This year 33 fellows are participating this year in the Mandel School for Educational Leadership. The 15 fellows of Cohort 18 are in their second year of studies. Cohort 19, which began this year, consists of 17 fellows.

Cohort 19

Revital Amiran served as a lecturer in political science at Tel Aviv University and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. She has also taught at UCLA Berkeley. She holds a Ph.D. in political science from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, an M.A. in political science from Tel Aviv University, and a B.A. in comparative literature and political science from Bar-Ilan University. Prior to her doctoral studies she ran a community center in Ramat Gan. She is interested in political thought, Zionism, political leadership, political behavior in Israel, and nationalism.



Vered Amar served as chair of the administrative board of the MAROM program—a joint undertaking of the Merom Hagalil Regional Council, the United Jewish Israel Appeal of the UK and the Rashi Foundation. The program is intended to generate growth in the field of education by establishing a community education campus in conjunction with the Ministry of Education that offers a physical and pedagogical infrastructure for creating a learning continuum from preschool to high school. She holds an M.A. in Geography, Environment and Society from Tel Aviv University, and a B.A. in architecture from the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design. She is interested in spearheading change processes in local government, with an emphasis on developing the fields of strategic planning, education, and social welfare.


Gad Bartov headed the Bnei Akiva high school yeshiva in Kfar Haroe’h. He received rabbinic ordination from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, and holds an M.A. in Jewish Law from Tel Aviv University and a B.Ed. in Oral Law and Jewish Philosophy from the Michlalah Jerusalem College. While at the yeshiva high school, he instituted a special major for the study of law. He has been a member of the Tzohar organization of religious-Zionist rabbis, and is interested in halakha, the philosophy of halakha, and Jewish law.




Limor Berman Harms served as the principal of the elementary school in Kfar Shemaryahu, Hof Hasharon. Earlier, she was the principal of the Hasmonean School in Jaffa, a school with a mixed population. Under her stewardship, the school won a national education award for teaching values of dialogue and multiculturalism, and improving academic achievement. She completed her M.A. cum laude in educational administration and policy and her B.A. in education and history at Tel Aviv University. She believes in the need to create a meaningful pluralistic space within educational settings that stimulates thinking and invites emotional experiences as a basis for empowering individuals there. Limor is interested in the influence of Web 2.0 technologies on the fields of education, gender, multiculturalism, and principal training.


David Blaugrond served on the Harish-Katzir Local Council and was a member of the Special Regional Planning Commission for the city of Harish. He has rabbinic ordination from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, and holds a B.A. in economics and business administration and a certificate in public administration from Touro College.






Mulu Brahan served as director of the Shiluvim program—a unique project administered jointly by the Haifa-Boston Connection and the Haifa Municipality. The program offers a systemic, holistic response to the integration of Ethiopian immigrants living in Haifa. Mulu holds an M.A. in education from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and a B.A. in special education and human resources management from the University of Haifa. She is interested in finding creative and innovative ways to empower and integrate weaker populations in the fabric of Israeli life.




Bezalel Cohen is active in promoting employment in the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) world. Together with several partners, he founded the KEMACH non-profit organization for haredi professional advancement to provide financial assistance to haredi students through scholarships for social entrepreneurship from the Israel Venture Network (IVN). He has initiated, developed, and run employment programs for the haredi sector at JDC Israel (the Joint), among them programs for integrating haredim in the technical systems of the IDF, and for bringing haredi men into academic learning. He has fostered internal haredi dialogue, primarily through haredi Internet forums. He is also a member of the editorial board of Eretz Acheret magazine. Bezalel is a graduate of Torah study programs, and is presently studying for his B.A. in sociology and political science through the Open University. His areas of interest include social changes in the haredi world, particularly in the area of employment: professional training, higher education and army service, promotion of internal dialogue in the haredi world, and dialogue between the various populations in Israeli society.


Keren Epstein served as manager of a development group at Check Point Software Technologies, an Israeli high-tech company specializing in data security. She holds an M.Sc. in neurobiology from the Weizmann Institute of Science and a B.Sc. in mathematics and computer science from Tel Aviv University, both cum laude. She is interested in teaching creativity and values, and in the use of puppetry as an educational-therapeutic tool.




David Fridman taught mathematics and physics and served as a homeroom teacher and grade-level coordinator at Pardes Hanna Agricultural School and ORT Shapira in Kfar Saba. Concurrently, he was a political activist in the National Secondary-School Teachers Organization, where he founded the New Spirit movement. He holds an M.Sc. and B.A. in mechanical engineering from Tel Aviv University. His areas of interest include advanced learning methods, different school models, and educating students toward political involvement.




Gideon Kaplan was a co-founder and VP of technologies and R&D at Gilat Satellite Networks and Sandlinks Systems. He holds a Ph.D. in information theory, and a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in electrical engineering and communications, all from the Technion. He volunteers with the Yedid non-profit organization, leading a group that adopted the organization’s Ashkelon branch several years ago. He is interested in entrepreneurship; leadership; interpersonal communication; education and volunteering in the third sector; literature; and sailing.



Udi Klein served as deputy director of sales and branches for Kidum test preparation services. At this post, he initiated and led the process of turning the company’s branches into learning centers with added value, creating a package of services and support for the student, above and beyond the didactic content, and building a professional staff. He holds an MBA in business administration and an LLB degree from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Udi has volunteered with the Acharai! non-profit organization for promoting meaningful IDF service. His areas of interest include public policy, with an emphasis on reducing social gaps and leading processes of change and empowerment at the personal and organizational levels; prose and poetry; and history.


Tomer Oshry served as head of the Negev pre-army preparatory academy and as director of  the Gal Center for Educational Leadership at Sde Boker. He holds an M.A. in Bible Studies from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, a B.A. in education and history, and a teaching certificate in history. Tomer is interested in existentialist philosophy, Hellenist history, history of the Land of Israel, education, and Bible. 





David Peretz is a musician, artist, performer, producer, writer, and lecturer. In particular, he is involved in cultural entrepreneurship and in fostering local culture in Beersheva and southern Israel. He taguht music and writing at the Branco Weiss high school in Beersheva. David holds an M.A. in Hebrew literature from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and a B.Ed. in geography and computer instruction from Lifshitz Teachers College. He is interested in music, words, and the people between the two.




Yoav Pridan served as co-director of the educational initiative for teaching thinking “Metanoya–Education for Smart Thinking” and developed educational programs in the fields of economic thought and the development of thought through games. In addition he was the CEO of a company in East Asia, and served in managerial positions in the Finance Ministry and the UMT company in London and served as a legal advisor at the Antitrust Authority. Yoav holds an MBA in management from Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University in Rotterdmam, Holland and an LLB and BA in administration from Tel Aviv University. He is interested in educational public policy, economic thought, teaching thinking, innovation, games and more.


Lirit Serphos served as deputy head of the National Security Council’s Policy Planning Division, where she helped formulate an integrative policy for the Arab sector and a consensual arrangement for Bedouin settlement. In recent years, she launched and ran the ZALA project of the LEAD non-profit organization which empowers citizens to address social problems using teams to improve society. Lirit holds an MBA from Tel Aviv University as well as an M.A. in urban and regional planning from the Technion and a B.A. in agriculture from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Her areas of interest include the third sector, the environment, futurology, and partnerships that cross boundaries.


Ofer Yichye served as an instructor in the OMETZ program-Central Region—a program for enhancing academic success as a tool for preventing drop-out and expulsion from schools. He also served as the principal of the Kiryat Ye’arim school for at-risk youth, which, under his direction, became a six-year high school. He holds an M.A. in political science from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a B.A. in Jewish history and international relations. He is interested in German history-Holocaust studies, youth at risk, and photography.




Ariav Yust served as a rabbi/teacher at the Bnei David–Eli pre-army preparatory program, post-army beit midrash, and institute for higher talmudic studies. The yeshiva trains Torah scholars to serve as commanders and officers in the IDF and to take their place as leaders in public life. He has served as rabbi of the Mizrachi congregation and head of the Yavneh yeshiva and girls’ seminary in Antwerp, Belgium. His work there centered on preparing families and students for their aliyah to Israel and integration here. He earned his rabbinic ordination from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and holds an M.A. in Jewish Law from Tel Aviv University and a B.Ed. in Biblical Studies and Oral Law from Herzog Teachers’ College in Alon Shvut. He is interested in the following areas: education aimed at integrating the Torah approach into everyday life, and in Talmud, philosophy, Jewish law, secular law, and music.


Cohort 18 


Ilil Alexander is a writer, director and producer of documentary films, a lecturer in documentary cinema and scriptwriting, a facilitator of documentary film development workshops, a mentor of young creative talent and a moderator of workshops on human rights. She holds a BA in Philosophy, Communications and Journalism from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and an MFA in Film and Television from Tel-Aviv University. She managed the International Festival of Student Films and the production workshops of the Tel Aviv-Los Angeles partnership.



Rachel Azaria holds the portfolios for Early Childhood and for Community Administrations as a member of the Jerusalem city council representing the “Wake Up Jerusalemites” list and previously directed the “Mevoi Satum” organization for women whose husbands have refused them a divorce. She holds a BA in Psychology and the Multidisciplinary Program and an MA in Conflict Research, Management and Resolution from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Liat Bar-Shishat served as the vice principal of the Pelech Experimental High School in Jerusalem. In addition, she headed the Kfar Adumim Israel Scouts Group and is pursuing a doctorate in Organizational Sociology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She holds a BA in Education and Sociology and an MA in Organizational Sociology from the Hebrew University.

Leah Behar-Tsalik, served as the pedagogical director of the of the Institute for Democratic Education and as a faculty member of the "Incubator for Social and Educational Initiatives" academic program and was among the leaders of the "Bat Yam Model of Personal Education". She was a partner in the founding of several unique educational frameworks, amongst them the "Academy for Youth Dialogue". She has a BA in Psychology and Theater and is completing an MA in Historical-Philosophical Perspectives of Education from Tel-Aviv University.



Michael  Biton served as the Director of Partnerships and Strategic Planning at UIA Canada in Israel. Previously, he headed the "Atid B'Midbar" organization, founded and chaired a non-profit organization for youth in Yeruham and served as a member of the Meimad regional council. He has a BA in Behavioral Sciences and Hebrew Literature from Ben Gurion University an MA in Management of Non-Profit Organizations from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Tzachi Cohen

Dalia Halabi

Paz Hirschmann

Tamar Milstein

Kareem Nassar

Shmuel Slotki