Newsletter
Newsletter Support JNS
Michael Freund

Michael Freund

Michael Freund, the founder and chairman of Shavei Israel, served as the deputy director of communications under Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. An ordained rabbi, he has lived for the past 25 years in Israel.

Diplomatic relations between the island nation and Israel were formally established in 1965, and cooperation has grown steadily in fields such as tourism, education and trade.
The roots of the Jewish presence in the region stretch back over a millennium. And the story continues to be told, with growing Israeli involvement in the region.
In the 1930s, as Nazi persecution spread across Europe and countries slammed their doors shut to fleeing families, this Latin American nation became an unlikely sanctuary.
Both are democracies navigating complex regional environments. Both are societies shaped by faith and anchored in family.
Eager to develop the area economically, the English were willing to tolerate Jewish settlement in ways Catholic empires rarely were.
Modern political and cultural ties remain underdeveloped; more needs to be done to raise awareness about them.
For Jewish leaders accustomed to measuring allies by size or strategic utility, it is a reminder that principled support for Israel often comes from unexpected quarters.
During a time when Jews were at great peril, a small island did what the world’s great powers refused to do.
It would help reinforce the moral gravity of the Holocaust by anchoring Jewish memory within a broader struggle against annihilation and denial.
In a Horn of Africa littered with failed states, militias and terrorist groups, this republic stands out precisely because it works.
Strengthening ties with this nation is a strategic imperative—one rooted in gratitude, shared values and growing economic opportunity.
The lesson of history is clear: when Montenegrins and Jews have stood together, both have emerged stronger.