She served not rank, but people’s trust and light;
So time keeps her name in softer, lasting light.
Feruza Makhmudova entered the history of Uzbek diplomacy not through loud slogans, but through steady, disciplined, and deeply humane work. In Israel, she became not only her country’s official representative, but also a living symbol of trust between states, cultures, and peoples. The Union of Bukharian Jews and the Sogdiana Association look back on the years when Feruza Makhmudova served as Ambassador of the Republic of Uzbekistan to Israel in order to understand when trust, respect, and genuine closeness began to deepen between our peoples, and when Uzbekistan came to be seen as an open, modern country rooted in a rich multinational history.
When President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan and the Senate of the Republic of Uzbekistan approved Feruza Makhmudova’s appointment as Ambassador to the State of Israel in June 2020, it was more than a diplomatic decision—it was a sign of a new era in international dialogue, women’s leadership, and intercultural respect. Her path in international service began in the Faculty of International Relations at the Tashkent University of World Economy and Diplomacy and later continued in Germany. Before her appointment, she headed the Main Department of Bilateral Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, bringing strategic vision and a modern diplomatic style to the Embassy in Tel Aviv.
Ambassador Makhmudova became one of the rare women to head her country’s embassy at such a level, and the first career diplomat to hold this post.
Her work reflected innovation, forward thinking, attention to the diversity of voices in dialogue, and openness to joint initiatives—the hallmarks of a new diplomacy, focused not only on results, but also on trust. Her sharp intellect, openness, and ability to create a space for active communication gave her mission its own distinctive tone.
The steadily developing Uzbekistan became the central theme of her efforts to open new areas of cooperation and attract new partners. A number of important developments took place with her direct involvement:
HISTORICAL MEMORY
For the first time, memorandums of cooperation in archival work were signed between the Uzarhive Agency, the Yad Vashem Holocaust History Memorial Complex, and the Central Archives for the History of the Jewish People. These agreements opened new horizons for studying heritage and preserving historical truth. Through her steadfast support for preserving the remembrance of Uzbekistan’s contribution to victory over Nazism in World War II, Ambassador Makhmudova has earned lasting gratitude. The Union of Veterans has already honored her with a jubilee medal from the Israeli Ministry of Defense, in recognition of Victory Day.
Labor Migration
A landmark intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the field of labor migration was signed, raising the protection of citizens’ interests to the state level.
AIR BRIDGES
A true breakthrough came with the launch by the Uzbek airline Qanot Sharq of regular Samarkand–Tel Aviv–Samarkand service. The Israeli Minister of Transport and Ambassador Makhmudova signed the document that removed restrictions on air service. It became a symbol of minds and hearts drawing closer, and a sign of growing tourism and business activity.
Economic Ties
Delegations from key Uzbek institutions, including the Minister of Water Resources, paid visits that gave new momentum to bilateral cooperation in agriculture, innovative technologies, business ties, and other fields.
Institutions of Cooperation
The Israel–Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce began operating within the Israel–Asia Chamber of Commerce, and for the first time an Honorary Consul of Uzbekistan was appointed to support economic and humanitarian ties. These steps did more than expand the formal framework of cooperation—they brought the relationship between the two countries to life at the level of people, families, and communities.
“I AM A JEW”
A special place in Ambassador Makhmudova’s work was occupied by the presentation of the creative legacy of Uzbekistan’s national poet Gafur Gulyam. This was a project of exceptional importance, carried out on her initiative and with the participation of the Union of Bukharian Jews and the Sogdiana Association. Thanks to the Ambassador’s personal advocacy and persistence, in April 2023 one of the squares in the city of Kiryat Gat was officially named after Gafur Gulyam. This became a powerful sign of recognition for the poet’s contribution, including the moving poem “I Am a Jew,” written during the Second World War.
An equally significant step was the first publication about Gafur Gulyam in the respected Israeli newspaper “Haaretz”, which introduced his legacy to a broad Hebrew-speaking audience. The establishment of ties with the Israeli Association of Hebrew-Language Writers strengthened this success, turning literature into a living instrument of rapprochement between peoples.
Public Diplomacy & Community Dialogue
Public diplomacy and community dialogue became another defining part of her mission. Ambassador Makhmudova devoted special attention to presenting Uzbekistan’s cultural and historical landmarks and tourist centers, especially the Jewish cultural and architectural heritage of Samarkand, Bukhara, and Shakhrisabz.
Even during the difficult pandemic period, despite all restrictions, she initiated regular online meetings with activists from the Bukharian Jewish communities of both countries—representatives of Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Fergana, and Navoi. These meetings helped people stay connected to their roots and to one another.
Equally important was the support provided to the community in carrying out improvement work at the Jewish cemetery in Shakhrisabz, as well as the memorial ceremony in May 2022. Under the patronage of the diplomatic mission, archival and research work on Jewish burial sites in Uzbekistan was conducted, making a valuable contribution to preserving shared historical memory.
The monuments of the Jewish community’s cultural and historical heritage in Uzbekistan received wide coverage in the Israeli media. The culmination of this effort was the multi-day presentation “Samarkand–The Tourist Gateway to New Uzbekistan,” held in September 2023 at the Museum of Islamic Art in Jerusalem. Music, crafts, architectural heritage, and the traditions of Uzbekistan came closer to every Israeli who attended the event.
A FOUNDATION OF GRATITUDE
A mission that became architecture: When Ambassador Makhmudova’s diplomatic mission came to an end in September 2023, it did not feel like the closing of a chapter. Rather, it felt as though the foundation had already been laid, and the house had only just begun to rise. Many of the initiatives she helped set in motion had already moved from vision to living reality, and the Union of Bukharian Jews, together with state, academic, and public institutions, continues the work she began—as if the diplomatic calendar has turned, yet the spirit and momentum she brought to those three years still endure.
A new tradition has taken root: to speak of diplomacy not only in the language of agreements and official notes, but also in the language of gratitude, cultural closeness, and historical responsibility. In that tradition, the name of Feruza Makhmudova already stands in a place of special honor.
Today, memory itself calls for a worthy and symbolic recognition of her contribution—that of an exceptional ambassador, and a diplomat of a new generation—to the strengthening of ties between Israel and Uzbekistan. Feruza, we thank you for your service, your friendship, and your devoted mission of cooperation.
Aba Priev, PhDChairman of the Sogdiana Association, Jerusalem
Ronit ElnatanovDirector of the Union of Bukharian Jews, Tel Aviv