When the Blitz began, they moved to Aylesbury, 50 kilometres north of London, and lived in a small house in Waddesdon, which was part of the estate of James Rothschild.

In 1949, after completing a degree in social work at the London School of Economics, Shalvi immigrated to Israel, settling in Jerusalem.

[3] In May 1950 she met Moshe Shelkowitz (later Shalvi), a new immigrant from New York City, whom she married in October of that year.

She was the founder of Pelech, an experimental school for religious girls that unconventionally taught Talmud[7] (1975–1990), and of the Ohalim movement of neighbourhood associations (1973–1979); she was also founding director (later chairwoman) of the Israel Women's Network (1984–2000).

In this position, she was one of the most prominent feminist advocates in Israel, developing a program that covers most forms of discrimination and disadvantage faced by women in Israeli society.

[2] Shalvi also served as a member of the advisory board of the Remember the Women Institute[9] In 2018 she published a memoir entitled Never A Native.