In this day and age media outlets and political personalities often negotiate an agreement before a politician submits to a lengthy interview. In the case of Tzipi Hotovely Israel’s deputy foreign minister Mishpacha had only one precondition: Her picture would not appear in the magazine. We asked her how she felt about that. “I prefer to connect with the public in the way that is most comfortable for them as long as it doesn’t detract from my message ” says Hotovely. “I was chair of the Knesset Committee on the Status of Women and Gender Equality. It is important to me that women’s voices be heard but I have no interest in being confrontational. When you informed me that there wouldn’t be a picture I accepted it. I have enough pictures of myself. As long as my ideas are heard the picture is irrelevant. I would have preferred otherwise but I respect your decision and appreciate the opportunity to share my message.”   What is your message? “I believe in the idea of a Jewish state and Israel has its mission in the world ” she says. “We are constantly emphasizing that we are the Middle East’s only democracy. That’s insufficient. Many nations call themselves democratic but that doesn’t mean they are moral. We have morals. We gave the world morals. We gave them the Ten Commandments. Now that I am deputy foreign minister I try to sharpen that message and deliver it to the world.”