About the Center
The Mandel Center for Leadership in the North was founded by the Mandel Foundation–Israel in 2013 with the aim to contribute to the development of Israel’s northern region by investing in “people who have the values, ability, and passion to change the world.”
The programs of the Mandel Center for Leadership in the North are inspired by the Mandel Foundation’s commitment to investing in outstanding people and by its belief that exceptional leadership is the key to the flourishing of institutions, societies, and countries. In this spirit, the Center seeks to contribute to the development of leadership in Israel’s North, out of a commitment to the cultural richness and unique challenges of the region.
The Center’s mission focuses on developing leadership in a diverse society. The Center aims to contribute to the development and flourishing of Israel’s North by developing the region’s human capital – investing in people from all communities of the region, who have the passion to change reality and the willingness to invest in learning and self-improvement.
The participants in the Center’s programs include senior professionals from the civil service, local government, and civil society in the North, as well as social activists who seek to promote values, innovative ideas, and local and regional initiatives, and to work together for the advancement of the public good. Following the completion of their studies, graduates receive ongoing professional support from the Mandel Graduate Unit.
Candidates for the Center's programs participate in an admissions process that includes several stages to assess their suitability. The programs seek candidates who have a strong desire to launch initiatives and to develop and advance Israeli society in general, and the northern region in particular. The Center seeks fellows who faithfully reflect the diverse population of Israel’s North.
The learning processes in the Center’s programs incorporate the study of the humanities, with an emphasis on history, philosophy, and religion as humanities; policy studies and social studies that consider the specific challenges of the North; and the study of leadership, management, and implementation. The fellows have the opportunity to learn from lecturers, researchers, facilitators, and leading experts in different areas of thought and action, most of whom hail from Israel’s northern region and reflect its diverse populations.
The curriculum of the Center’s programs is an expression of the Center’s belief that leadership develops as a result of active involvement in the challenges of the field, accompanied by clarification of values, theoretical study, and self-reflection. The content of the programs is intended to enable fellows to realize their full potential – to think, create, and act beyond the safe and the familiar in order to realize a worthy social vision.
The Center’s current programs include:
The founding director of the Center, which was established by the Mandel Foundation–Israel in 2013, was Dr. Danielle Shani. She was followed by Professor David Dery, who held the position from 2016 until 2020. The current director of the Center is Miki Nevo, who was appointed to the position in 2020. A resident of Manof, a community in the Galilee, Miki has some 25 years’ experience in entrepreneurship and management in the educational and social field.
