Heritage Minister Taps INEXTG CEO Esther Shreiber to Lead Israel Antiquities Authority

Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu selected Esther Shreiber, CEO of the INEXTG Group, as the next director of the Israel Antiquities Authority. If approved, she would become the first woman to hold the position. The appointment will soon be submitted for approval by the IAA’s council and the government.

The decision followed a committee review that examined dozens of candidates. The committee was chaired by the Director-General of the Heritage Ministry and included the IAA Council Chair, a former Wix Vice President, a former Rehovot Municipality Director-General and an IAA archaeologist.

Shreiber holds a bachelor’s degree in the History of the Jewish People from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a master’s degree with honors in Public Administration and Policy from the University of Haifa. She is also a recipient of the Stern Prize for studies of the Second Temple period.

An archaeologist and professor at Bar-Ilan University told Ynet that while he congratulated Shreiber on the appointment, some in the archaeological community questioned whether she was chosen for objective, professional and impartial reasons. He said at least three candidates with archaeological backgrounds and experience managing government ministries were passed over.

The professor noted that neither the current IAA Director nor his predecessor had backgrounds in archaeology. He added that according to the committee, Shreiber had run a Chabad-related organization focused on outreach. The professor warned that introducing political and ideological considerations into the IAA’s work could affect Israel’s international standing in archaeology.

He highlighted her experience leading an organization of 700 employees with an annual budget exceeding 100 million shekels. The minister said she had proven her ability to turn a vision into reality. He wished her success in propelling the Israel Antiquities Authority forward despite the criticism.