Fellows

Mandel Program for Regional Leadership in Dimona and Arad

OCTOBER 2022 – AUGUST 2024

Merav Amit

Director, Department of Tourism, Central Arava Regional Council

Merav Amit is the director of the department of tourism in the Central Arava Regional Council. In this capacity, she works for the advancement of tourism in the Arava, and is involved in preservation, development, and marketing. A licensed tour guide, Merav holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Oranim Academic College and a master’s degree in tourism management from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. She lives in Moshav Ein Yahav in the Central Arava Regional Council.

Avi Buchbut

Director of the Community Division in Dimona

Avi Buchbut, director of the community division in Dimona, is also an educator and activist for settlement in the Negev. Previously, he served as the southern district of the Ministry of Education’s representative for preparation for the IDF and as the chairman of the student union at Kaye Academic College of Education. As part of his educational work, Avi was the southern district director of the Equalizer Group, a non-profit organization that works for social, gender, and geographic equality by running after-school programs that combine team sports and educational activities. Avi is the leader of the young generation of the Alliance of People of Moroccan Descent in Israel, is a member of the Israel A.S.A. Academic Sport Association, and is a member of the executive board of the National Union of Israeli Students. Avi holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in education, as well as a teaching certificate, all from Kaye Academic College of Education. He is a graduate of the Dagan Bridging Leadership Program and of Alliance–Kol Israel Haverim’s Partners in Justice program. He was born and lives in Dimona.

Sivan Cohen Avitan

Hydrotherapist, Watsu Therapist, and Swimming Instructor

Sivan Cohen Avitan, who owns a hydrotherapy pool, is a hydrotherapist, Watsu massage therapist, and swimming instructor. She is active in the struggle against the establishment of a phosphate mine in Arad. A former member of the Arad city council, she also served as an executive board member of the Arad Tourism Association. Sivan holds a bachelor’s degree in early childhood special education from the Kibbutzim College of Education, Technology and the Arts. She lives in Arad.

Maya Dan

Director, Violence Prevention Program, Arad Municipality

Maya Dan is the director of the Arad Municipality’s violence prevention program. Previously, she held positions in community work, welfare, management, and informal education. Maya was a member of the executive board of the Har Amasa cooperative moshav, where she lives, and worked to advance culture and tourism there. A certified nonviolent communication facilitator, Maya holds a bachelor’s degree with honors from the psychology track of the Behavioral Sciences Program at Ruppin Academic Center, and is completing her master’s degree with honors in management and public policy at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

Adiel Elgi

Director, Youth Division, Dimona Municipality

Adiel Elgi is the director of the Youth Division of the Dimona Municipality, which provides services to young people aged 18 to 35 in fields such as higher education, employment, community, culture and leisure, and family life, and also tends to the needs of discharged soldiers. His work is informed by a vision that seeks to bring more young people to choose Dimona as a worthy place to live. Before serving as the director of the municipality’s youth division, Adiel was the director of Dimona’s youth center, which grew over time to become a division of the municipality. Adiel is involved in the world of music; a singer-songwriter, he plays the guitar and performs. Adiel holds a bachelor’s degree in cinema and communications from Sapir College and a master’s degree in business administration from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. He lives in Dimona.

Erez Guez

Retired Career Officer, IDF

Erez Guez served in the Israeli Military Intelligence Directorate for 24 years and was involved in research, training, and field intelligence. He was discharged with the rank of lieutenant colonel after having served as an intelligence officer in the 98th Paratroopers Division, also known as Utzbat HaEsh, a reserve-service infantry division in the Israel Defense Forces. Erez holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and communication from Tel Aviv University and a master’s degree in public administration and public policy from Bar-Ilan University. He lives in the community of Carmit in the eastern Negev, where he serves as a member of the residents’ association.

Yaniv Hasan

Educator and Principal, Noam Haim School, Dimona

Yaniv Hasan is the principal of the Noam Haim School in Dimona, where he is leading a process of growth and change in the school and in Dimona’s religiously observant community. For much of his life, he worked as a homeroom teacher and as a subject teacher in the Moriah School and as a rabbi and teacher at the AMIT Yeshiva in Beer Sheva. Yaniv volunteered for many years to work with teenagers in informal education. He holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Orot Israel College of Education and a master’s degree in Jewish philosophy from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. He lives in Beer Sheva.

Dr. Younis Hawashla

Principal, Neve Midbar PISGA Center in Qasr al-Sir

Dr. Younis Hawashla is the principal of the Neve Midbar PISGA regional pedagogic center in the village of Qasr al-Sir in the Neve Midbar Regional Council in the Negev and is a researcher in the field of education. Previously, he served as the principal of the Dar al-Kalam Comprehensive School in Rahat for 11 years and as a regional instructor in mathematics in Rahat for three years. As part of his work, he founded new educational institutions, giving them foundations for excellence, and led multi-cultural processes that will bring about ongoing improvement and organizational excellence, which will enable the assimilation of new tools and bring about cultural and organizational change. Younis holds a bachelor’s degree in education and mathematics instruction from Kaye Academic College, a master’s degree in educational administration, and an additional degree in curriculum design and teaching from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. He also holds a doctorate in educational systems management from Yarmouk University in Jordan and has published papers on education. Younis lives in the unrecognized Bedouin village of Hawashla.

Meirav Israel Levin

Teacher, Writer, and Social Activist

Meirav Israel Levin is a mathematics teacher at the Neve Amram primary school in Dimona. A writer and social activist, she is the author of the crime novels Tahanat Beinayim (Intermediate Station) and Tahana Sofit (Final Station). Meirav is active in the leadership of parents of children and youth with special needs in Dimona and provides guidance to parents. She is involved in promoting projects and processes aimed at the integration of people with special needs in society as equals, working with local official institutions such as the mayor’s office, the Dimona Community Centers, and the municipal education, welfare, and culture department. Meirav is also active in promoting the creation of leisure and welfare activities, such as a soccer club for children and teenagers with special needs, a ceramics club, and Ninja warrior activities. Previously, Meirav was a teacher in the municipality’s adult education division, where she helped adults earn their high-school equivalency diplomas and provided ongoing support to people who believed that it is never too late to complete matriculation examinations in order to obtain an academic degree and develop vocational skills. Meirav holds a bachelor’s degree in the social sciences from the Open University and a master’s degree in science instruction, with a specialization in mathematics, from the Hemdat Hadarom Academic College of Education. She lives in Dimona.

Yochai Kayat

Community Center Director, Entrepreneur, and Social Activist

Yochai Kayat is the director of a community center in Dimona. He has been a social activist for a decade, and has worked in marketing and advertising for a network of community centers in Dimona. Yochai is one of the founders of the Dimona Marathon Race, which is also known as the DMR Challenge and has more than 10,000 participants from all over Israel – and has served as its director for four years. Yochai was the director of the Hillel Israel Center at Sapir College, as well as of the Ayalim Student Village in Dimona. He is also a homeroom teacher and a “big brother” at the ORT Sapir High School in Yeruham. Yochai’s focus on social affairs, together with his desire to bring high-quality, critical journalism and change to places where it was needed, led him to found and serve as the editor of a weekly local magazine in Dimona. Yochai holds a bachelor’s degree in communications, creativity, and production from the journalism track at Sapir College and holds a master’s degree in business administration from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. During his degree studies, he was a member of the Israel Scholarship Education Foundation and a social activist in a variety of volunteer settings, including a year as an intern in the Ministry for the Development of the Negev and the Galilee. Yochai lives in Dimona and is a co-founder of the Young Dimona local political party.

Nechama Ohana

Deputy Director, Welfare and Social Services Division, Dimona Municipality

Nechama Ohana is the deputy director of the Dimona municipality’s welfare and social services division. In this capacity, she is involved in the conception, development, and implementation of unique, groundbreaking programs that aim to provide guidance and assistance to families who live in poverty and exclusion. She is both aware of the needs on the ground and open to new ideas and connections with the academic world and with system-wide interfaces. Nechama holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in social work from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. She grew up in Dimona and now lives in Omer.

Ortal Sarig

Director, Assessments Department, Beer Sheva Municipality Collections Division

Advocate Ortal Sarig is the director of the assessment department of the collections division of the Beer Sheva municipality. She has worked as a tax lawyer in the Beer Sheva Municipality for about a decade, and has served as the director of the assessments department for the last two years. Ortal holds a bachelor’s degree in law from Ono Academic College and a master’s degree in democratic studies from the Open University, and lives in Dimona.

Ofer Sela

Director, Amos Oz Public Library, Arad

Ofer Sela, an activist in culture and art in Arad, has been the director of the Amos Oz public library in Arad for 14 years. He is a playwright, a facilitator of writing workshops, and a mediator. He also works with community theater groups and with young people in the Negev. He holds a bachelor’s degree with honors in Hebrew literature and philosophy from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and is a certified librarian who studied at Beit Berl College. He lives in Arad.

Yoni Shtern

Tourism Entrepreneur and Environmental Activist

Yoni Shtern is a tourism entrepreneur and environmental activist in the Negev. A licensed tour guide, he is a tourism consultant in fields related to the desert environment and to technological entrepreneurship and the digitization of tourism. Yoni was the director of the tour guide course at the Israel School of Tourism at the University of Haifa, and has worked as an instructor and trainer in other tour guide programs in Israel. He also served as a consultant and writer for the southern tourism plan produced by the Ministry of Tourism and the local councils of the southern Negev. Yoni holds a bachelor’s degree in geography, environmental studies, and archaeology, and holds a master’s degree in natural resources and management policy, both from the University of Haifa. A founding partner of the Sol Village guest house at the Dead Sea, Yoni works to advance the settlement and economy of the Kikar Sdom district and lives in Neot HaKikar.

Oshrit Ziv

Director, Community Security Authority, Dimona Municipality

Oshrit Ziv is the director of the community security authority of the Dimona municipality. In this capacity, she integrates all of the systems necessary to ensure the residents’ sense of security and to decrease violence and crime in a systematic, collaborative, professional, innovative, ethical, and community-focused manner. Previously, Oshrit was the southern district manager of the Educating for Excellence (E4E) non-profit association. Oshrit holds a bachelor’s degree in education from the honors track at Ben Gurion-University of the Negev and a teaching certificate from the Tmurot track at Kaye Academic College of Education, as well as a master’s degree in educational administration from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. She lives in Dimona.

About The Program

Mandel Program for Cultural Leadership in the Negev: Cohort 6

OCTOBER 2023 – AUGUST 2024

Amal Abo Alkom

Director, Bedouin Women for Themselves

Amal Abo Alkom is the director of the Bedouin Women for Themselves nonprofit organization. She gives courses designed to integrate women in charitable work and certify them for community leadership in family matters and facilitates groups that assist women who require social and financial support and rehabilitation in Bedouin society. Amal is also the director of Manad, the Bedouin Grandmothers’ House of Culture and Heritage, which works with the Ministry of Tourism to promote tourism and facilitate encounters with Bedouin women and their heritage and culture. She is also the CEO of Shamsona Clean Energy nonprofit organization and co-director of the Renewable Energy in the Negev project, which helps to develop environmentally friendly solutions in the climate field. Amal lectures on Arab-Jewish coexistence and social justice, is an ambassador of peace, a member of the UN Global Peace Council, and a member of the Israeli Climate Forum which operates under the aegis of the Office of the President of Israel. The first Bedouin woman to run for Knesset, Amal was a candidate for the 24th Knesset on Moshe Ya’alon’s Telem list. Over the years, she has collaborated with the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Welfare, and local and international companies and organizations. Amal holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Or Yehuda College, a master’s degree in strategic planning and crisis management from Leeds University, and certification in early childhood education from Haifa University. She lives in the village of Wadi al-Na’am – Shaqib al-Salam (Segev Shalom).

Hagai Amar

Musician, Entrepreneur, and Educator

Hagai Amar is the director of the Dimona Conservatory, which offers music classes to students of diverse ages, with an emphasis on integration between the cultures of East and West. In recent years, he has established and directed conservatories in Yeruham, Be’er Ya’akov, and Dimona, which are recognized by the Ministry of Education. He is a co-founder of a variety of ensembles, orchestras, and projects, such as the Kulna culture and education campus in Yeruham, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra’s Sulamot – Music for Social Change program, and the Dimona Maqam Ensemble. Hagai is himself a graduate of the Dimona Conservatory, and his vision is to expand the excellence and diversity that students deserve and to make it more accessible to them. Previously, he worked as a teacher in boarding schools run by the Ministry of Welfare, a trumpet teacher, and a teacher of social skills and life skills. Hagai runs extensive music programs for students with special needs in Dimona, in collaboration with the Tarbut nonprofit organization, and is a member of the Association of Moroccan Immigrants to Israel. Hagai holds a master’s degree in performance, teaching, and conducting from Tel Aviv University and a teaching certificate from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. He lives and works in Dimona.

Shimon Bokshtein

Artist, Photographer, and Videographer

Shimon Bokshtein immigrated to Israel from Russia in 2000 as a student in the Na’ale educational program. Photography has been a means of self-expression for him since he was 13 years old. Shimon believes that life in the Negev and its open spaces provides endless inspiration for art and for collaborations between artists who live in and are influenced by nature. In recent years, he produced a series of three exhibitions with local artists in Mitzpe Ramon, together with the artist Tzipora Mendel. His video art includes the experimental film Andarta (“Monument,” 2019), inspired by the Negev Brigade Memorial designed by Dani Karavan, which was shown at the “Now You See Me” exhibition in the Louvre in Paris and at the “Local Testimony” exhibition at the Eretz Israel Museum in Tel Aviv. Since then, he has produced many works, including the MitzPeople portrait project, which continues to this day. Shimon holds a bachelor’s degree in photography from the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design. He lives in Mitzpe Ramon.

Ruhama Carmel

Musician

Ruhama Carmel is flutist, ney performer, and composer. She researches the various configurations, syntaxes, and languages to which sounds, frequencies, and rhythms can be added in order to create something new. Ruhama is involved in and draws her inspiration from Western classical music, Persian classical music, electronic music, and the abstract space of sound. She holds a bachelor’s degree in musicology and history from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and is studying in a special master’s program at Bar-Ilan University that combines traditional composition with musical technologies. Ruhama moves between Jerusalem, Beer Sheva, and Tel Aviv.

Dr. Hayim Katsman (1991–2023)

Scholar, Lecturer, Teacher, Musician, Car Mechanic, Gardener, and DJ

Dr. Hayim Katsman was a researcher of religion and politics in the Middle East, a lecturer in the politics and communication department of Hadassah Academic College, and a teacher of philosophy in Israel’s pre-military preparatory academies. He was also a musician, car mechanic, gardener, and DJ. Hayim was the director of Kibbutz Holit’s landscaping department and lectured on philosophy and politics in academic and extra-academic settings in Israel and abroad. In his performances as a musician and DJ, he combined electronic music with Arab musical styles from all over the Middle East. He had been introduced to the world of contemporary Arab music during his doctoral studies on religion and nationalism in the Middle East and dreamed of bringing it to Israeli audiences ever since. Hayim held a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and political science from the Open University, a master’s degree in politics and government from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, and a doctorate in international studies from the University of Washington. Hayim was murdered in Kibbutz Holit, where he lived, in the terror attack of October 7, 2023, while saving lives of other members of the kibbutz. He was starting his fellowship in Cohort 6 of the Mandel Program for Cultural Leadership in the Negev at the time.

Elazar Mack

Director of the Culture Department, Mitzpe Ramon Community Center

Elazar Mack is the director of the culture department of the Mitzpe Ramon community center. He is also a teacher of cinema, mentor, lecturer, screenwriter, and teacher of writing at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque. Elazar wrote for the television series Ron on the Yes cable network and for Shakshuka, produced by Israel Educational Television. He also wrote content for institutions and museums, including the newly renovated Tower of David Museum in Jerusalem. One of his films won the Asif Award of the Animix International Animation Film Festival. Elazar is one of the creators of Mitzpe Ahuvati (“Mitzpe My Beloved”), a community network series, and is a member of Kino, an international community of independent filmmakers. He facilitates groups for Neighborhood Tales, a project run by the Tel Aviv municipality, which encourages long-time residents of south Tel Aviv to tell their stories. Elazar holds a bachelor’s degree in theater studies from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and lives in Mitzpe Ramon.

Liana Mimran Osadon

Distribution Director, Daroma Productions

Liana Mimran Osadon distributes Israeli films produced by Daroma Productions, an award-winning film production company that aims to create outstanding Israeli cinema. In this capacity, she promotes Israeli films in both the local and international markets, creating connections and maintaining relationships with artists and other partners in Israel and abroad. Liana holds a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the school of audio and visual arts at Sapir Academic College, where she teaches in the cinema track and serves as a researcher for a documentary animation project regarding social and political issues for animation students at the college.

Naomi Niddam

Journalist and Editor-in-Chief, Shakuf Website

Naomi Niddam is the editor-in-chief of Shakuf (“Transparent”), a website for independent investigative journalism, where she also publishes her articles. She has experience as a parliamentary advisor in the Knesset, where she was a member of former MK Rachel Azaria’s team. Naomi’s work is inspired by her vision to create investigative journalism for the public only, in order to change reality, both at the national and local levels, by deep coverage of Knesset news, exploration of environmental issues, and research on corruption. Naomi’s worldview was shaped by years of work in mainstream journalism – NRG digital news, the Makor Rishon weekly newspaper, and the television program Osim Seder (“Putting Things in Order”) – which she felt were not deep and reliable enough. Naomi holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology and anthropology and a master’s degree in cultural studies from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She lives in Mitzpe Ramon.

Yael Roumani

Multi-disciplinary Artist, Content Creator at Kan 11, and Founder of the Shikunim Film Festival

Yael Roumani is a photographer and multi-disciplinary artist. Much of her work centers around architecture in Israel, particularly public housing blocks in the towns of the Negev in the south. Yael believes in the power of art and cinema, and works with these tools to promote social change. She is a creative writer and presenter in the digital platform of Kan 11, Israel’s Public Broadcasting Corporation. She also directs digital videos for other organizations, particularly promotional films for NGOs. Yael founded the Shikunim Film Festival, a social film festival focusing on Israel’s south, which emphasizes shikunim (national housing projects) and uses art and cinema to tell the story of life in these neighborhoods. Yael holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and art from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and studied cinema and television in a year-long program at Tel Aviv University. She is also a graduate of the Jewish Agency’s TEN Tikkun Olam program in Ethiopia and of Kulna’s Elul Min HaMizrah program, which explores the heritage, culture, and identity of Jews from the Middle East, North Africa, and Ethiopia. Yael loves architecture, iconic solar water heaters on rooftops, and Beer Sheva, where she lives.

Tehila Sade Moyal

Actress, Director, and Playwright

Tehila Sade Moyal is an actress, director, and playwright at the Alma Theater for Women’s Art in a Jewish Spirit, which is a home for female and Jewish art. For fifteen years, she has written and directed productions that combine acting, dance, song, and sign language for deaf and hard-of-hearing students at the Makif Vav Comprehensive High School in Beer Sheva as part of Deaf Awareness Week. Tehila runs workshops in pantomime, theater, and improvisation and published a children’s book titled Moshe Comes to Visit. Among her best-known works is the play #X_30, which she wrote, directed, and produced the video art, as well as Argazim (Boxes) and Ksuma (Enchanting), which she wrote and directed. Tehila also wrote and acted in the one-woman show VeDan? and acted in Atalefim Bli Knafayim (Bats Without Wings), Simanim (Signs), and L’Mona Lisa Yesh Safam (Mona Lisa Has a Mustache), as well as a pantomime production for children “Things You See from Here” and a commedia dell'arte style performance for children titled “I Did Not Think This Would Happen.” Tehila founded and performed in the Luna Theater, a pantomime ensemble. She holds a bachelor’s degree in theater directing and certification in theater instruction from Kibbutzim College and is a graduate of the Goodman Acting School of the Negev. She also completed a course in narration and dubbing and a workshop in LeCoq clowning.

Sigal Vanunu Gadish

CEO, Association of Cultural Directors in the Local Municipalities

Sigal Vanunu Gadish is the CEO of the Association of Cultural Directors of Israel’s local government authorities, which develops and promotes the field of culture in Israel and has more than 350 members in some 130 local authorities. Previously, she served as the deputy CEO of the Inbal Dance Theater – Ethnic and Multicultural Center in Neve Zedek, as deputy CEO of the Women in the Frame Association, and as the executive producer of the International Women’s Film Festival in Rehovot. Sigal also volunteers for the Solidarity Human Rights Film Festival and is in charge of content development and utilization of resources at the Yad Mordechai From Holocaust to Revival Museum. Sigal is an expert in resource development and utilization, focusing on nonprofit organizations and the third sector. She works to increase the standing of the field of Israeli culture nationally and internationally while strengthening the status of cultural institutions that are located far from central Israel. Sigal holds a master’s degree in cultural studies from Sapir Academic College. A native of Sderot, she is a member of Kibbutz Yad Mordechai.

About The Program

Mandel Program for Medical Leadership for the Negev

OCTOBER 2023 – DECEMBER 2024

Dr. Ahmad Abu-Assa

Specialist in Family Medicine and Coordinator of Family Medicine Residents, Clalit Health Services

Dr. Ahmad Abu-Assa, a specialist in family medicine, works as a family practitioner in Clalit Health Services’ community clinic in the Kuseife Local Council. He also serves as the coordinator of residents in the department of family medicine, a coordinator in the diploma course for family medicine residents, and the coordinator of the primary medicine course for general practitioners of Clalit Health Services in the southern district. A member of the Association of Arab Physicians in the Negev, he works to promote health in Bedouin society, with emphasis on diabetes and genetic diseases. He lives in the Tel Sheva local council.

Dr. Barak Aricha-Tamir

Specialist in Women’s Health, Director of the Kiryat Gat Specialist Medical Center, Clalit Health Services

Dr. Barak Aricha-Tamir practices general gynecology and maternal-fetal medicine in the community medical clinics of Clalit Health Services. Previously, he headed the women’s health services at Clalit’s specialist medical center in Netivot and is currently the director of Clalit’s specialist medicine center in Kiryat Gat. As part of his work, Barak trained health science students, residents, and doctors in various fields, and was a clinical instructor in the field of women’s health and medical research. Barak is the founder and director of “Own Road Clinic” – a mobile ob-gyn clinic that travels between the cities of the northern Negev. This unique, groundbreaking project was born of his affinity for women’s health in the community and the need for accessible women’s health services in the Negev. Barak is a graduate of the Ben-Gurion University Medical School and completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Soroka University Medical Center. He also holds a master’s degree in microbiology and immunology (summa cum laude). Alongside his clinical work, Barak has also been involved in clinical research and has published many research papers. He lives in Givot Bar in the Bnei Shimon Regional Council and loves the Negev and its people.

Mirit Biton

Coordinator of Internships and Residencies, Samson Assuta Ashdod Hospital

Mirit Biton is a human resources coordinator who is responsible for the medical students at Assuta Ashdod Hospital and coordinates the hospital’s programs for interns and residents. Mirit is responsible for the processes of study and professional development of the interns and residents and is their address for support regarding their professional and personal lives. Mirit was involved in the founding of the hospital in 2017. Previously, she served as an officer in the IDF’s Adjutant Corps and was discharged with the rank of captain after ten years of service as a career soldier. Mirit holds a bachelor’s degree in social sciences and human resources, a master’s degree in educational administration and leadership, and a teaching certificate, all from Bar-Ilan University.

Dr. Liora Boehm Cohen

Senior Physician, Pulmonology Institute, Soroka University Medical Center

Dr. Liora Boehm Cohen is an internal medicine and pulmonology specialist at Soroka University Medical Center. She treats patients with a wide range of lung diseases at the hospital’s pulmonology institute and in several unique collaborative clinics: the adult cystic fibrosis clinic, the mycobacterial clinic run in collaboration with the infectious diseases clinic, and a high-risk pregnancy clinic for women with lung diseases. As part of her work in the pulmonology institute, she also performs bronchoscopies. Liora is responsible for Israeli medical students studying abroad, as part of the staff of Soroka’s medical education unit. In the capacity of this position, she is responsible for the placement and learning of students, scheduling clinical rotations, building study days, and incorporating them into the hospital’s system. Liora is a member of the teaching committee of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev’s medical school, as well as a member of the 4th-year-students’ committee. In this capacity, she is responsible for professionalism and is working on the design of a new curriculum devoted to this topic. Liora studied medicine at Semmelweis University in Budapest, Hungary. She is married and a mother of four.

Dr. Sabri El-Saied

Deputy Director, ENT Department, Soroka University Medical Center

Dr. Sabri El-Saied has been a lecturer and senior physician and surgeon in the department of otolaryngology and head and neck surgery at Soroka University Medical Center in Beer Sheva since 2016, and has been serving as deputy director of the department since 2021. He completed his medical studies at Philipps-Universität in Marburg, Germany. He then completed an internship and six-year residency program at the department of otolaryngology and head and neck surgery at Soroka Medical Center in Beer Sheva. After finishing his residency, he returned to the Hannover Medical School in Germany for a two-year clinical and research fellowship in otolaryngology.

Dr. Moriya Gal

Regional Medical Director, Maccabi Healthcare Services

Dr. Moriya Gal is a family medicine specialist who serves as a regional medical director for Maccabi Healthcare Services. She also serves as an instructor for residents at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and in the family medicine department of Maccabi Healthcare Services and provides guidance to medical students during their studies. Moriya considers providing training in family medicine to be a fundamental part of her work. She studied medicine at Tel Aviv University and completed her residency in the family medicine department of Clalit Health Services in the Dan-Petach Tikva District. Moriya also holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Bar-Ilan University, served in Unit 8200 of the IDF Intelligence Corps, is a cachibol player, and is an amateur runner. She lives in Carmit.

Kawther Hammud

Director of Physiotherapy Institute, Clalit Health Services

Kawther Hammud is the director of a physiotherapy institute in Beer Sheva for Clalit Health Services. In this capacity, she manages a professional team that provides physical therapy services in the community, mentors employees and entry-level managers, and leads collaborations and projects of healthcare teams in Beer Sheva and its surroundings to promote health and improve health services. Kawther provides pelvic floor therapy and works to promote women’s urogenital health. In the past, Kawthar managed the physiotherapy clinic in Rahat, where she developed services for the community, facilitated therapy groups, and promoted women’s health by initiating health-days and workshops in collaboration with professionals. Previously, Kawther headed a social responsibility and volunteering center for Clalit employees, which focused on road safety, at-risk youth, special education, and more. She also organized volunteer activities in the framework of Israel’s “Good Deeds Day.” Kawther holds a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from Tel Aviv University and a master’s degree in health administration from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. She is also a graduate of a pipeline program that creates mid-level management for Clalit Health Services. Kawther lives in Beer Sheva.

Dr. Ruth Kannai

Specialist in Family Medicine, Lecturer in Medical Schools, and Instructor of Medical Teams and Teaching Staff

Dr. Ruth Kannai is a specialist in family medicine who works for Clalit Health Services and is involved in teaching and medical education at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Ruth lectures and instructs medical students, interns, and residents on family medicine, pediatrics, bioethics, women’s health, burnout prevention, mind-body connection, psychiatry, palliative medicine, and how to break bad news. At Ben-Gurion University, she leads the “Healer’s Art” course developed by Professor Rachel N. Remen, which is taught to medical students, medical teams, and family medicine residents. She is also co-facilitator of the “Teaching Scholars” course for developing young medical educators in family medicine. Previously, she coordinated the diploma course for family medicine residents and taught a course on ethics and professionalism in the framework of the Adam VeRefu’a medical humanities curriculum at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Ruth is the facilitator of a discussion and support group for family medicine residents of Clalit Health Services. She has over 30 publications in medical journals, many of which are case reports and stories describing ethical issues in the doctor-patient relationship. Ruth teaches reflective writing as a method for strengthening the caregiver-patient relationship, in order to prevent burnout and to develop resilience in healthcare professionals. She holds a degree in medicine from Tel Aviv University’s School of Medicine and is a graduate of the Advancing Academic Family Medicine in Israel Fellowship program at the University of Washington in Seattle, which is an academic study program in family medicine and medical education. In her studies, Ruth focused on medical ethics, sociology, anthropology, and medical humanities. She lives in Givat Yeshayahu in the Ella Valley.

Ayala Katz

Nurse, Midwife, Lecturer, and Clinical Instructor, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Ayala Katz is a clinical instructor and the coordinator of the women’s health division of the nursing department at the Recanati School for Community Health Professions, in the faculty of health sciences at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. In this capacity, she lectures and is responsible for guiding and training nursing students in women’s health, while contributing to their personal development and increasing their sense of social and professional belonging. Ayala believes that maintaining high professional standards, coupled with personal connection and providing straightforward guidance, facilitates learning characterized by curiosity, independence, and a true desire for progress. For the last few years, she has headed the “Siudon” project, a social initiative of the nursing department in which she meets nursing students individually and in groups as part of their training in teamwork, while emphasizing mutual responsibility and constant support. Previously, Ayala worked as a neonatal nurse and as a midwife at Soroka University Medical Center and Assuta Ashdod. Ayala holds a bachelor’s degree and a master's degree in nursing, summa cum laude, from the Recanati School for Community Health Professions at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Her graduate thesis focused on coping styles and depression levels of women who are undergoing fertility treatments. Ayala received the Ruth Ron Prize for Excellence in Clinical Training for 2020, which commended her worldview, commitment, and approach, which promotes excellence and professionalism. She is a marathon runner and lives on Kibbutz Kramim in the Bnei Shimon Regional Council.

Dr. Idit Liberty

Director of the Diabetes Clinic, Soroka University Medical Center

Dr. Idit Liberty is the director of the diabetes clinic for hospitalized patients at Soroka University Medical Center and is the vice dean for student affairs at the faculty of health sciences of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. A specialist in internal medicine who works in the field of diabetes and obesity, Idit also supervises master’s and doctoral students in their research in diabetes and collaborates in research with other researchers and medical teams. Idit provides instruction in internal medicine to students, residents, and doctors, with an emphasis on diabetes and weight gain. Previously, she was responsible for organizing students’ clinical rotations during their clinical years and for developing assessments for medical students. Idit is part of the team responsible for a comprehensive and in-depth course for training doctors in the field of diabetes that is offered under the auspices the Israel Medical Association. In the past, Idit chaired the admissions committee of the faculty of health sciences at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. In her current capacity as the faculty’s vice dean for student affairs, she is responsible for assisting students from lower socio-economic backgrounds, and has a strong commitment to obtaining financial aid and academic assistance for students in need. Idit holds a degree in medicine and a master’s degree in health administration from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. She lives in Yeruham.

Dr. Shany Manashko-Tshechmer

Chief Psychologist, Barzilai University Medical Center

Dr. Shany Manashko-Tshechmer is the chief psychologist and a senior instructor at Barzilai University Medical Center, where she is the director of psychological services, which include clinical, rehabilitative, and medical treatment in ambulatory and inpatient settings. As part of her work, Shany is responsible for psychological care of the hospital’s employees, working to prevent personal and professional burnout, to prevent the development of post-traumatic reactions in response to involvement with complex cases, and to provide emotional support during transitions between stages in the medical, nursing and health professions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she established a unit to identify employees in distress, including cases of “secondary casualties” who were impacted emotionally, and provide them with the necessary treatment. As part of this initiative, she worked with Israel’s Ministry of Health to train 250 staff members who could serve as gate-keepers. Shany is a consultant to the Directorate of Government Medical Centers on topics related to burnout and employee retention and promoting public psychology in the healthcare system. In addition to her work in the hospital, Shany teaches future healthcare professionals in a variety of academic frameworks, with an emphasis on the connection between theory and clinical work, after previously training staff of the welfare services and psychological and educational services. She also engages in research and has published several academic articles on her findings. Shany has a private clinic where she treats adults, youth, and children using an integrative and systematic approach. Previously, she served as the executive director of Telem – a private nonprofit organization that provides psychological and psychiatric treatment and diagnosis across Israel. Shany holds a master’s degree and doctorate in clinical psychology from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Her doctoral dissertation focused on maltreated children’s representations of their mother and an additional caregiver. She lives in the Omer local council.

Dr. Eitan Neeman (1978–2023)

Specialist in Pediatrics and Member of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Dr. Eitan Neeman was a senior physician in the pediatric intensive care department at Soroka University Medical Center and a member of the faculty of health sciences at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. He studied medicine at the Ben-Gurion University Medical School, completed his residency in pediatrics at Soroka University Medical Center, and completed a fellowship in pediatric intensive care at Yale University. A major in the IDF reserves, Eitan fell in battle while serving as a combat medic following the Hamas attack of October 7, just before beginning his fellowship in the Mandel Program for Medical Leadership for the Negev. A man of vision, he aspired to establish a national knowledge center in the fields of pediatric resuscitation and trauma at Soroka University Medical Center and in the faculty of health sciences at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

Dr. Caroline Ohayon

Specialist in Emergency Medicine and Family Medicine and Residency Program Director at Assuta Ashdod Hospital

Dr. Caroline Ohayon has been a senior physician in the department of emergency medicine at Assuta Ashdod Hospital since the hospital’s establishment in 2017. One of the founders of the department, she is responsible for the hospital’s residency program in emergency medicine. Caroline is an instructor in a national course in emergency medicine offered by the Israel Association for Emergency Medicine. Previously, she worked as a family doctor in a community clinic of the Clalit Health Services in Jerusalem and as an emergency room doctor at Shaare Zedek Medical Center. Caroline studied medicine and completed her residency at Lariboisière University Hospital, Paris VII. Caroline immigrated to Israel from France in 2015 and volunteers as a liaison in the field of medicine at “Qualita,” a nonprofit organization that assists French-speaking immigrants in Israel, where she serves as a consultant on matters related to health professions and offers guidance to immigrants working in medical and paramedical fields. She lives in Jerusalem.

Dr. Shahar Robinzon

District Psychiatrist, Southern District, Maccabi Healthcare Services

Dr. Shahar Robinzon is an adult psychiatrist and is the director of mental healthcare in the southern district of Maccabi Healthcare Services, both managerially and professionally. He is a lecturer in the three-year psychotherapy program at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, a clinical instructor in the medical communication course, and a consultant to the community clinic in the university’s department of psychology. Previously, Shahar held several positions at the Regional Mental Health Center in Beer Sheva and conducted research in collaboration with the University of Washington in Seattle. Shahar holds a Doctor of Medicine degree, a master’s degree in medical science, and a master’s degree in public health, all from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. He is a vegan and an animal welfare activist.

Dr. Bozhena Saar Ryss

Specialist in Gynecology and Fertility and Director of the IVF Unit, Barzilai University Medical Center

Dr. Bozhena Saar Ryss, a specialist in gynecology and fertility, is the director of the IVF unit at Barzilai University Medical Center. She gives lectures to medical students and interns on obstetrics, gynecology, and fertility in educational institutions in Israel and abroad. Bozhena holds a degree in medicine from Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University in Ukraine. She completed her residency in obstetrics, gynecology, and fertility at Barzilai University Medical Center with highest honors, and the research that she conducted while specializing won an award from the Israel Fertility Association. Bozhena completed a fellowship in fertility preservation at the Morris Kahn Center for Fertility Preservation at Sheba Medical Center and is a graduate of the Ministry of Health’s “Marom” program for physicians in management positions.

Dr. Noa Shani Shrem

Deputy Director of Medical Oncology Division, Soroka University Medical Center

Dr. Noa Shani Shrem is an oncology specialist at the genitourinary oncology unit and deputy director of the medical oncology division at Soroka University Medical Center. In this capacity, she builds work plans and implements them in the oncology department, the division’s clinics, and in the outpatient hospitalization unit, and is involved in the division’s day-to-day administration. Noa is involved in clinical research, teaches medical school students, and teaches residents in Soroka’s medical oncology division and in national forums of the Israeli Society for Clinical Oncology and Radiotherapy. She is an examiner in the qualification exams for the oncology specialization on behalf of the Scientific Council of the Israeli Medical Association. In the past, Noa supervised the residency program of the oncology division of Soroka. Noa holds a degree in medicine and a bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory sciences from Ben-Gurion University’s medical school. She was a genitourinary oncology fellow at the Ottawa Cancer Center in Canada, where she taught medical students at the University of Ottawa and residents at the Ottawa Cancer Center, and conducted research in the clinical research department. Noa was one of the founding families of Givot Bar, a community in the Bnei Shimon Regional Council, where she lives today.

Dr. Tsafnat Test

Specialist in Family Medicine, Clinic Director, and Coordinator of a Resident’s Program

Dr. Tsafnat Test, a specialist in family medicine, is the director of the Clalit Health Services clinic in Yeruham. She is also the coordinator of the diploma course for family medicine residents in the southern region and is a clinical instructor for residents and students, both in the faculty of health sciences of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Tsafnat holds a degree in medicine from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and a clinical teacher certificate from the department of family and community medicine of the University of Toronto. She is also a graduate of the genomics and computational biology program at Bar-Ilan University. She lives in Retamim in the Ramat HaNegev Regional Council.

Dr. Ori Wand

Director, Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Barzilai University Medical Center, and Faculty Member, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Dr. Ori Wand is the director of the division of pulmonary medicine at the Barzilai University Medical Center in Ashkelon. He is a graduate of the Faculty of Medicine of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and is a specialist in internal medicine and pulmonology. Previously, Ori worked at Meir Medical Center as a senior physician and deputy director of the department of pulmonary medicine, which was the department that treated COVID-19 patients during the pandemic. He is also a faculty member of the department of internal medicine of the faculty of health sciences at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Ori has been the director of Barzilai’s pulmonary institute and the institute for the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis since 2021.

About The Program

Mandel Program for Senior Executive Leadership in the Negev

NOVEMBER 2023 – JANUARY 2025

Dr. Naim Abu-Freha

Senior Physician and Chairman of the Arab Medical Associations in the Negev (AMAN)

Dr. Naim Abu-Freha, a specialist in internal medicine and gastroenterology, is a senior physician at the institute for gastroenterology and hepatology of the Soroka University Medical Center. He also serves as the head of the gastroenterology institute at Assuta Hospital in Beer Sheva, as a senior lecturer in the faculty of health sciences at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, and as the chairman of the Arab Medical Associations in the Negev (AMAN). Naim conducts research on diseases of the digestive system and works to promote health and health education in Bedouin society. He also organizes scientific conferences for doctors in Israel’s southern region. Naim studied medicine at the University of Tübingen in Germany and holds a master’s degree in health systems management from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. He completed his residency and sub-specialization at Soroka University Medical Center.

Dr. Nuzha Allassad Alhuzail

Senior Lecturer and Researcher, Sapir Academic College

Dr. Nuzha Allassad Alhuzail is a senior lecturer and qualitative researcher at Sapir Academic College, where she chairs the committee for the advancement of Arab students and for promoting fairness and partnership between Arabs and Jews on campus. A social activist and advocate for cooperation between the community and the academy, she was one of the founders of the Gateway to the Academy program, which promotes excellence among Bedouin students, and chaired the program in its first year. She also founded the Connecting Bridge program, which helps integrate social workers who have graduated from Arab academic institutions into Israel’s welfare services, and founded the Ausage program, which promotes the integration of indigenous knowledge into social work practice. Allassad conducts qualitative research on social issues in local and international contexts, such as social work in conflict areas, indigenous social work, and the impact of social change processes on traditional societies. She holds a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and doctorate in social work from Ben-Gurion University, and was a research fellow at Leiden University in the Netherlands and at FHNW – the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland. Allassad is the author of When the Shadow is Big, it’s a Sign that the Sun is Going Down: The Lives of Three Generations of Bedouin Women. A resident of the Negev, she is the recipient of the Path-Breaking Woman in Local Government Award, the Inspiring Lecturer Award from the national student union, and the Kreitman Award for outstanding doctoral students.

Yohan Atlan

CEO, Negev Council

Yohan Atlan is the founding CEO of the Negev Council, a civic organization that represents heads of local authorities, third-sector organizations, and various stakeholders from throughout the Negev. The Negev Council works with the state’s institutions to promote agreed-upon regional policy and to create a civic agenda that matches the needs, aspirations, and hopes of the Negev’s residents. Previously, he was the director of civic engagement and leadership of the young adult centers in the southern district. In this capacity, he advised and guided task groups of young people, launched youth parliaments in the youth centers, and established a national course for training social engagement coordinators in task forces. Yohan holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and technological sciences from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. He has lived in the Negev for 23 years and in Dimona for the past decade.

Khaled Azbarga

Director of the Eastern Subdistrict of the Southern District, Ministry of Welfare

Khaled Azbarga is a social worker who has diverse experience in the welfare field, in the third sector, and in local government. Prior to his current job as director of the eastern subdistrict of Israel’s southern district for the Ministry of Welfare, Khaled was a social worker in the welfare department of Segev Shalom and the unrecognized Bedouin villages of the Negev. He also worked in a nonprofit community advocacy organization as the director of a mobile unit for civil rights in the unrecognized Bedouin villages. As part of his current job, Khaled is responsible for the management of 16 communities (half of the southern district), working with mayors, CEOs, and treasurers. He creates partnerships to promote regional activities, assists welfare departments in managing their budgets in order to carry out government resolutions, and manages the subdistrict’s budget for activities. Khaled is a member of the forum of representatives of government ministries, which is led by the division for socio-economic development of Bedouin society in the Negev and is responsible for the five-year plan for Israel’s Bedouin authorities. Khaled holds a bachelor’s degree in social work and a master’s degree in public administration and policy from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

Ofra Baharav

Department Director, Beer Sheva Municipality

Ofra Baharav is the director of the department for promoting achievement, strategy, and pedagogical research and development of the Beer Sheva Municipality. In this capacity, she promotes educational and pedagogical programs in the Beer Sheva education administration together with the divisions for each age group. She also develops and leads strategic plans to improve qualitative and quantitative achievements, promotes municipal and school-based excellence programs, and advances special projects in the city’s educational system, including measurement and evaluation of municipal and scholastic programs. Previously, she worked as the director of the youth department at the Branco-Weiss Institute, where she developed and led social and emotional programs. She then worked in the Ministry of Education’s division for gifted and outstanding students, where she served as an instructor and developed social and emotional aspects of the special pedagogy for gifted students. Ofra established and led an interdisciplinary nationwide program for gifted students in high school, using groundbreaking methods of distance learning. She was also the principal of a school for gifted and outstanding students for eight years, and co-founded and co-directed the Bikurim School for gifted children in the Haredi community. Ofra was born and lived much of her life on Kibbutz Gevim in the Sha’ar HaNegev Regional Council. Today she lives in Ramat Raziel, in the Mateh Yehuda Regional Council.

Shani Barazi

ICT and Technology Supervisor, Southern District, Ministry of Education

Shani Barazi is the ICT supervisor of the Ministry of Education’s southern district. In this capacity, she leads digital pedagogy and digital learning in the southern region of Israel’s educational system during ordinary times and times of emergency, when distance learning is essential. Under her leadership, district-wide initiatives were developed and built. These include projects for online safety in kindergartens, young digital leadership, computational thinking in special education, and more. Shani also serves as a liaison for the implementation of the government resolution to relocate IDF forces to Israel’s south. As part of this role, she leads processes to build and expand the human capital of graduates of the district’s educational system as they approach their military service, by creating partnerships in and between ministries. She also represents the Ministry of Education in decision-making and planning regarding the implementation of the government’s relocation resolution. A member of the IDF’s academic reserve, Shani holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science, a teaching certificate from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a master’s degree in teaching science and technology from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. She lives in Beer Sheva.

Judge Yaniv Boker

Vice President of the Magistrate Courts, Southern District, Courts Administration

Judge Yaniv Boker is the vice president of the magistrate courts in Israel’s southern district. In this capacity, he serves as the vice president for planning and strategy. Yaniv is an expert in therapeutic law for juveniles and adults, criminal law, and civil law. Previously, he served as a military prosecutor in the Hebron and Bethlehem regions, defense attorney, private practice lawyer, civil registrar, family registrar, head of the civil enforcement office, senior registrar, juvenile court judge, community court judge, and is currently a civil judge. Yaniv studies and is interested in programming, artificial intelligence systems, and language models. He holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in law from Tel Aviv University.

Guy Donenfeld

Chief Engineer of the Bet Shemesh Municipality and CEO of the Israeli Association of Municipal Engineers

Guy Donenfeld is the chief engineer of the city of Beit Shemesh, after having served as chief engineer of Dimona from 2020-2024. An expert in planning and construction, relevant statutes, and real estate, he is responsible for the municipality’s engineering department and local planning and construction committee, which is undergoing significant development and growth. Since 2020, Guy has also served as CEO of the Israeli Association of Municipal Engineers and Architects (IAME), which is part of the Union of Local Authorities in Israel and represents and promotes the profession of municipal engineers and architects. Previously, Guy was the director of statutory planning for the Israel Ports Company, chief engineer of the Tamar Regional Council, and director of statutory affairs, planning, and building permits for the ICL group at the Dead Sea. He also held various planning roles in the civil service and the private sector. Guy holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture and urban planning and a master’s degree in real estate management from the Technion–Israel Institute of Technology. He grew up in Beer Sheva and is a member of Kibbutz Shoval in the Bnei Shimon Regional Council. Guy is active in his community and volunteers on committees in his regional council.

Sultan El Quraan

Director, Education Division, Kuseife Local Council

Sultan El Quraan has served as the director of the education division of the Kuseife Local Council since 2017. Previously, he was the principal of a primary school for eight years and taught mathematics in secondary schools. Sultan has worked in the education system for 25 years, serving in a variety of roles as a coordinator and educator. From 2005 to 2015 he was a team leader for the Yeholot Association, which was established by the Rashi Foundation to reduce gaps in achievement, increase perseverance, and increase the matriculation rate in Bedouin society. Sultan holds a master’s degree in education from Tel Aviv University, and has published several academic papers on emotional regulation in Bedouin teachers. He is a graduate of the Maoz network’s Advot educational leadership program and a member of Maoz’s SEL network, which works to include social-emotional learning in schools. Sultan also volunteers in a variety of forums and organizations that operate in Bedouin society in the Negev. He lives in the Kuseife Local Council.

Rachel Elmakies

Deputy District Attorney, Beer Sheva Region

Attorney Rachel Elmakies has accompanied and managed a wide range of criminal proceedings for more than 24 years, focusing on criminal offenses that are committed throughout Israel’s southern district, from Eilat to Ashdod. In her work as deputy district attorney for criminal affairs in the southern district, she coordinates one of two clusters of attorneys and managers who manage and accompany criminal proceedings in the district, accompanying police investigations and managing the cases in court. Rachel is involved in the day-to-day management of the district attorney’s office. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in law and a second master’s degree in administration and public policy, all from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She lives with her family in Yeruham.

Colonel (Res.) Chen Golani

Head of the ICT Department for the Southern Relocation, Israel Defense Forces

Chen Golani, a colonel in the IDF reserves, heads the information, communication, and technology (ICT) department for the IDF’s relocation to southern Israel. He is responsible for the relocation of the technology units of the ICT department and of the Air Force to the new ICT center in the innovation district in Beer Sheva, addressing all aspects of the ecosystem that influence the decision of IDF personnel to relocate to the south and impact cooperation between IDF units and partners in the Negev district. Previously, Chen served as the commander of the Matzpen software development unit of the ICT and cyber defense department, project manager for the creation of the IDF’s digital transformation administration, and commander of a classified unit in the ICT and cyber defense department. Chen holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology, anthropology, and computer science from Bar-Ilan University, and a master’s degree in business administration from the Peres Academic Center. He also completed a training course in group facilitation at the Open University. A graduate of Cohort 8 of the Mandel IDF Educational Leadership Program, Chen lives in Carmit.

Lior Kalfa

Director, Department for Social-Economic Development of Bedouin Society in the Negev, Ministry of Diaspora Affairs

Lior Kalfa is the director of the department for social-economic development of Bedouin society in the Negev within the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs. His department is responsible for the government’s five-year plan for Bedouin society – a program that involves 23 government ministries, local authorities, regional clusters, civil society organizations, and more. Previously, he was deputy director of the Israel Authority for Development and Settlement of Bedouin in the Negev, CEO of the Beit Moriah nonprofit organization in Beer Sheva, secretary of the community of Nitzan, chairman of the Gush Katif settlers’ committee, and executive director of the Neve Dekalim high school for religious girls. Prior to that, he worked in non-formal education. During the disengagement from Gaza, Lior was a leader in the struggle against the Israeli withdrawal and was involved in rehabilitating the evacuated communities, working with the government and Knesset to establish new residential communities. Lior has served as a plenary member of the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council, chairman of the local committee, and a board member of various nonprofit associations. Today, he is chairman of the association for the Neve Dekalim girls’ high school and a board member of the Gush Katif Heritage Center. Lior holds a bachelor’s degree in public policy, administration, and law from the Academic Center for Law and Science. He lives in Nitzan in the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council.

Hila Kaplan

CEO, Ramat HaNegev Regional Council

Hila Kaplan is the CEO of the Ramat HaNegev Regional Council, responsible for all aspects of the council and its communities. Hila works to overcome obstacles that arise when dealing with government agencies and promotes the plans of the council and its communities as part of a broad vision. Previously, she directed the “Shefa” urban improvement division in Ramat HaNegev, responsible for all municipal and environmental affairs in the regional council. As part of her work, she worked closely with the Ministry of Defense and the Israel Prison Service. Hila holds a bachelor’s degree in marine and environmental sciences from Ruppin Academic Center and a master’s degree in biotechnology and agriculture from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. A graduate of the Maoz network’s municipal leadership pipeline program, she lives with her family in Moshav Kadesh Barnea.

Netta Rozenfeld

Jewish Agency Representative for the Shaar HaNegev Communities

Netta Rozenfeld is the representative of the Jewish Agency for communities of Shaar HaNegev Regional Council, that are undergoing rehabilitation after the events of October 7, 2023. In this capacity, she assists the evacuated communities, of Shaar HaNegev, as well as those who returned home, in accessing and utilizing financial resources. Previously, Netta worked for the JDC Israel, first for Joint-TEVET, where she was the manager of employment and infrastructure programs for Arab society, and then for Joint-ELKA, where she served as head of resource utilization and team management. Netta has worked with senior public sector officials and trained the team that established the Western Negev regional cluster. She also managed the “Leading Change in East Jerusalem” program, which aims to enable the government and the municipality to formulate holistic socioeconomic solutions for challenges in East Jerusalem. Netta participated in writing government resolution 3790 to reduce socio-economic gaps and promote economic development in East Jerusalem, in formulating multi-sector recommendations for Government Resolution 1279 for the Bedouin of the Negev, and in formulating mechanisms to support the implementation of Government Resolution 550 in local authorities, including the Mawared initiative. Before joining JDC Israel, Netta was a member of the executive board of Motorola Solutions in southern Israel. Prior to that, she managed the southern branch of the Israel AIDS Task Force. Netta is trained in project management and group facilitation, and is a certified mediator. She holds a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science and a master’s degree in business administration, both from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Married with two daughters, she lives in Kibbutz Tze’elim.

Rabbi Hagit Sabag Israel

Educator and Social Entrepreneur

Rabbi Hagit Sabag Israel is a faculty member and academic director of the Jewish studies department at Ono Academic College. Hagit is a founder and co-chair of the Forum for Jewish Renewal in the Negev, which supports pluralistic programs and communities in the Negev. She is also active in “Arevota” – a beit midrash that creates dialogue between Sephardi/Mizrahi tradition and feminism. Hagit serves as a consultant to various organizations and public figures, participates in interfaith dialogue, leads study sessions for senior medical practitioners and therapists, provides spiritual support to families and individuals, and creates and conducts Jewish life cycle ceremonies and traditions. She holds a bachelor’s degree in criminology and informal education from Bar-Ilan University and a master’s degree in Jewish studies and rabbinic ordination from the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies. Hagit is also a graduate of the Hartman Institute’s Beit Midrash for Talmud. She has been a student and facilitator in Dr. Yair Caspi’s “Psychology in Judaism” institute and in the Morot Tzedek ("Teachers of Justice”) program in Jewish Sephardi law. Hagit’s current area of research focuses on traditional Mizrahi feminism. Married and a mother of three, she lives in Beer Sheva.

Hadas Shapira

CEO, Hevel Eilot Regional Council

Hadas Shapira is the CEO of the Hevel Eilot Regional Council. As CEO, Hadas implements strategic decisions, manages council units, and ensures the execution of policy initiatives that align with the council’s vision. Throughout her tenure, the council has achieved significant progress in demographic growth, service enhancement, and community resilience. Hadas is dedicated to sustainable development, formulating comprehensive work plans, supporting council committees, and establishing best practices that drive efficiency and effectiveness. Prior to her current role, Hadas held several key positions in both in local government and the private sector, including the role of economist for the port of Eilat. She is a board member of the Economic Company for the Development of Tourism in the Eilot Region, the Hevel Eilot Community Center, and the Association for the Promotion of Sports in the Eilot Region. Hadas holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and business administration and a master’s degree in business administration with a specialization in funding, both from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Hadas is lives in Beer Ora with her husband and their three children.

Chief Superintendent Yaniv Shlomo

Head of Bedouin Affairs, Ministry for Social Equality

Yaniv Shlomo is the head of Bedouin affairs at the Ministry for Social Equality. In this capacity, he collaborates with partners from Bedouin society in order to promote issues that need attention from government ministries. Yaniv is a member of steering committees, is involved in building a five-year plan, assists the Ministry’s senior leadership, and supports government ministries in preparing strategic plans, position papers, and event analyses based on the history, current lifestyles, and geographical location of Bedouin society in the Negev. Yaniv is involved in conflict resolution and crisis management in local and regional issues affecting Bedouin society, represents the Israel Police in discussions of strategic issues in the Negev, and leads the Israel Police’s negotiations unit in the southern district. Previously, he served as the advisor on Arab affairs for the Israel Police’s commander of the southern district. Yaniv holds a master’s degree in conflict management and resolution from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and is a graduate of the Maoz network’s municipal leadership pipeline program.

David Witztum

Deputy Director of the Public Defender’s Office, Southern District

Attorney David Witztum has worked since 2000 as a lawyer in the public defender’s office of Israel’s southern district, where he has held various positions, including director of the detentions department, supervisor of district court case files, and director of the department of supervision. Since 2013, he has served as deputy director of the public defender’s office and director of the appointments department. David also serves as an official auditor of detention and imprisonment conditions for the Ministry of Internal Security and lectures in professional in-service courses for attorneys offered by the Ministry of Justice and the Israel Bar Association. David holds a bachelor’s degree in law from Bar-Ilan University and is a graduate of the Executive Development Program of the Ministry of Justice and of the cadets’ program for senior staff of Israel’s Civil Service Commission.

Eliezer Yaakov

CEO of the Eastern Negev Cluster

Eliezer Yaakov has served as the CEO of the Eastern Negev Cluster since its founding in 2013. In this role, he leverages the cluster’s size, vision, and professional human capital to create and promote collaborations among authorities and sectors within and beyond the eastern Negev, adding significant value to the residents of the member authorities. Previously, he held various administrative positions in the local governmental sector, including treasurer of an authority, CEO of an economic company, deputy council head, external accountant for local authorities in various sectors during crises, and a member of the appointed committee that managed the city of Lod. Eliezer sees his participation in the recovery of authorities from financial and administrative crises as a privilege. He is a board member of a large agricultural association that unites seven agricultural settlements evacuated during the 2005 Gaza disengagement, and works to improve the way in which the organization defines policies and future areas of activity. Eliezer holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in law from Ono Academic College, a bachelor’s degree in economics and administration from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and an additional master’s degree in political science from Bar-Ilan University.

$Shmulik Yifrach$

Shmulik Yifrach

CEO, Beersheba Theater; Founder and Director of the Goodman Acting School of the Negev

Shmulik Yifrach has served as the CEO of the Beersheba Theater since 2019, a position he also held from 2010 to 2017. In the interim, he served as CEO of the Cameri Theatre. Shmulik has extensive experience in establishing, overseeing, and managing cultural projects and has led many initiatives to promote culture in Beer Sheva. He was a member of the steering committee of the Olam Hayeled (World of the Child) educational-cultural project, headed a forum to develop a five-year cultural plan for the city, co-founded the Fringe Theater in Beer Sheva’s Old City, and founded the Beer Sheva Theater for Children and Youth and the Goodman Acting School of the Negev, which he currently directs. Throughout his career, Shmulik has served as a director, teacher, producer, manager, and actor. He previously directed acting groups in the south, was the director of the Dimona Community Center, was a founder of the school of communications in Dimona, and coordinated the theater track in two high schools in Beer Sheva. Shmulik lives with his family in the Omer Local Council.

About The Program