.

These skills are essential in relations between states, especially when both countries are experiencing wars and react painfully to the actions of partners.

As noted by NAnovosti — News of Israel, the book became one of the few projects where diplomatic work is presented not through official statements, visits, and negotiations, but through a conversation understandable to a child about human qualities.

What is known about the publication

The Ukrainian version of the book was published by the Ternopil publishing house “Navchalna Knyha — Bohdan”.

Main characteristics of the publication:

• authors — Michael Brodsky and Regina Shafir;
• language of publication — Ukrainian;
• number of pages — 48;
• cover — hardcover;
• format — 157 by 225 millimeters;
• ISBN — 978-966-10-9483-2;
• declared price by the publisher — 299 hryvnias;
• an electronic version was not available at the time of presentation.

The book is already available for sale on the website of the Ukrainian publisher – https://bohdan-books.com/catalog/book/351389/

The book is primarily intended for children and teenagers, but its content is also aimed at parents. The authors suggest that adults should not impose a ready-made biography on the child but help them see their own strengths.

Who will replace Michael Brodsky

After completing his work in Kyiv, Michael Brodsky, along with his family, returns to Israel. He will continue to work at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The new ambassador of Israel to Ukraine is diplomat Roi Rosenblit. The Israeli government approved his candidacy on November 23, 2025. It was reported that he should take up his duties in the summer of 2026.

Thus, the book presentation took place at the moment of diplomatic transfer of powers. For Michael Brodsky, it became one of the last public projects in Kyiv, and for Regina Shafir, the completion of her work as a cultural attaché.

An unusual gift to Ukraine

After five years of work, diplomats usually leave reports, signed agreements, photographs of official meetings, and colleagues’ memories. The Brodsky family leaves in Ukraine also a children’s book in Ukrainian.

It does not provide ready answers to political questions and does not promise that every child will want to become an ambassador after reading it. However, the book reminds of a simple thing: diplomacy begins with respect for the interlocutor, the ability to ask questions, and the willingness to find a solution without humiliating the other side.

For Ukraine, continuing to fight against Russian aggression, and for Israel, experiencing the consequences of the October 7 attack and war, such a reminder acquires additional meaning.

Sometimes the most noticeable outcome of a diplomatic tenure is not a loud statement, but a small book created by spouses for children and left to the country in its native language.