FELLOWS

Mandel Program for Social Leadership in the North: Cohort 7

October 2023 – August 2024

Sawsan Abu Hmid

Principal, Sajur Elementary School

Sawsan Abu Hmid has been principal of the elementary school in Sajur since 2018. Under her leadership, the school has undergone extensive organizational changes and has secured partners to carry out these changes and fulfill the school’s vision, which is based on human and democratic values, including respect for and acceptance of others. She aspires to be in a position in which she can lead significant change in society and create a better future for our children. Sawsan holds a multidisciplinary bachelor’s degree in history from Bar-Ilan University and a master’s degree in Jewish history from the University of Haifa, as well as a diploma in organizational consulting from Oranim College. She was also certified by Oranim College to serve as an organizational consultant using the chaos-order method. Sawsan lives in Kisra-Sumei, is married, and is a mother of two.

Rotem Agnon Harlev

Founder, Director and Group Facilitator, Sichat Banot

Rotem Agnon Harlev is the founder of Sichat Banot (“Girls’ Talk”), a program for gender and sex education. She facilitates youth discussion groups, provides support to educational teams, and runs women’s discussion circles. Rotem is the chair of the education committee and the community development committee in her home community of Shekhanya. She aspires to use women’s discussion groups to create a space for women from all sectors to meet and engage in joint activities, and seeks to include a required course in teacher-training programs that will provide participants with tools for gender education. Rotem holds a bachelor’s degree in education as well as a teaching certificate from Kibbutzim College, and a master’s degree in group facilitation from the University of Haifa. She is also a graduate of courses in participatory group facilitation and in facilitation of listening groups for women. A resident of Shekhanya, Rotem is married and a mother of two.

Ester Amar Kuperstoch

Project and Entrepreneurship Manager, Tayarut BeOfek Hadash

Ester Amar Kuperstoch is the manager of the internal tourism division at the tourism company Tayarut BeOfek Hadash, where she develops and leads new tourism projects. She also volunteers on the culture committee in Hoshaya, where she lives. Previously, she worked in education and as a coordinator of community-social education. Ester has worked in both local and incoming tourism and has led groups under the auspices of I Belong Israel (Masa Yisraeli) and Taglit-Birthright Israel. She was also the vice president of the Psagot winery. Ester aspires to advance educational tourism initiatives with the goal of influencing development and change processes in Israeli society. Ester holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in leadership and management of education systems from Bar-Ilan University, as part of its program for outstanding students. She is also a graduate of the Israel Ministry of Tourism tour guide course, courses in community-social education, and more. Married and a mother of four, she lives in Hoshaya.

Haim Dil

Rabbi, Educator, and Coordinator, Yeshivat Or Akiva

Haim Dil is a rabbi and educator at the pre-military yeshiva program at the hesder yeshiva in Or Akiva, where he is also the coordinator of first-year students and of student recruitment. Haim helps students prepare for meaningful military service, supporting them through their service itself, and assisting them with their return to civilian life afterward and in their early stages of married life. Until recently, he was a member of the secretariat of the “garin torani” (religious cooperative community) in Or Akiva, and was the coordinator of its educational projects. Haim is the rabbi of the Mizug Galuyot synagogue in Or Akiva, and is chairman of the synagogue’s nonprofit association. He aspires to build bridges between non-formal educational initiatives and the formal education system and the municipality. Haim holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Lifshitz College of Education and rabbinical ordination from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, and has completed studies in financial counseling and in couples and sexual counseling. He is currently studying marital and family therapy at YNR College. A father of six, he lives in Or Akiva.

Noa Eshkol

Director of Projects and Entrepreneurship, Department of Education, Megiddo Regional Council

Noa Eshkol, an education and community professional, is the director of projects and entrepreneurship in the education department of the Megiddo regional council. She believes in encounters between people and in the ability of people to work together for the common good while acknowledging each other’s differences and what they share. Noa is the creator of “Bishvil Megiddo,” a community-educational-environmental initiative centered around a hiking route that is designed to advance a common narrative and create connections between educational institutions and the community. She is also leading a strategic plan to promote biospheric education and technology education. Noa holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Derby branch in Haifa and a master’s degree in education systems management from the Center for Academic Studies in Or Yehuda. She is also a qualified group facilitator. Noa lives on Kibbutz Sarid and is a mother of four.

Perach Forst

Educator and History Teacher

Perach Forst has held various roles in educational-therapeutic youth villages for marginalized youth, including as a homeroom teacher, subject teacher, social coordinator, pedagogical coordinator, and member of the administration. She was a homeroom teacher at the Darca network’s Nofey Golan High School. She also participated in the Ministry for the Development of the Periphery, the Negev and the Galilee’s Mekomi leadership program – a national program that develops volunteer community leaders who represent the diversity of the region’s population and are committed to social action, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Perach aspires to create educational communities in the social periphery and advance social mobility by promoting an abundance mindset, offering diverse educational opportunities, providing support for graduates, and more. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Jewish history and youth work, a master’s degree in education and teaching at-risk youth, and a teaching certificate and diploma in therapeutic education, all from Oranim College of Education. She is also certified as a low intensity CBT emotional therapist from Levinsky-Wingate Academic College. Married and a mother of three, she lives on Moshav Avnei Eitan in the Golan Heights.

Sameeha Idres

Social Activist and Entrepreneur

Sameeha Idres is an expert in working with local authorities in Israel, especially those in the Arab sector. In the past, she served as the director of digitization and innovation in the Beit Hakerem regional cluster, in which capacity she led projects in various fields, including digitization, innovation, employment, industry 4.0, STEM, and health. She also headed the establishment of an information center and a variety of societal and communal initiatives. Sameeha is a member of the board of directors of the Bar Lev industrial park, as a public representative on behalf of the Majd al-Krum local council. A social activist and entrepreneur, she is one of the founders of AWE, the forum for Arab women entrepreneurs. She has also served as chair of the local parents’ committee for the last two years and as the chair of the early childhood parents’ committee, and is a member of the women’s community council of Majd al-Krum. Sameeha holds a master’s degree (cum laude) in business administration from Netanya Academic College. She lives in Majd al-Krum and is a mother of four.

Eiran Keis

Government Relations Manager, Co-Impact

Eiran Keis is the government relations manager for Co-Impact, a social enterprise that promotes employment in Arab society in Israel. He is a member of the Druze Youth Congress and serves on its education and higher education team. Eiran was involved in founding Le Druze, a social initiative designed to make mentoring services accessible in Druze society. He also served as a strategic analyst for the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute. His vision is to create equality in social mobility in Israel, and to do away with the concept of affirmative action. Eiran holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and political science from the Open University, and is studying for a master’s degree in international relations and maritime strategy at the University of Haifa. He is married and a father of one.

Ayala Lapid

Social Activist

Ayala Lapid served for six years as the coordinator for newly discharged soldiers and national service alumni at the Tiberias municipality’s center for young adults. She also established a volunteer-run social enterprise called Mifgashim (“Encounters”), which provides social activities for children on the autistic spectrum, as a platform for making friends and gaining communication and social skills through play, and serves as a shared space for parents. The need for services of this kind has increased in Israel’s northern periphery in recent years due to the rise in the number of children diagnosed with autism. Ayala holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the Western Galilee College in Akko, and has also studied group facilitation and biographical counseling. She lives on Kibbutz Hamadia in the Emek Hama’ayanot Regional Council and is a mother of two.

Shalom Levital

Management Information Systems Analyst, Camtek Ltd

Shalom Levital is a social entrepreneur and activist who works as a management information systems analyst at Camtek, a high-tech company in Migdal Ha’emek. Shalom’s social activism is based on a desire to remove barriers, and he is involved in connecting different communities and population groups. Among other activities, Shalom founded and leads a group for residents of Beit Shean and Nir David that is designed to address the Asi River controversy, and he organizes joint demonstrations that bring together Jews and Arabs, secular and religious citizens, and residents of Beit Shean and the surrounding kibbutzim under the banner of strengthening Israeli democracy. Shalom is guided by a humanistic vision that puts people at the center. He is married and a father of four and lives in Kfar Ruppin.

Fathiyya Naamneh-Husein

Former Office Manager and HR Coordinator, Adalah

Fathiyya Naamneh-Husein worked as an office manager, public relations coordinator, and human resources coordinator for more than 20 years for Adalah—The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel. During this period, she gained extensive experience in human resource management and in fundraising from donors in Israel and abroad. Fathiyya believes in promoting equality based on the principles of distributive justice. She aspires to develop human capital and build a support system for Arab civil society organizations in Israel’s northern region. Fathiyya holds a bachelor’s degree in multidisciplinary studies from the University of Haifa, is a qualified senior bookkeeper and payroll officer, and is studying human resource management. Married and a mother of three, she lives in Kaukab Abu al-Hija.

Ester Riska

Branch Manager, Gal Leadership Academy, Merkaz Ma’ase

Ester Riska is the Kiryat Bialik branch manager of the Gal Leadership Academy, a pre-military leadership program. Her educational work with young people promotes social activism and an egalitarian view of Israeli society, and is based on her belief in the importance of each individual’s personal and cultural identity. Ester believes in the power of words and their impact on how people see themselves and their future. In the past, she worked in youth education at a boarding school. Ester seeks to promote egalitarian education in Israel’s periphery, while developing educational professionals who grew up in the periphery and serve as an example for their students. She holds a bachelor’s degree in education and criminology and a master’s degree in educational counseling, both from the Max Stern Yezreel Valley College. She lives in Migdal HaEmek.

Michael Shachar

Head of the Education Department, Haifa Municipality

Michael Shachar has served as head of the education department at the Haifa municipality since 2018, after serving as the principal of an elementary school in the city. He began working in education after holding two significant managerial positions in the civil service and private sectors, at Israel Railways and Bank Hapoalim. Michael believes that education requires a combination of education system professionals, supportive emotional services, and children and their families, and aspires to advance holistic social initiatives that will bring together all these elements to meet the needs of children and families. He is married and a father of two.

Gal Shalom

Employment and Internship Programs Manager, Aluma

Gal Shalom manages the internship programs at the Aluma nonprofit, where she established the organization’s employment department. She has worked in program development and management in the social sector for many years, particularly in the areas of employment, higher education, young adults, and women. Among other achievements, Gal founded and directed “The Next Step,” an internship initiative; directed the Ayalim Student Village in Kiryat Shmona; and was the southern region director of Eshet Hayil, a women’s employment initiative. Gal seeks to advance social mobility, reduce social inequality, and promote a shared society in Israel. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and sociology from Tel Aviv University and a master’s degree in conflict management and resolution from Bar-Ilan University. A lesbian, she lives in Tivon with her partner and their twins.

Liat Spivak

Head of Training and Development, Ma’ase Center

Liat Spivak is the head of training and development at the Ma’ase Center, where she creates educational content and designs training programs for diverse professional positions in the field of non-formal education. Previously, she lectured in social education at the University of Haifa. A resident of Haifa, she is a social, feminist, and political activist. Liat holds a bachelor’s degree in social sciences and a master’s degree in educational leadership and policy with a specialization in non-formal education, both from the University of Haifa. She believes in the power of education to create social change.

Liron Adi Stolero

District Manager, Department of Community Development, Golan Heights Regional Council

Liron Adi Stolero is the manager of the southern Golan cluster in the department of community development of the Golan Heights regional council. In this capacity, she supports and advises the leadership of the various communities in the region on a range of issues (social, organizational, and community-based), and assists in professional training and leadership development for elected committees and community heads. She also coordinates cross-cutting issues (in the southern Golan and the Golan Heights as a whole), promotes public participation, and creates regional forums. Liron volunteers on the education committee of her home community of Kidmat Tzvi, and is active in the Fourth Quarter movement. She is married and a mother of four.

Michael Eshetu Trunec

Truant Officer, Katzrin Local Council

Michael Eshetu Trunec is a truant officer for the Katzrin local council. In this capacity, he works with students who have lost touch with formal education frameworks, from kindergarten through high school, and helps them return to school, in partnership with school staff. His work includes creating treatment plans for children who are in the process of dropping out of school, whether overtly or covertly. Michael also volunteers with an organization in Kiryat Shmona dedicated to the memory of Yoel Lhanghal, which organizes volunteers to patrol the city’s streets to prevent late-night youth violence and delinquency. In addition, he helps distribute food to needy families in the region ahead of Jewish holidays through the SAHI nonprofit organization. Michael has a vision of a diverse society and community that lives in fraternity and peace, while exhibiting respect and empathy for those who are different, in order to provide a safe environment for the next generation. Michael holds a bachelor’s degree in social and community education and Jewish history from Oranim College. He is married and a father of two.

Yekutiel Haim Wecker

Director of Educational Content, Yemin Orde Youth Village

Yekutiel Haim Wecker is the director of non-formal educational content at the Yemin Orde youth village, where he mentors and supports the staff of the institution’s educational programs. Previously, he worked for three years as the director of the northern branch of Kav Lachayim, a nonprofit organization that provides solutions for children with complex disabilities and rare syndromes. Yekutiel is dedicated to integrating and advancing marginalized youth, and wants to ensure equal opportunities for marginalized populations in Israeli society. He holds a bachelor’s degree in social community education and communications from Oranim College, and a master’s degree in management, leadership and education from Tel Aviv University. A father of three, he lives in Yemin Orde.

About The Program

Mandel Program for Regional Leadership in the North: Cohort 8

October 2023 – August 2024

Meir Abikasis

Boarding School Director, Ramat Hadassah Szold Youth Village

Meir Abikasis is the director of the boarding school at the Alexander and Imbi Kofkin Ramat Hadassah Szold Youth village. He believes in a collaborative management style both within and between organizations, and sees planning for the future and creating dreams as necessary for strengthening the present. Meir directed educational teams in boarding schools and aspires to improve the abilities of his students and increase their self-esteem by means of personal excellence programs and by repairing the world through care for the environment. Meir holds a bachelor’s degree in behavioral studies from The Max Stern Yezreel Valley College and a master’s degree in educational systems management from the University of Haifa, and has certification to teach psychology from Oranim College. He is also a graduate of various coaching courses and of a course for boarding-school directors. A father of four, he lives in Kiryat Tivon.

Ahmad Amer

Lawyer Specializing in Energy Law

Ahmad Amer is a private practice attorney, an expert in the field of energy law, and a legal consultant for corporations. He is co-founder of The Fourth Quarter, a civil mass movement of Israelis working to create circles of influence on Israel’s political and democratic system, and is one of the founders of the Madad Foundation, which aims to strengthen the third sector in Arab society in order to foster better integration in Israeli society. Amir strives for a more tolerant and less polarized Israeli society, in which people will accept the other and be enriched by the diversity that exists in Israel. Married and a father of three, he lives in Julis.

Rami Arfaia

Principal, Mosherfa Elementary School

Rami Arfaia is the principal of Mosherfa Elementary School, where he has led many educational and social initiatives that have completely transformed the school. Rami aspires to bring about social and educational change within his village and local authority through the educational system. He holds a bachelor’s degree in the social sciences from the Max Stern Yezreel Valley College and a master’s degree in organizational and educational systems management from Kibbutzim College. A father of four, he lives in Ma’ale Iron.

Moran Efroni

Deputy District Director, 360° National Program for Children and Youth at Risk

Moran Efroni is the deputy district director of Northern District B in Israel’s 360° National Program for Children and Youth at Risk. In this capacity, she provides support and direction to administrations and authorities enrolled in the program. Moran leads and promotes interdisciplinary work in order to create a common language, foster a holistic and system-wide vision, and provide responses for at-risk children and youth in the district. Moran chairs her community’s education committee and is a member of the community safety committee. She also facilitates groups using a participatory approach. Moran aspires to promote interfaces and partnership between education and welfare, in order to better meet the needs of children, youth, and parents. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from Ariel University and a master’s degree in public policy management from the University of Haifa. Married and a mother of five, she lives in Yonatan, a moshav in the Golan Heights.

Chaya Friedman

Lecturer, Teacher, and Educator

Chaya Friedman is a high-school teacher and a lecturer in education at Shaanan College and at Beit Rivka College. She emphasizes inclusive practicum in her work with at-risk students in Shaanan College. Chaya is one of the founders of the Chabad community in Pardes Hanna, and is involved in the community’s management and in fostering social connections within the community. Chaya holds a master’s degree in education from Oranim College, with a specialization in work with at-risk and marginalized students. She is about to begin a doctoral program in order to continue her research on education in religious-Haredi society and to impact Haredi society from within. Married and a mother of five, she lives in Pardes Hanna.

Jenya Gashinov

Project Manager at ZioNet; Educational and Community Mediator

Jenya Gashinov is a project manager at ZioNet, a software company that trains and employs new immigrants and residents of Israel’s periphery. Jenya manages work teams and processes and accompanies juniors in their process of personal development for the world of employment. She also runs a group for 24 new immigrants from the former Soviet Union who recently immigrated to Israel, underwent training, and are now integrating into Israeli hi-tech projects. As a volunteer educational and community mediator, she is on the core team of the Or Akiva Community Mediation Center, mediates conflicts in the city, works in clubs for the elderly and Holocaust survivors, and is engaged in dialogue with the authorities and with parents’ leadership. Jenya also mediates and leads mediation workshops in the education system and works as a mediator in small claims court. She is a member of the Israeli Chamber of Mediators and the National Multicultural Mediation Committee. Jenya served in the Israeli Navy for 25 years and now serves in the reserves in the Magshimim Unit, which supports young women and men who have difficulty in the enlistment process. Jenya volunteers with the Ministry of Education’s Hoshen Project, and recently joined the team that is writing the ministry’s code of ethics. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social sciences and a master’s degree in logistics management from Bar-Ilan University, and is a graduate of various mediation courses and a course in project management.

Gal Greenberg

Organizational Consultant

Gal Greenberg is a self-employed organizational consultant and partner in Be.RedY, a crisis-management company. He is active in both the business world and in non-formal education, and is an active reservist in the Air Force after 23-years of service in the career army. Gal serves as a volunteer consultant involved in several projects in pre-military academies. He also leads teams in his regional council that are planning for the future and creating an emergency drone system. Gal wants to be part of a meaningful organization that contributes to society, with emphasis on Israel’s northern periphery. He is also promoting the establishment of a unique pre-military academy based on a model of community entrepreneurship and relationship-building, in which retired people will serve as mentors. Gal holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and Middle Eastern studies from Reichman University, a diploma in organizational consulting from Oranim College, and certification as a mediator from the Gome Israeli Center for Mediation, and has been certified as a teaching assistant by Kibbutzim College. Married and a father of four, he lives in Kibbutz Nir David in the Emek HaMa’ayanot Regional Council.

Fida Hussen Humood

Guidance and Content Development, Shalom Hartman Institute

Fida Hussen Humood trains educational staff in intercultural competence, and coordinates staff development at the Shalom Hartman Institute. She also heads training and content development for the Joint Distribution Committee’s preparation for retirement program, which is offered to people in Arab society. During the last decade, she directed a variety of social and educational programs. Currently, she works as a consultant and lecturer in career development and integration into the labor market and facilitates groups and teams from various and diverse populations, and focuses on topics such as education, parenting, and empowerment. Fida believes that partnering and pooling community resources leads to success and social prosperity. She aspires to help young people in Arab society fulfill their potential by promoting social leadership, helping them choose a meaningful profession, and empowering them personally and socially. Fida holds a master’s degree in management and organization of educational systems, with a specialization in community leadership.

Gili Krishek Nasim

Regional Manager and Director of LGBT Program, Misgav Community Center

Gili Krishek Nasim works in the department of community-building in the Misgav Community Center, where she is the manager of the southern cluster and director of the LGBT program. She works to strengthen community resilience in the outlying communities in the Misgav Regional Council by creating and developing a new community space that is based on clusters. She also leads the government program for the LGBT community in Misgav. Gili seeks to promote a society that narrows social gaps and builds bridges between communities. She is active in three non-profit associations working to strengthen co-existence among Jews and Arabs in Israel’s northern region: the Association for Joint Israeli Leadership, Standing Together, and Spirit of the Galilee. Gili holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and management from the College of Management Academic Studies and a master’s degree in public policy from Tel Aviv University. A mother of two, she lives in Hararit in the Misgav Regional Council.

Najlaa Mahajne

Regional Coordinator of Empowerment Program, Northern Goals

Najlaa Mahajne is a social worker and the regional coordinator of the empowerment and welfare programs of the Northern Goals non-profit association, which aim to improve the socioeconomic situation of families and individuals living in poverty and exclusion. Najlaa is also a district employment liaison for the Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs. She has many years of experience in managing social projects and programs at both the district and national levels, and aspires to have a positive impact on social processes, especially in the lives of people who live in poverty and hardship. Najlaa holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and an executive master’s degree in public administration from the University of Haifa. She is also certified in group facilitation from Haifa University and is a professional mediator. Married and a mother of three, she lives in Umm al-Fahm.

Mervat Odeh

Lawyer, Image and Sustainability Consultant

Attorney Mervat Odeh is an entrepreneur and social activist in the field of ecology and sustainability. She established Dolab (“cupboard”), the first vintage shop in the Arab sector, which aims to introduce the idea of second-hand clothing into Arab society through the back door. Mervat also founded Mandil (“headscarf”), a non-profit organization that seeks to raise awareness of the fast-fashion industry’s contribution to pollution and the climate crisis, to change patterns of clothing consumption, and to make alternatives accessible in Arab society. Mervat conducts workshops on topics such as women’s empowerment, styling, fashion, and environmental responsibility, and promotes awareness of these topics by holding public and private events, parlor meetings, and bazaars. She also promotes environmental awareness on social media and television, conveying her personal credo: “wear the change” and influencing people to change their consumption habits. A lawyer by training, Mervat holds a bachelor’s degree in law from Netanya Academic College and a master’s degree in political studies from the University of Haifa. She was named one of the top environmentalists of 2023 by the Israel Society of Ecology and Environmental Sciences. Married and a mother of three, she lives in Kafr Kanna.

Yirat Ozeri Samin

Head of Leadership Development, Odem Program for Leadership in the Technological Arena

Yirat Ozeri Samin is the head of leadership development of the Odem Program for Leadership in the Technological Arena. She believes that education is the major tool for effecting change and contributing to social mobility. Yirat holds a bachelor’s degree in law, is a licensed attorney, and is a certified mediator. Married with two children, she lives in Katzrin.

Dr. Zohar Porshyan

Faculty Member, Oranim College

Dr. Zohar Porshyan is a faculty member in the faculty of education and the faculty of social sciences and humanities at Oranim College. He has worked in the world of education for 20 years. Zohar was instrumental in establishing branches of the Hillel student organization in Silicon Valley, California, under the auspices of the Jewish Agency. Currently, he is a lecturer and pedagogical instructor in a program for training post-primary school teachers in the department of education of Oranim College, where he is also a lecturer in the department of general history. Zohar also teaches history and geography at the Emek HaMaravi comprehensive high school, where he previously served as a homeroom teacher, grade coordinator, and manager of community ecological projects. Self-employed as a personal trainer, group facilitator, and organizational consultant, Zohar is also a composer and arranger, choir leader, DJ, and facilitator of bonding workshops in nature. He also lectures on travel in time and space, ancient cultures and civilizations, and far-flung places on Earth. Zohar holds a doctorate in Mesoamerican history from the University of Haifa. He aspires to promote interactions and to build inter-community bridges in the north, emphasizing the importance of the intercultural dimension. Married and a father of three, he lives in Migdal HaEmek.

Yishai Rechnitz

Pedagogical Director, Amit High School for Boys, Tzfat

Yishai Rechnitz is the pedagogical director of the Amit yeshiva high school for boys in Tzfat. He has more than 20 years of experience in education in Israel’s northern and southern periphery, in both state schools and state religious schools. Prior to moving to Hispin in the Golan Heights over a decade ago, Yishai was one of the founders of Sansana, a community in the northern Negev. In the Golan, Yishai served as a community chairman and is currently a member of the board of the community’s cooperative association. He continues to volunteer in various capacities, both inside and outside his community. Yishai aspires to transform Israel’s northern region in general, and the Golan Heights in particular, into an educational, cultural, and economic center by making significant changes in the consciousness of the young generation and encouraging migration to the region from all over Israel. Yishai holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Herzog College and a master’s degree in Jewish philosophy from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. He is also a graduate of Shaanan College’s program for principals, which is conducted under the auspices of Avney Rosha, a non-profit organization that works to advance education in Israel and to empower school principals to serve as leading community professionals. A father of eight and grandfather of two, he lives in Hispin.

Gome Sheffer

Head of Education Department, Ramat Hanadiv

Gome Sheffer is the head of the education department in Ramat Hanadiv. He develops and promotes innovative projects in environmental education in Israel’s northern region, under the auspices of a research and development center devoted to education for sustainability that he established in 2022. Gome’s vision is to cultivate inherent respect for the environment and promote sustainable conduct in all streams of the Israeli educational system. He holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and international relations from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, a master’s degree in educational management and leadership from Tel Aviv University, and certification in organizational consulting from Oranim College. Married and a father of three, he lives in Kibbutz Mishmarot.

Ekhlas Zabit

Social Worker, Kafr Manda Local Council Welfare Department

Ekhlas Zabit is a social worker who has worked for many years in the Kafr Manda Local Council welfare department. She also chairs the committee for the treatment, planning, and evaluation of children aged 0–18, which evaluates the situation of children and their families and formulates intervention plans tailored to their needs, while involving the children and families in the discussion and recommendations. Ekhlas is also involved in the non-profit association that promotes higher education and schooling in Kafr Manda, where she lives. She believes in people and their ability to effect change and aspires to promote justice in Israeli society. Ekhlas holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a master’s degree with a specialization in early childhood education from the Center for Academic Studies. She is married and the mother of three.

Shir Zentner

Educator, Therapist, and Manager

Shir Zentner works for OTI–The Israeli Association for Autism, where she is a member of the professional staff, director of the occupational therapy section, and head of learning and training. She also heads the self-management and executive functions program, serves as a member of the management team, and works as an occupational therapist at Beit Ekstein’s high school for students with learning disabilities in Gan Shmuel. Shir is an expert in advancing individuals with special needs and integrating them naturally into the community. She sees her journey of professional development as a manager as a means to broaden her influence, develop initiatives, and implement organizational processes that will promote education in general and special education in particular, and optimize the advancement of children and youth. Shir sees occupational therapy as a tool that enables building a system-wide perspective from an individual’s point of view, and believes in integrating her fields of expertise and interest in order to promote diverse populations. Shir is also the manager of “Colors of Dance,” the representative dance troupe of the Hadera municipality. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in occupational therapy from the University of Haifa, and is also a certified group instructor and facilitator. Married and a mother of two, she lives in Karkur.

Zvika Zinger

Educator and project leader, Alexander and Imbi Kofkin Ramat Hadassah Szold Youth Village

Zvi Zinger is an educator, coordinator, and project leader at the Alexander and Imbi Kofkin Ramat Hadassah Szold Youth Village, an educational framework for youth at risk, where he previously served as principal of the middle school. Before his work in education, Zvika worked in the medical industry in Israel’s northern region. Zvika believes in the power of education and its potential for impact. He also believes in integration and partnership between different sectors in Israeli society. Zvika aspires to create an initiative that will reduce hostility between Arabs and Jews. He received a bachelor’s degree in machine engineering from the Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, retrained as a teacher, and completed a master’s degree in education from Oranim College. Married and a father of four, Zvika lives in Eshhar, a mixed religious and non-religious community in the Galilee.

About The Program

Mandel Program for Leadership for Public Service in the North: Cohort 5

October 2023 – August 2024

Hasan Abo Reesh

Safed District Manager, Ministry of Welfare and Social Security

Hasan Abo Reesh is the Safed district manager of the Ministry of Welfare and Social Security. He represents the ministry and the district in work with its various departments in routine and emergency situations. Hasan manages information about all of the welfare activities carried out in the district, develops regional plans for the district, and initiates and maintains contacts between services, frameworks, and departments, according to the needs of the applicants for assistance. Hasan ensures the implementation of new procedures, guidelines, and programs among the departments and welfare service providers operating in the district, in coordination with the district supervisors. He also manages unanticipated events that occur in the district, including departments in crisis.

Judge Alex Ahter

Judge, Hadera Magistrates’ Court

Judge Alex Ahter is an Israeli magistrates’ court judge in Hadera in the Haifa district, where he deals with criminal law and trains new judges. Previously, he served as a traffic court judge, senior registrar in the Nazareth Magistrates’ Court, and registrar of Israel’s national debt collection agency in the Law Enforcement and Collection Authority. Alex served as a judge on the disciplinary court of the Israel Bar Association. As an attorney, he worked with the Public Defender’s Office, representing members of disadvantaged populations who were entitled to legal representation in criminal procedures. This included representing minors in juvenile courts. Alex hopes to initiate and promote programs for social and community involvement, change the perception of “youth at risk” to “youth with a chance,” promote integration in the legal process and make it accessible to the entire population, and enhance public trust in the legal system in all sectors of Israeli society. A major in the IDF reserves, Alex is a certified mediator and lectures in various forums of the Israel Bar Association, in schools, and in academia. He holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in law, with a specialization in criminal and public law. He is married and has three children.

Michal Arad

Deputy District Director of the Haifa and Northern District, Ministry of Welfare and Social Security

Michal Arad is the deputy district director of the Haifa and northern district for the Ministry of Welfare and Social Security. She is responsible for incoming inquiries from the public, the Yated national program for at-risk young adults, and the area of community resources, and assists the district director in a variety of management processes. Previously she served as head of the Ministry’s senior citizens’ administration in the Haifa and northern district, and managed the team of supervisors of the various departments of social services. Michal is active in parent advocacy for children with special needs in the Zevulun Regional Council, where she lives. She promotes the integration of children with special needs and their families into the community and works to raise awareness of the needs of the children and their families in the various residential communities of the region and in the council itself. Michal aspires for people with special needs to be integrated in the community in a natural manner, from a place of equality, a sense of belonging, community cohesion, and social resilience. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work from the University of Haifa. The mother of three children, two of whom have special needs, she lives in Nofit.

Tali Aricha

Legal Advisor, Northern District, Israel Police

Attorney Tali Aricha is the legal advisor of the northern district of the Israel Police. In this capacity, she heads the legal-consulting department of the northern district and is a member of the district’s command staff. Tali sees value in diversity of all populations, both among those who fill significant roles in the police department and in general. She believes in the power of individuals and communities to create change. Tali holds the rank of chief superintendent, is an attorney at law, and holds a master’s degree in Jewish studies. An activist in the field of gender equality, Tali is married and a mother of four.

Omar Asfur

Supervisor of Field, Nature, and Community (F.N.C.) Studies in Nof HaGalil, Ministry of Education

Omar Asfur is the supervisor of field, nature, and community studies (N.F.C.) in Arab society’s “Shelah” program. He is one of the initiators of the core field trip program of the Ministry of Education, particularly in Arab society. He promotes young leadership within Arab society to lead major processes and changes in the culture of school trips and to institutionalize environmental values within Arab society as a whole. Omar aspires to transform Arab society into a value-driven society that respects both humanity and the land, fostering a sense of belonging and connection to nature and heritage. This will be achieved by establishing proactive community organizations that contribute to both the community and the environment. Omar holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degrees in geography and archaeology, as well as two teaching certificates from the University of Haifa. He is also a graduate of a managers’ training program and is a group facilitator. He is a father of four and lives in the town of Kabul.

Orit Bar Levy

Defense Attorney, Head of Community Courts, Haifa Public Defender’s Office

Attorney Orit Bar Levy is the head of the community courts division of the Haifa district public defender’s office of Israel’s Ministry of Justice. She is also a liaison with the youth department, responsible for the information and prevention program for minors in the criminal justice system and for the enlistment of juvenile offenders in the Israel Defense Forces. Orit is a teaching assistant in the faculty of law at the University of Haifa and is a member of the ethics committee of the Haifa district of the Israel Bar Association. She hopes to promote alternatives to criminal law processes and to have disadvantaged populations serviced in problem-solving courts. Orit holds a bachelor’s degree in law from the University of Haifa and a master’s degree in public policy, conflict resolution, and mediation from Tel Aviv University. Married and a mother of three, she lives in Haifa.

Dr. Nurit Eshel

Social Planner, Rural Growth and Development Division, World Zionist Organization

Dr. Nurit Eshel is a social planner in the rural growth and development division of the World Zionist Organization’s northern district. She provides professional support to managers in the regional councils and residential communities, with emphasis on organizational and community processes, and strategic projects for community and regional growth and development in the rural sector. Nurit supports and leads community development projects in residential communities in the north. She also lectures in courses on the subjects of community management, boards, and demographic growth. Nurit is a member of the executive boards of three residential communities. She leads a district-wide forum of community department heads in regional councils, as well as forums dedicated to community development and demographic growth. In her own community, Nurit is involved in committees and work teams, is a former board member, and ran the community’s school system. She holds a doctorate in Israel studies and archaeology from Bar-Ilan University, with a focus on early Christian theology. Married and a mother of three, she lives in Kibbutz Snir.

Rabbi Gavriel Ezra

Head of the Torah Department, Israel Prison Service

Rabbi Gavriel Ezra is head of the Torah department of the Israel Prison Service, a role in which he is responsible for the religious study programs, treatment, and rehabilitation programs for prisoners. He is also in charge of joint projects with the various correctional departments in the prison service and is responsible for meeting all needs with both cultural and professional sensitivity. Gavriel sees bringing all of the inmates on board for treatment and bringing out the best in them as a supreme value, and stresses that prisoners must truly believe in themselves and in their ability to make real change. He holds a bchelor’s degree in education, a teaching certificate, and rabbinic certification from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. Married and a father of seven, he lives in Karnei Shomron.

Yossi Gazit

Head, Northern Branch of Yaha, the National Fraud Unit of the Israel Police

Yossi Gazit is the head of the northern branch of Yaha, the national fraud unit that operates as part of the Lahav 433 crime-investigations unit of the Israel Police. He works to strengthen public trust among people of diverse identities from varied communities in the Israel Police and other branches of law enforcement in Israel. He encourages cooperation among public entities through acquaintance, cooperation, and direct communication, and emphasizes youth and the future generation. Yossi is a graduate of the command and staff course of the Israel Police. He holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and a master’s degree in political science from the University of Haifa. Married and a father of five, he lives in Pardes Hanna.

Wafaa Igbaria

Manager, Department of Business Promotion, Umm al-Fahm Municipality

Wafaa Igbaria is the manager of the business promotion department of the Umm al-Fahm Municipality. A member of the interministerial committee on business licensing, she is a representative of Arab society. Wafaa sets and monitors policy and carries out follow-up and auditing. She also leads a group of women volunteers in the Israel Fire and Rescue Service. Wafaa promotes women’s human capital in her locale. Her vision is to see local residents, women and men alike, thriving economically and developing socially. Wafaa is a member of her city’s sulha (reconciliation) committee for mediation and works intensively to eradicate violence in her community. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social sciences and local government from the Open University and certification as a sanitary officer from the Ministry of Health. Married and a mother of four, she lives in Umm al-Fahm.

Ranit Joress

Head of the Staff Department, Israel Prison Service

Ranit Joress is the head of the staff department of the Israel Prison Service. She is responsible for the human-resources aspect of the staff of the entire organization, including officers, noncommissioned officers, soldiers, national civic service volunteers, ultra-Orthodox volunteers, and volunteers with special needs, from their enlistment through their training and promotion, and until the completion of their service. Within the framework of her job, she has worked to raise motivation to become officers and even ran one cohort of the organization’s excellence program. Ranit holds a bachelor’s degree in behavioral studies, management, and economics (human resources) from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, and a master’s degree in administration and public policy from Sapir Academic College. In the future, she hopes to work in nonformal education in the Lakhish Regional Council, where she lives. A mother of three, she lives in Moshav Nehora.

Wiaam Kablawi

Director of the Northern District’s Criminal Department, State Attorney’s Office

Attorney Wiaam Kablawi is the director of the northern district’s criminal department of the State Attorney’s Office of Israel’s Ministry of Justice, and is a member of the district’s senior management team. Wiaam is responsible for setting and carrying out policy in serious criminal cases. He is also a member of several national work teams on various topics, and is a partner in educational and community projects on behalf of the ministry. Wiaam manages the team of the State Attorney’s Office in “Stopping the Bleeding,” a project to decrease crime in Arab society, in the village of Tur’an. He hopes to bring about the optimal handling of serious criminal cases and to increase Israeli society’s trust in law enforcement authorities, especially the State Attorney’s Office. Wiaam holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in law from the University of Haifa. Married and a father of two, he lives in Ma’alot-Tarshiha.

Mor Miller

Deputy Commander, Bnei Brak Fire Station, Israel Fire and Rescue Service

Mor Miller is the deputy commander of the Bnei Brak station of the Israel Fire and Rescue Service. He is responsible for operations in his district during routine and emergency times, coordinating training, exercises, and operational reviews. Mor founded the district’s volunteer system, was involved in the development of a national instruction and training program, and was one of the authors of the operational handbook for light-rail emergencies. Mor aspires to advance in the senior command track in the fire and rescue service and to enhance the public’s knowledge about fire safety in all sectors of Israeli society. In his spare time, he participates in activities for at-risk youth, and is a horseback riding instructor and horse trainer. Mor holds a bachelor’s degree in national security and home front defense from Beit Berl College. Married and a father of three, he lives in Holon.

Meral Nakhoul

Regional Commissioner for Equal Employment Opportunities, Ministry of Economy and Industry

Attorney Meral Nakhoul is the regional commissioner for equal employment in the Tel Aviv and central district of the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission at the Ministry of Economy and Industry. She is responsible for promoting equality and eradicating discrimination in the district, as well as for the enforcement of equality legislation. Until recently, she was the manager of diversity and equality in the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission. Meral leads many projects that aim to promote diversity, equality, and inclusion in the employment market and to create collaborations with different sectors. She aspires to hold an influential position in the civil service and to see greater representation of women in general, and of Arab women in particular, in senior roles. Meral holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in law from the University of Haifa. Married and a mother of three, she lives in Haifa.

Adi Shvartz

CFO, Tel-Hai College

Adi Shvartz is the chief financial officer of Tel-Hai College. The former CEO of Ohalo College of Education, she headed the project that merged Ohalo into Tel-Hai College in order to strengthen the eastern Galilee region and the Golan Heights and increase the quality of the study of education and teaching in the north. She has served for about a decade as a representative of the public on the examination committee of the Golan Regional Council on a voluntary basis. In recent years, Adi has volunteered in the core management of her children’s school and served on several committees of the moshav where she lives, including the culture committee, the management committee, and the audit committee. Adi aspires to integrate academia into regional initiatives that will advance and empower the northern periphery, in partnership with governmental authorities, various agencies, and businesses in the district. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and accounting from the Ruppin Academic Center and a master’s degree in business administration from the Open University. She also completed a certification course for community managers in the Golan Regional Council, a certification course on mediation in the rural district, and a certification course for members of boards of directors. A mother of two, she lives in Ani’am in the Golan Heights.

Dr. Osnat Suued

Deputy CEO of Academic Affairs, Kinneret Academic College

Dr. Osnat Suued is the deputy CEO of academic affairs at Kinneret Academic College and is a member of the college’s expanded management forum. She is responsible for developing all of the college’s academic resources, is in charge of freedom of information, and works to make higher education more accessible in Israel’s periphery. Osnat sees higher education as a springboard for advancing social and public goals in Israel in general and in its northern region in particular. She holds bachelor’s degrees in psychology and musicology from Bar-Ilan University, and a master’s degree and doctorate in conflict research, management, and resolution from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. A mother of five, she lives in Kibbutz Tirat Zvi.

Limor Yaakov Safrai

Head, Education Department, Lower Galilee Regional Council

Limor Yaakov Safrai is the head of the education department of the Lower Galilee Regional Council. She is a member of the steering committee of the Dov Lautman Forum, an assembly member of the Emek HaMa’ayanot Regional Council, and a board member of the Emek HaMa’ayanot Economic Company and the Ma’ale Gilboa Cooperative Agricultural Association. Limor believes in education as a way to bring about social change. She is active in the areas of culture, education, and economy. Limor holds a bachelor’s degree in criminology and sociology from Bar-Ilan University, a master’s degree in sociology of education from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and a teaching certificate from the Kerem Institute for Humanistic Jewish Education. She is a graduate of leadership programs such as Shaharit, the Israeli Hope program, and Gvanim, and a fellow of the Partnership Network for the Advancement of Civic Equality in Israel and the IDEA Network for the Promotion of Education for Liberal Democracy. Limor is one of the founders of Smol Emuni (the “Faithful Left”), a movement for the promotion of justice, equality, partnership, and peace in society. Married and a mother of four, she is a member of Kibbutz Ma’ale Gilboa, a religious kibbutz.

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