Fellows

Cohort 31

OCTOBER 2023–AUGUST 2025

Rafah Anabtawy

Rafah Anabtawy is a social worker, organizational consultant, feminist and social activist. In her most recent position, she served as the director of the Kayan Feminist Organization, which works for social justice and the advancement of women. In this capacity, Rafah was responsible for managing the organization, realizing its goals, objectives, and vision, training staff, developing content and projects, managing the budget, and coordinating development and fundraising. Rafah’s work is driven by a commitment to human rights and social justice. She began her career as a group facilitator,focusing on human rights, women’s status, and community and social engagement, and directed a regional day center for drug addicts. She then became involved in feminist activism, and both founded and coordinated the community work department at Kayan. Rafah holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and a master’s degree in social work and organizational managementfrom the University of Haifa. She’salso completed international courses in conflict resolution, human rights, minority rights, and gender. Rafah is particularly interested in promoting values-based education, human rights, and gender equality, and developing intervention models that integrate academic knowledge and practical experience.

Adiel Bar Shalom

Adiel Bar Shalom is an educator. In his most recent position, he managed the Neve Amiel youth village in Sde Yaakov. In this capacity, he assisted at-risk youth who had dropped out of formal education frameworks to get back on track, helping them emerge from the process prepared for life’s challenges. Previously, he served as the head of the social engagement department of the Bnei Akiva youth movement, as the national coordinator of the Afikim education program, and as a member of the management team of Simcha Layeled, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of disabled and seriously ill children. Adiel believes that love, trust, inclusion, and dedicated work are the foundations of educational work. He holds an interdisciplinary bachelor’s degree in social science and humanities from Ariel University, and a master’s degree in public policy and administration from the University of Haifa. Adiel is an armored corps officer in the IDF reserves and is a graduate of the Torus Group’s Mastery for Game Changers leadership development program for senior executives. His goal is to promote education and welfare in Israel.

Yehonatan Bensimon

Yehonatan Bensimon is an educator with a rich and diverse background. In his most recent position, he served for six years as the founding principal of the Beit Ekstein middle school on Moshav Yad Rambam, where he provided services to young people with complex emotional and psychological difficulties. Previously, he worked as a teacher and pedagogical coordinator at the Branco Weiss high school for at-risk youth in Ramla, and trained and mentored teachers in the Teach First Israel (TFI) program. As principal of Beit Ekstein, Yehonatan, together with the school staff, established a special therapeutic-educational space that aimed to provide personalized learning and treatment processes tailored to the unique needs of every student. These processes are grounded in the belief that growth and healing for these adolescents are possible in an environment that provides staff with learning experiences, guidance, and emotional support. Yehonatan believes in the integration of adolescents with complex emotional and psychological difficulties into community life, out of confidence not only in their ability to integrate but also in the communities’ potential benefit from the integration of people with special needs. A graduate of the Revivim program for excellence in Jewish studies teaching at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Bible and Jewish studies and a master’s degree in Jewish history. Yehonatan is interested in innovative methods for the integration of adolescents with special needs in pre-military frameworks and subsequently into military or civilian national service.

Dr. Haim Bitton

Dr. Haim Bitton is an educator, social entrepreneur, and historian with a longstanding commitment to the communities of the Gaza border region. He has been active in towns and kibbutzim there for years, working in non-formal education with both normative and at-risk youth, running leadership groups for social activists, and teaching at the Sha’ar HaNegev high school. Haim has also been involved in academic research, studying the history of Jews in Muslim countries, and has received recognition and awards for his contribution to this field. He holds a bachelor’s degree in cultural studies from Sapir Academic College, and a master’s degree in Jewish history and a doctorate in Israel studies, both from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Haim is interested in education policy in Israel, with particular emphasis on the country’s geographic and socioeconomic periphery. He also aspires to promote equal opportunities, enhance the quality of teaching, and strengthen the connection between academia and the community.

Naama Cohen

In her most recent position, Naama Cohen managed the Ministry of Education’s five-year plans for teaching staff within the Arab education system in Israel. By fostering collaborations and developing relationships between professionals in the field and the Ministry’s headquarters, she identified the challenges facing teaching staff and developed strategic solutions for improving the quality of teaching in Arab education. Naama’s earlier professional experience included roles in pluralistic Jewish education, pre-army civilian service programs, and parliamentary consultation in the Knesset. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, she joined Culture of Solidarity, a community that was established at the time in order to promote mutual support and social solidarity. Today this community serves as her ideological home and center for activism, and she manages its programming for senior citizens. Naama holds a bachelor’s degree cum laude in philosophy, economics, and political science, and the Amirim program for outstanding students in the humanities, from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, as well as a master’s degree in business administration and urban planning. During her studies, she established an interfaith Beit Midrash at Hebrew University. Naama works to promote social responsibility and equal opportunity, and to reduce inequalities. She is interested in delving more deeply into activist pedagogy with the goal of maximizing the social impact of the education system.

Itay Dahan

Itay Dahan is an entrepreneur with diverse managerial background in both the public and private sectors. He has served as chief executive officer of the Omer municipal authority, founded and directed the startup company Formation Knowledge and Task Management, and held command and training positions in the Israel Air Force. Itay holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in law from Bar-Ilan University. Deeply familiar with the complexities and heavy workload faced by managers at all levels, he aims to improve relations between government ministries and organizations on the ground, in order to facilitate broad and systemic improvements in nationwide systems.

Roula Daqa

Roula Daqa is an educator and administrator. She worked as a teacher at the Abu Tor boys’ elementary school and was principal of the Excellence High School for Girls in Wadi al-Joz, Jerusalem. During her tenure as a principal, the school’s student population experienced significant growth. As principal, Roula believed in the power of skilled and talented educational staff and built a personalized professional training and development program for every teacher. Roula was later appointed to oversee the high school education system in East Jerusalem on behalf of the Jerusalem Education Administration (Manhi), and served as a teacher-training coordinator who was responsible for the professional development of the instructors in the district. Roula holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology, anthropology, and education, and a master’s degree in special education, both from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She believes in the power of the teaching profession, and particularly in the ability of teachers to build a picture of the future for their students that will fill them with hope and open up new horizons.

Shir Elkayam Luzzatto

Shir Elkayam Luzzatto is an entrepreneur, lecturer, and manager. Most recently, she was founding director of the MaofTech Western Negev Accelerator for StartUps, providing support to technological startups in the periphery, under the auspices of the Israeli Ministry of Economy and the BDO strategic consulting company. Additionally, she has served as a lecturer on entrepreneurship and innovation at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, delivering innovative courses in both Hebrew and English at the Faculty of Business and Management. Shir has considerable experience in senior management and has provided strategic business consulting to Israeli and international companies, public agencies, entrepreneurs, and startups. She is an active member of several advisory boards for companies and government offices. Shir holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and communications from Tel Aviv University and a master’s degree in business administration from the Masuot honors track at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

Chilik Farber

Chilik Farber is an educator and therapist who is active in Israel’s social periphery and strives for equal opportunities for members of that population group. In his most recent position at the Jerusalem municipality’s Youth Promotion Division, Chilik helped revitalize Jerusalem’s northern neighborhoods and contributed to expanding the division’s infrastructure in the city center. In this capacity, he led development and team-building processes, and was involved in on-the-ground management and in efforts to advance the service recipients. Previously, Chilik was the principal of the Mishkenotecha Yisrael educational-therapeutic boarding school, where he helped students acquire essential tools related to areas such as higher education, personal development, social engagement, mutual contribution, and life skills. Chilik was also the deputy director of a unique post-hospitalization residential facility for Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) psychiatric patients, working to implement effective work processes and to develop collaborations between this population and Haredi influencers and decision-makers. Today he runs training and workshops for educators who are working with at-risk youth. Chilik holds a bachelor’s degree in social sciences and humanities from the Open University, and a master’s degree in public policy from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. A member of the Haredi community, he is committed to leading deeply influential processes within the community and in Israeli society.

Gidi Grunberg-Gal

Gidi Grunberg-Gal is an educator and social entrepreneur. In recent years, he served as a pedagogical coordinator at Ankori High School in Tel Aviv, where he was a member of the school’s management team. Previously, he introduced and coordinated the Shachar classes for at risk students at the Ironi Hey public high school in Modi’in, where he was involved in establishing the upper grades. Gidi’s roots are in non-formal education and working with at-risk youth. He managed the Proud Youth Center in Tel Aviv and founded the religious youth network of IGY – The Proud Youth Organization (Israel Gay Youth). In recent years, he has worked in the national religious community to promote education for tolerance towards the LGBTQ+ community. Gidi holds a bachelor’s degree with honors in education from Beit Berl College and a master’s degree in educational systems management from Kibbutzim College. He is also a graduate of the Avney Rosha school principal training program. Gidi’s goal is to work for the benefit of LGBTQ+ students and establish a holistic educational-therapeutic system aimed at promoting resilience and leadership within the LGBTQ+ community.

Adaya Kedmi Smama

Adaya Kedmi Smama is an educator. For the four years leading up to her fellowship at the Mandel School for Educational Leadership, she served as the director of the social leadership pre-military academy in Paran in the Arava. In this capacity, she worked to make pre-military academies more accessible to youth from Israel’s social and geographical periphery. In recent years, she has also been active in promoting meaningful encounters between diverse populations in Israel. Adaya holds a bachelor’s degree in Bible and Jewish studies, a master’s degree in Jewish education, and a teaching certificate, all from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She is a graduate of the Hebrew University’s Revivim program for outstanding Jewish educators, and the Amitei Tzedek Partners in Justice program for Jewish-Israeli leadership, run by Memizrach Shemesh – Kol Yisrael Haverim. Adaya aims to work toward the establishment of a high-quality public education system in Israel’s periphery. She believes in integrating practices from the field of non-formal education into the state education system and wants to develop tools for creating school environments that encourage independence, initiative, and creativity among educators, teachers, and students.

Sasha Klyachkina

Sasha Klyachkina works in non-formal education and group facilitation, and serves as an officiant at secular Jewish wedding ceremonies. In recent years, she has been involved in Jewish education in Israel and the diaspora, training educators and engaging in various activities related to Judaism. Some of the recent projects she has managed include the Jewish Agency’s Annual Leadership Educational Forum (ALEF), a professional community for directors of Russian-speaking Jewish summer camps in the Diaspora and in Israel, and a project providing psychological support to summer camps in the former Soviet Union, following the conflict in Ukraine. Prior to that, Sasha served as an emissary to the Russian-speaking Jewish community in Melbourne, Australia for three years. Sasha is a committed social activist who is involved in many educational and social endeavors, including the Guild Project, an educational business accelerator for new immigrant education professionals. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and film and television from Tel Aviv University, a certificate in group facilitation in a multicultural society from Beit Berl College, and a master’s degree in experiential Israel education from George Washington University. Sasha is interested in researching the interaction between formal and non-formal education, in providing teachers with non-formal education tools, and in integrating non-formal education models into public schools.

Ron Pollak

Ron Pollak is an educator. In his most recent position, he served as the principal of the Dor experimental technological high school in Herzliya and also mentored school principals at the beginning of their careers. In his role as principal, he introduced a unique “journey pedagogy,” in which students learn in real-life settings by means of journeys that enable continuous and prolonged learning and create holistic connections between academic, emotional, and social dimensions. Ron holds a bachelor’s degree in democratic education from Kibbutzim College and a master’s degree in education management and leadership from Tel Aviv University. He is also graduate of the Avney Rosha school principal training program. Ron believes that public education plays a central role in breaking the cycle of marginalization and in creating conditions that foster social mobility for vulnerable groups in society. He is interested in exploring ways in which the education system and other actors can promote training programs that will be relevant for training workers for the high-tech sector.

Tal Rokach

Tal Rokach served in the Prime Minister's Office for 24 years in a variety of administrative roles. A person of the outdoors, he is closely tied to the trails of Israel, and believes in education in nature and in desert environments. Tal holds a bachelor's degree with distinction in business administration from Ono College and a master's degree with distinction in education management and leadership from Tel Aviv University. He aspires to reduce gaps within Israeli society and to increase integration among diverse public systems. Tal believes in combining formal and non-formal education, with a particular emphasis on values and moral education, which he sees as providing a broad and important foundation for all individuals, especially within Israeli society.

Tzruia Schwaiger

Tzruia Schwaiger is a social worker by training. In her most recent position, she was the director of the community center in the Emek HaMa’ayanot regional council. In this capacity, she led initiatives in the fields of social education, culture, and excellence in music, dance, and sports, focusing on communality as an agent of change. Alongside this role, Tzruia led leadership development courses in the region’s various communities, which were designed to identify young people who can assume responsibility and lead processes within their communities. Previously, she was director of the northern district of the Israeli Volunteer Association’s national civilian service programs, which enable young people who are exempt from military service to engage in meaningful community service. Tzruia holds a bachelor’s degree in grief and trauma counselling from Sapir College, and a master’s degree in organizational consulting for educational and business institutions from Ono Academic College. She is interested in acquiring tools that can contribute to developing academic excellence in the periphery and to promoting equal opportunities in research and development in remote towns and villages.

Yonatan Shachar

Yonatan Shachar is a therapist and a manager. In his most recent position, under the auspices of the prison rehabilitation authority, he established and managed a holistic center for youth and young adults who had recently been released from prison, the first initiative of its kind in Israel. In this capacity, he worked extensively to change policy regarding the rehabilitation of minors post-incarceration, and developed innovative treatment, education, and rehabilitation models for this population. Over the past 18 years, he has worked with highly at-risk populations in various therapeutic, educational, and managerial roles. Yonatan holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from Ashkelon College, and a master’s degree in social work from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His professional path is guided by the belief that every young person deserves the opportunity to make a fresh start, and that it is the system’s responsibility to provide the best possible services. Yonatan is interested in continuing to work on behalf of at-risk youths while creating innovative models for this work, alongside the development of new, high-quality holistic frameworks that facilitate social mobility.

Chen Shamir

Chen Shamir is an educational entrepreneur and trailblazer in the field of young adults. As a member of Kibbutz Dror Israel, a kibbutz of education professionals, he established non-formal education frameworks for youth and young adults, founded the Rujum young adults community network, and developed a pedagogical approach tailored to post-adolescence. In his role as vice president of educational content and strategic development at Tozeret Haaretz, he oversaw a system comprising dozens of community support workers, managers, and others operating in a diverse range of communities across the country, including secular, national religious, Haredi Jewish, and Arab communities. Chen holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education and management from the Martin Buber Center for Dialogue at Beit Berl College. He aspires to be a leading partner in creating educational programs for younger and older adults in Israel, and to establish free national institutions that provide opportunities for every individual to undergo personal development while strengthening their sense of belonging and social connection.

Elior Turgeman

Elior Turgeman is an educator and community leader. In his most recent position, he was the principal of the Shorashim Arts School, an integrative state-religious elementary school in south Tel Aviv, which was on the brink of closure and is now one of the leading schools in Israel. This success is due to the innovative and unique pedagogical approach he developed, which includes a synthesis of core studies, religious studies, and study of the arts. Elior was awarded the National Education Prize in 2023. He has dedicated his adult life to promoting education together with the community and to helping children from disadvantaged backgrounds break through glass ceilings. Previously, he served as principal of a middle school in Tel Aviv, founded and directed a non-profit organization aiding children in Jaffa, and served as a community rabbi in Kiryat Ekron. Elior holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from Herzog College, both cum laude, specializing in Bible and Talmudic studies and educational systems management respectively. He is also a graduate of the Avney Rosha school principal training program. Elior aims to address issues of integration in the education system as a microcosm of Israeli society, with a focus on reducing inequality and providing emotional, social, and pedagogical support to marginalized populations.

Uriya Yakut Zini

Uriya Zini is an education professional dedicated to bridging the theory-practice gap while working to implement ideas and concepts in everyday reality. In her most recent position, she worked at the Adva Center, an extra-academic research institute working for social policy change, where she managed the training system and the development of community education tools, and coordinated the Center’s community work. Within this role, she developed and managed various programs for diverse communities, with the aim of promoting just and equitable policies and increasing participation in public decision-making processes and resource allocation. She also led and supported educational and social projects that served as a basis for policy papers. Uriya has extensive experience in group facilitation, dialogue meetings, and working with various communities, and served as a teaching assistant for four years at the Hebrew University’s Seymour Fox School of Education. She holds a bachelor’s degree cum laude from Tel-Hai Academic College, where she majored in education and philosophy studies, and a master’s degree in philosophy of education from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Uriya is interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the field of education policy by researching issues related to diversity and representation (recognition justice) and the implementation of equal opportunities in education (distributive justice).

David Zarfati

David Zarfati is an educator, manager, and leader, who is a commander, teacher, and social activist in military, formal and non-formal educational settings. In his most recent job, he was a training school commander in the Israel Border Police. In this role and in various other positions, he developed values-based leadership approaches, engaged in planning and management, and helped to develop hundreds of worthy and highly moral commanders. David holds a bachelor’s degree in humanities from the University of Haifa and a master’s degree in education from Bar-Ilan University’s program for leadership and education systems management. He also holds a teaching certificate in Bible studies from Kibbutzim College and a diploma in mediation from the Goma Israeli Center for Mediation. David believes in integrating formal and non-formal education, based on the principle that “it takes a village to raise a child.” He wants to serve marginalized populations in Israel and believes that education that is tailored to meet diverse needs is the key for providing social mobility for every child in Israel.

About The Program

Cohort 32

OCTOBER 2024–AUGUST 2026

Yafit Babila Shemer

Yafit Babila Shemer is a lawyer and educator with a rich background in both fields. Most recently, she served as the director of the legal department at the Israeli Corporations Authority within the Ministry of Justice, where she was also a board member. Her career began in the third sector, where she worked at the intersection of education and law, striving to drive social change through their synergy. Yafit holds a bachelor’s degree in law from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, a bachelor’s degree in non-formal education and a teaching certificate in history from Beit Berl College, and a master’s degree in public policy and government from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She is also a graduate of the Ministry of Justice managerial development course conducted in partnership with Tel Aviv University. Yafit’s interests focus on policy design and implementation in socially polarized environments, as well as exploring how values-based education and non-formal educational practices can enhance the formal education system.

Bat-Ami Bellacen

Bat-Ami Bellacen is an educator, management professional and entrepreneur. She is the director of the Department for Reducing Gaps in Education of the Beit Shemesh municipality and the director of the municipal Artists’ House, and emcees events run by the city. Previously, Bat-Ami worked in formal education with youth at risk, at the Branco Weiss and Branco Weiss Etgari schools in Beit Shemesh. She also directed SheCodes, a center providing free training in computer programming for women in the city. Bat-Ami holds a bachelor’s degree in special education from Michlalah College Jerusalem and a master’s degree in educational counseling from the Orot Israel College of Education. She has also completed training in organizational counseling at Bar-Ilan University and took courses in group facilitation. In her work at the Beit Shemesh municipality, she raised and managed sizable budgets, with an emphasis on promoting equal opportunities and on delivering services to all the city’s population groups. Bat-Ami is interested in studying and focusing on improving and rehabilitating connections within Israeli society by means of building relations between different sectors.

Hanan Buller

Hanan Buller is an educator and poet. In his most recent position, he was principal of Yeshivat Mitzpe Yericho, a religious high school for boys, where he led internal organizational processes to create a common language between all the staff, develop emotional discourse, and promote meaningful learning. Alongside his work at the high school, he served as a guide for groups of soldiers and youths visiting Yad Vashem – The World Holocaust Remembrance Center, and taught creative writing, literature, and civics. Previously, Hanan served as deputy director of a residential educational facility, as an educational counselor, and as a project manager in the IDF. Hanan holds a bachelor’s degree in education from the Orot Israel College of Education, a master’s degree in educational counseling from Bar-Ilan University, and certification in group facilitation from the Henrietta Szold Institute. He has also begun studying CBT at the Sheba Tel HaShomer hospital. Hanan views repairing the rifts in Israel as a central goal, and aims to develop inter-institutional educational platforms that will foster empathetic discourse and greater familiarity between different members of the people of Israel. Ultimately, he would like to create a language that replaces fear of the Other with curiosity about others.

Nadav Charuvi

Nadav Charuvi is a teacher and educator who believes that the main purpose of schools is to teach students to think critically about their world and to take responsibility for improving it. In his most recent position, he served as principal of the upper school of the Hebrew University Secondary School (Leyada) in Jerusalem. Previously, Nadav held various positions in the school. In all of them, he promoted direct engagement with issues such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict or secular identity – all led by the students. In Nadav’s view, the path to leadership, academic excellence, and creativity requires a warm and respectful human environment that places people at the center – both students and teachers. Nadav holds a bachelor’s degree in Bible and Jewish studies and a master’s degree (cum laude) in Hebrew literature, both from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is also a graduate of the Revivim honors teacher-training program in Jewish studies and the Avney Rosha training program for school principals. Nadav wants to explore the ways in which teachers and students move from passive observation to active enterprise.

Lior Yochay Cohen

Lior Yochay Cohen is an educator who has dedicated most of his career to working with at-risk youth. His professional journey began in the youth villages of Kfar Hasidim, Neve Amiel, and Yemin Orde. At Yemin Orde, he founded a communications study track to introduce a new form of learning, empowering students to address the challenges they face by creating documentary films. During his years at the village, Lior also served as a homeroom teacher, grade level coordinator, and vice principal. In his most recent role, he was principal of the ORT Yigal Alon Middle School in Nof Hagalil, where he worked with both Arab and Jewish students. His educational philosophy is rooted in the saying “Educate a youth in his own way,” which signifies that there are diverse methods to connect with each young individual. His approach emphasizes equal dialogue, personal connections, and identifying each student’s strengths, following the “parallel lines” approach. Lior holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and disadvantaged youth from Oranim College of Education and a master’s degree in technology in education from the Open University. He is also a graduate of the Avney Rosha training program for school principals. Lior aspires to transform work practices in Israel’s education system, with a special focus on supporting populations at risk.

Nurit Cohen Yanai

Nurit Cohen Yanai is a therapist and social worker by training. In her most recent position, she was the director of the southern Jerusalem region for 360°—The National Program for Children and Youth at Risk. In this capacity, she led interprofessional and multidisciplinary committees, working to create high-quality models and services in local authorities to identify and treat children and youth at risk and to prevent such situations. Previously, she served as a team leader and advisor for workers in the Jerusalem municipality’s Addict and Released Prisoner’s Unit, where she was one of the founders of Jerusalem’s first day center for treating female addicts. Nurit holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, and a master’s degree in clinical social work from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She is interested in developing models to create shared language and spaces between the therapeutic and educational disciplines that place strengthening mental health and resilience at the heart of educational practice, and aims to transform educational frameworks into partners in identifying and preventing extreme cases.

Zohar Dvash

Zohar Dvash is an educator, activist, and educational entrepreneur whose work focuses on strengthening the role of homeroom teachers as leaders of communities. In recent years, she has worked for Teach First Israel as a content developer and facilitator in programs for professional development and empowerment of teachers. She has also been involved in implementing a unique, city-wide model for early childhood education in Herzliya. Previously, Zohar was a member of the development team of a special pedagogical-organizational model at the Shulamit Aloni school in Rishon LeZion. She was also a homeroom teacher and developed holistic curricula based on project-based learning (PBL). Alongside her work in professional development, Zohar is active in advancing the status of female teachers in Israel. In this capacity, she founded a movement to raise the status of teachers in Israel, led the “stretcher protest” for improved teacher compensation, and initiated and facilitated joint discussion and planning sessions. She also led an initiative for innovative professional development for female teachers, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and the Pisgah Center in Ashdod. Zohar holds a bachelor’s degree in behavioral sciences and a master’s degree in cultural anthropology, both from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. She wants to promote an educational approach in which classroom learning groups constitute a community in which children spend time in a place of heartfelt connection and learn how to balance their needs as individuals with the need to maintain the boundaries of the community.

Ayelet Gellman Patt

Ayelet Gellman Patt is an educator. Over the years, she has served in many different roles in the secondary education system in Jerusalem. Most recently, she was involved in founding and establishing a new local school in Jerusalem’s Har Homa neighborhood. Ayelet holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, and a master’s degree in philosophy from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She believes that interactions between young people in schools are highly significant for their development and growth, and that Israel’s public education system must enable students from diverse backgrounds to learn, develop, and broaden their horizons, and must promote their future social mobility.

Danny Gigi

Danny Gigi is a manager, social entrepreneur, policy advocate, and activist dedicated to working for social justice in a range of different areas. Most recently, he served as CEO of the Public Housing Forum, which grew under his leadership into a large social movement. Alongside his work at the Forum, he worked for many years at Shatil, the capacity-building arm of the New Israel Fund, where he advised and led social coalitions. In this context, Danny developed the “community lobby” model and launched innovative media projects. In addition to his fieldwork, Danny is also a columnist, who has written dozens of articles about his areas of engagement. Danny holds two master’s degrees, one in business administration and the other in international relations (research track), both from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. After completing his studies, Danny worked in hasbara (public diplomacy), served as the spokesperson for Greenpeace Israel, and developed social initiatives. Danny believes that political participation and engagement are a vital component of democracy, and he is interested in education that aims to increase public participation in political processes.

Chani Goldman

Chani Goldman is an educator and educational activist. In her most recent position, she was head of the Bnei Akiva religious girls’ high school (ulpanit) in Tel Aviv, where she created an educational-pedagogical system tailored to different education streams and sub-sectors, as well as to innovative learning environments. Following the outbreak of the war in Gaza in October 2023, Chani set up an elementary school and kindergarten class on her school’s premises for residents of Sderot and Kiryat Shmona who were evacuated from their homes to hotels in Tel Aviv. Previously, she was the principal of an elementary school in Jaffa, mentored principals at the start of their careers, and served as an educational counselor and regional instructor for the Ministry of Education on preventing sexual exploitation and abuse. She also set up and led discussion groups for school principals on the subject of fostering Jewish and democratic identity, and is part of a group writing a plan for the state education system in Israel. Chani believes in the inherent good in human beings, in granting autonomy, and in being welcoming and accepting as the basis for educational work. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Jewish studies and educational counseling from Michlalah College Jerusalem and a master’s degree in educational counseling from the Orot Israel College of Education, and she is a graduate of the Avney Rosha training program for school principals. Chani is interested in finding a common educational denominator for the different sectors of Israeli society, while maintaining the unique character of each.

Walaa Hajajra

Walaa Hajajra is a psychologist, group facilitator, and psychometrician. Alongside her work in therapy, group facilitation, and assessment test development, she has worked in a broad range of other fields and has served as a measurement and evaluation expert in several organizations. She has also worked in project management and content development in the public sector and academia. In her longest-held position, Walaa worked for the Davidson Institute of Science Education, where she was responsible for developing excellence among students in Arab society. She has also worked in applied and academic research and has published a research article. Today, Waala prepares students for the psychometric exam, teaches Arabic to Hebrew speakers, and works in the fields of language and translation. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and Arabic language and literature and a teaching certificate from the University of Haifa, and a master’s degree in medical psychology from the Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo. She has also completed various training programs in group facilitation, management, and psychometrics. Walaa is interested in communities and communalism in Arab society, especially among young adults and youth.

Yehonatan Halevi

Yehonatan Halevi is an educator dedicated to social equality. For more than a decade, he has held coordination and management roles in the field of youth at risk. Most recently, he directed two frameworks for youth in situations of extreme risk: an inclusive therapeutic boarding school and an alternative to detention run under the auspices of the Ministry of Welfare’s Youth Protection Authority. In this capacity, he strove to give young people from the social margins of Israel a second chance, via rehabilitation, therapy, and education, and to enable them to find their strengths, restore their faith in themselves and in humanity, experience success, and become normative citizens who contribute to society and fulfill their potential. Yehonatan is a big believer in equal opportunities for young people from Israel’s social periphery, and in the capacity of people to change and succeed. He holds a bachelor’s degree in human resource management from Bar-Ilan University, and a master’s degree in educational administration, policy, and leadership from the Open University. He also holds a teaching certificate in secondary education. Yehonatan wants to advance real social mobility in Israel and equal opportunities in education, the military, academia, and employment. In all his work, he emphasizes the pursuit of excellence, empowerment, and strengthening young people’s self-confidence.

Ran Maas

Ran Maas is an educator and management professional. In recent years, in concert with various partners, he has worked on establishing “Hamerhav Hashalem” (The Whole Education Initiative) in Jerusalem. In this capacity, he developed an infrastructure and an educational model that enable schools to provide complete and continuous education, both formal and non-formal, and to significantly expand the schools’ hours of operation. Ran has worked with dozens of educational institutions and staff members in Jerusalem on the implementation of this initiative. Previously, Ran worked as a lawyer in the civil service and in the private sector. Prior to that, he was active in the Aharai, a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing youth leadership, first as a counselor and later as leader of the “Aharai in the Field” project. Ran holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in law from Reichman University, where he also served as editor of the IDC Law Review. He is interested in researching and exploring the question of how to lower and remove barriers between schools and the outside world, in all aspects of life (community, industry, politics, nature, academia, and more), thereby creating schools in which a significant portion of the activity includes constant interaction with reality and the world beyond the classroom walls.

Ariel Marmor

Ariel Marmor is an educator and community professional. Most recently, he was director of the Karnei Shomron Community Center. In that capacity, he led processes in the field of social education, fostering connections between the municipal departments of education, community, and social services; strengthening the links between the community center and schools; establishing schools focused on sport and music, and focusing on other aspects of community. Previously, he directed the youth department of the Shomron regional council, and headed the pre-military preparation program of the Aharai, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the development of youth leadership. Ariel holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and communications from Bar-Ilan University, a master’s degree in public policy from Tel Aviv University, and a teaching certificate from Efrata College. He is interested in introducing tools from non-formal education into the formal education system and in developing tracks that create synergies between the two systems in order to give students an experience of success.

Idit Menashe

Idit Menashe is a social entrepreneur and manager who is an expert on promoting policy on equality and democracy. In her most recent position, she worked for the Jerusalem Education Administration (Manhi), where she established and managed the city’s forest preschools, and today, Jerusalem is the leading municipality in Israel in the field of public forest education. In a voluntary capacity, Idit also led a group of parents working to establish the first urban forest school in Jerusalem. In the past, Idit was a parliamentary advisor to members of the Knesset and managed Shatil’s Center for Policy Change, which advised civil society organizations and promoted values of social justice, democracy, and equality. Idit then worked for the Ministry of Housing, where she led development and change processes in the Government Urban Renewal Authority, focusing in particular on the ultra-Orthodox community. Idit holds a bachelor's degree in behavioral sciences from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and a master's degree in public policy from Tel Aviv University. She is interested in investigating how the public influences governmental systems – whether local or central – and wants to deepen understanding of the interfaces between them.

Dr. Gali Nahary

Dr. Gali Nahary is a religious feminist educator. She leads the education sector in the "Fourth Quarter" movement, and established the movement’s "Teacher Leadership" initiative, which aims to promote change in the education system as part of a grassroots movement. Prior to that, Gali served as the deputy general director and head of teaching personnel in the Israel Ministry of Education, where she previously was in charge of the Department of Induction and Entry into Teaching. In these roles, Gali was responsible for training and professional development processes for teachers, principals, and inspectors, with a particular focus on supporting new teachers and strengthening mentoring mechanisms for them. Gali led the Ministry of Education’s national simulation in education program, which led to the establishment of more than 20 simulation centers that are designed to enhance interpersonal skills and resilience of educational staff facing complex conflictual situations. Gali also worked as a facilitator and director in non-formal education in various social organizations, including the Rape Crisis Center of the Sharon region, where she led educational and informational programs to prevent sexual violence. Gali holds a bachelor’s degree in zoology and a master’s degree (cum laude) in Jewish education, both from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, as well as a doctorate in gender studies from Bar-Ilan University. Her research focuses on identity and sexuality among Jewish religious women. Gali seeks to develop an organizational culture within the education system that places the teacher at the center and promotes the welfare and wellbeing of all the professionals in the system.

Tami Nahmias

Tami Nahmias is a social entrepreneur who has extensive experience in managing multi-sector partnerships and advising local authorities regarding processes of community-urban planning and construction. In her most recent position, she was vice president of communities for the Or Movement, which is dedicated to developing the Negev and the Galilee as new major centers of life in Israel. In this capacity, she emphasized creating connections between communities, the local authority, the government, and civil society. In the last decade, Tami was a member of the senior management of ELEM – Youth in Distress, where she provided services for disadvantaged young people with no family support. In this role, she worked to promote policy and solutions on a nationwide level, in areas such as establishing frameworks for independent living for young people who had grown up as wards of the state, expanding national civic service opportunities for marginalized populations, and further developing Yated, the national program for at-risk young adults. Tami holds a master's degree in community social work from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, and is a graduate of Tel Aviv University’s program for group facilitators. She aims to promote social mobility and to create social change, with an emphasis on establishing the Negev and the Galilee as new centers in Israel, as part of a broad strategic view that involves constant movement between the world of policy and the world of action.

Sela Nuphar

Sela Nuphar is a professional working in the field of education and society. Most recently, he directed the Neve Midbar youth village in Nitzana, the first youth village in Israel for students from Bedouin society. Over the last decade, Sela has worked to create opportunities for Bedouin youth and to strengthen their connection to general Israeli society. Previously, he directed field programs for the Desert Stars nonprofit organization, coordinated a national civic service program in Bedouin society for the Israeli Volunteer Association, and was a counselor for the Etgarim nonprofit organization, which runs outdoor sports programs for adults and children with disabilities. One of the founders of Sheizaf, a mixed religious-secular community settlement in the Negev, Sela is a major in the IDF reserves and a volunteer medic for Magen David Adom. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Middle Eastern studies and Jewish history from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, a master’s degree in business administration from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, and a certificate in group facilitation. Sela wants to bring together education professionals from different backgrounds and educational frameworks, starting with preschool, to build bridges of trust from a young age and bring down walls of hostility and fear between different sections of Israeli society that are in conflict.

Yael Sapir

Yael Sapir is an educator who believes in creating encounters, partnerships, and communities; in motivating people via connections and values; and in finding the common good as a driving force for change in Israeli education and in society as a whole. Over the last decade, she was the founding principal of the KAN Pluralistic High School in Kfar Adumim – a community-based high school, open to youth from all sectors of Israeli society. Together with her staff, she developed social, pedagogical, and values-based programs aimed at encouraging young people to ask, inquire, explore, be attentive and caring, and engage with different people out of a sense of curiosity, which enables them to develop a meaningful Jewish-Israeli identity centered on the understanding that in order to have a positive impact on our surroundings, we must be responsible, caring, and display initiative. Yael is a graduate of the Revivim honors program for outstanding Jewish education students at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biblical and Jewish studies and a master’s degree in Jewish philosophy and rabbinical literature. She is interested in strengthening programs that foster belonging to the community, engagement, and activism, and in spreading the gospel of pluralistic community education throughout Israeli society.

Eyal Touitou

Eyal Touitou is an educator and lecturer. From 2015 to 2024, he was a homeroom teacher at the Hachmey Lev yeshiva high school, which serves boys from the Haredi community who want to study core subjects and complete matriculation. At the same time, he directed a Torah study program for formerly religious men and women who have left Haredi society, a population he has worked with for some 15 years. Eyal was a co-founder of Menorah, an organization that helps ex-Haredim integrate into mainstream society, rebuild their identity, and find their place in higher education and employment. Eyal lectured in general and Jewish philosophy in various settings for some 15 years and is active in non-formal education. Eyal holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in teaching oral law and Jewish philosophy from Michlalah College Jerusalem. He is interested in becoming more involved in non-formal teaching, based on the belief that engaging with philosophy and the humanities and with the interface between philosophy and religion outside of academic settings, is not only personally enriching, but also contributes to self-understanding and to identity formation in Israeli society, which faces complex challenges of religion and state that have led to tension and polarization in recent years.

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