Background
Growing up in a family of eight children in Afula, Israel, Barbivai is the daughter of Tzila, a Jewish immigrant from Iraq, and Eli Shochetman, a Jewish immigrant from Romania.
Growing up in a family of eight children in Afula, Israel, Barbivai is the daughter of Tzila, a Jewish immigrant from Iraq, and Eli Shochetman, a Jewish immigrant from Romania.
She was the first woman to be made Major-general (Aluf), the Israel Defense Forces"s second highest rank. She was drafted into the Israel Defense Forces in 1981 and has spent her entire career as an officer in the Manpower Directorate. Barbivai holds a Bachelor"s Degree in Social Sciences and Humanities from Ben Gurion University and a Master of Business Administration Degree from Haifa University.
She is also the graduate of the "Turn-point" administration course for senior military officials.
Barbivai was the first female to hold the Israel Defense Forces positions of Chief Adjutant Officer of a Command, Chief Adjutant Officer, Head of the Ground Forces" manpower section and head of the Individuals" Sector in the Manpower Directorate. On 26 May 2011, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak approved her appointment as head of the Israel Defense Forces"s Manpower Directorate, replacing Major
General Avi Zamir. The promotion of Barbivai, a mother of three, to the rank of Major General was praised by Israeli opposition leader Tzipi Livni who said that "there is no rank that is too heavy for a woman’s shoulders, and there is no doubt that Brigade-General
Barbivai was appointed because of her talents."
On 23 June 2011, Barbivai received her Major
