Mandel Program for Regional Leadership in Dimona, Arad, and the Eastern Negev

The goal of the program is to train a group of high-quality leaders who will work to significantly improve various areas of life for residents of the Dimona, Arad, and the Eastern Negev in general

The Challenge

Arad and Dimona are cities in the eastern Negev that share similar problems: remoteness from centers of employment, education and culture; reduced access to high–quality teaching and education; difficulty retaining young talent; and a relatively low ranking in Israel’s socioeconomic scale (4 out of 10). These two cities are the focus of one of the two current regional leadership programs conducted by the Mandel Center for Leadership in the Negev.

Target Population

Fellows in the Mandel Program for Regional Leadership in Dimona, Arad, and the Eastern Negev are proven leaders in local government and civil society who are dedicated to improving the quality of life for all residents. They include school principals, local authority officials, social workers, managers of tourism departments, and social entrepreneurs.

The Course of Studies

During the program, the fellows examine the characteristics and challenges of the region in which they work, explore challenges facing Israeli society from economic, social, historical, and cultural perspectives, and learn about the complexities of governance and policymaking. Meetings with prominent leaders introduce them to different leadership patterns and styles, and help them explore the concept of “acts of leadership” at the level of the individual, community, and town or city.

The program also equips fellows to promote initiatives that will improve the lives of residents of their towns, to create and strengthen shared spaces for the different communities of the Negev, and to foster partnerships, ideas, and practical solidarity.

Impact in the Field

Graduates of the program are expected to follow in the footsteps of graduates of previous regional programs in Jewish localities, who have gone on to serve in key positions in public systems and local municipalities. Examples include a graduate of the Beer Sheva regional program who is now a member of the Israeli Knesset, and a social worker who graduated from the Yeruham and Ramat Hanegev program and subsequently established an early childhood campus in Yeruham that provides comprehensive educational, medical, and social services.

Program Director: Israel Sorek