Adina Bar-Shalom was born in Jerusalem, Israel, in 1945, eldest daughter of the late spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, former Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel.

In 2001 Adina Bar Shalom founded the Haredi College in Jerusalem, geared specifically for the ultra-Orthodox community. For this she was awarded the Israel Prize for lifetime achievement in 2014 - for her efforts in advancing higher education in the ultra-Orthodox sector. Education Minister declared her work a "for her pioneering activities in bridging gaps and social divides, and for the advancement and integration of the hareidi lifestyle in social openness and higher education."