Senior Staff |
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Mike Prashker – Founder and Director
Born in London, England and lives in Kiryat Ono. Moved to Israel in 1978. Founded MERCHAVIM in 1998 and serves as its Director. Previously responsible for the development of educational initiatives at Melitz
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Esti Halperin – Deputy Director of Education
Born in Michmoret, Israel and lives in Givatayim. Previously managed educational systems and held senior positions of leadership development in the IDF Education Corps. Has been working at MERCHAVIM since January 2005
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Roi Maor –COO/CFO
Born and lives in Tel-Aviv,
Israel. Holds an MA. in History from Tel-Aviv Uni., Israel. Previously Held senior positions of management, financial management and fundraising in leading human-rights organizations in Israrel. Has been working at MERCHAVIM since 2011.
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Aviva Simcha – Office Administrator
Born in Bet Shemesh, Israel and lives in Kibbutz Netzer Sireni. Previously worked as a teacher, as a teacher-training coordinator, as a volunteer facilitator and as office administrator at IMA (Israel Medical Assoc.). Has been working at MERCHAVIM since 2002.
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Enaam Elmadhoun – Content Manager and Newsletter Director
Born in Ramla, Israel. Holds an MSc. in Computing- Multimedia Applications Development from Middlesex Uni., England. Has extensive experience in computer guidance for teachers, content management and editing of electronic newsletters. Has been working at MERCHAVIM since 2002.
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Naomi Slater – Coordinator of International Activities
Born in Washington DC, USA and lives in Tel Aviv. Made Aliyah at the age of 24. Previously worked as a preschool teacher and journalist. Holds an MA in Conflict Management and Resolution. Has been working at MERCHAVIM since 2006.
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Matthew Lipman-Resource Development Coordinator
Born in London, England. Made Aliyah in 2004 and lives in Modi'in. Holds a BA in Politics and History, and MA in Jewish Education from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Has worked for several non-profit organizations in Israel and the Diaspora and has extensive experience in education and fundraising. Has been working at MERCHAVIM since 2011.
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Adva Harom – Development and Communications
Born in Ramt-Gan, Israel and lives in Ber-Yakov. Holds a Health Administration certificate and Hydrotherapy therapist certificate. Has previous experience in administrative work. worked as an adminstrative manager in the Department of Economics in a banking institution and as hydrotherapist in the rehab departyment at Tel-Hashumer Hospital. Has been working at MERCHAVIM since 2011.
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Pnina Radai – KULANANA Coordinator
Born in Gundar, Ethiopia and lives in Tel Aviv. Made Aliyah with her family at the age of 7. Holds a BA in Sociology and Communications, an MA in Management of Non-profit Organizations from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Has previous experience working towards social change in the non-profit sector, as a group facilitator and in human resources. Has been working at MERCHAVIM since 2009.
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Nasreen HAj - Yihya - Coordinator of Education
Born in Ramle, Israel and lives in Taybe. Holds a BA in Business Management, an MA in Education. Previously, worked as a director of customer relations department in Hapoalim Bank, and as an Arabic teacher in Jewish schools. Has been working at MERCHAVIM since 2010.
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Ruth Madar - Coordinator of the Jewish Religious school stream
Born in Tel Aviv, and lives in Himdat in Jordon valley. Group facilitator and educational counselor. Holds a degree in educational counseling, Graduated
from the center for advanced torah study for women- "Nishmat" and
completing her graduate studies in movement and therapy. Has wide experience in facilitating female groups of the religious sector. Has been working as a MERCHAVIM since 2008.
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Ohad Yaffe – Jewish-Secular School Support Coordinator
(Tel Aviv, Central and Jerusalem Districts)
Born in Rehovot, Israel and lives in Tel Aviv. Highly experienced citizenship and history teacher for the high school age group. Possesses extensive experience in endowing learning skills and facilitating multi-cultural groups. Co-founded the Kiryat-Ono Democratic High School. Has been working at MERCHAVIM since 2008.
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Kamal Agabriye – "Let's Talk" Coordinator, Facilitator
Born and lives in Jaffa, Israel. Studying for a BA in Political Science. Previously served as Director of Tel Aviv/Jaffa student body and currently Director of the Ajami neighbourhood committee in Jaffa. Highly experienced group facilitator, especially in developing Arab-Jewish leadership empowerment. Specializes in guidance processes and inter-cultural preparation for integrating Arab teachers in Jewish schools. Has been working as a MERCHAVIM facilitator and guide since 2004.
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Michal Livni – Jewish-Secular School Support Coordinator
(Northern and Haifa Districts)
Born in Kibbutz Maayan Tzvi, Israel, and lives in Zichron Yaacov. Works as a special education instructor at the Tel-Hai college. Highly experienced in shared citizenship work within educational frameworks and in coordinating and leading co-existence projects. Worked extensively as a teacher and educator for the kindergarten and primary school age groups. Has been working as a MERCHAVIM school coordinator since 2007 .
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Teacher-Training Facilitators |
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Orna Kano
Born in Kibbutz Giv'at Oz, Israel and lives in Haifa. Works as an educational counselor and group facilitator. Holds a BA in Jewish History, and MA in Educational Curriculum Development. Completed advanced studies in Educational Counseling. Works as an educational counselor for an Arab-Jewish bilingual school. Highly experienced facilitator of multi-cultural groups using drama and of women's groups. Has been working at MERCHAVIM since 2007.
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Daniel Rivkin
Born in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine, and lives in Haifa. Made aliyah at the age of 9 with his family. Studied in "Hesder Yeshiva in Sderot", holds a degree in teaching, Studying the rabbinate and completing his graduate studies in educational counseling. Works as a Group facilitator and head of Garin Torani in Hadar Yafe, Haifa. Has wide experience in guiding groups and in tutoring courses of "giyur" (Conversion to Judaism). Has been working as a MERCHAVIM since 2008.
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Esti Gross
Born in Boston, USA and lives in Bet Shemesh. Made Aliyah at the age of 17 and did National Service. Previously worked as groups facilitator and a district guide for prevention programs . Holds first and second degree in educational counseling and is a doctorate in the same field. Has a wide experience in dfacilitating groups of religious dialogue and aultra-religious groups. Has been working at MERCHAVIM since 2006.
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Tal Keligman
Born and lives in Jerusalem, Israel. Group facilitator and social education project manager. Holds a Bachelor's degree in Education / Sociology, and Master's degrees in Special Education and Politics / Management. Highly experienced in multi-cultural dialogue. Has been working at MERCHAVIM since 2004.
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Tali Raz
Born and lives in Haifa. Group facilitator and mediator. Holds a BA in Political Science and Sociology and an MA in Conflict Management and Resolution. Lectures on mediation and conflict management in communal and educational frameworks. Highly experienced in facilitating women's groups and groups in conflict. Has been working at MERCHAVIM since 2007.
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Leora Ayalon
Born in Haifa, Israel and is a member of Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Group facilitator. Holds a BA and an MA in Jewish History. Has extensive experience as a high-school history teacher. Highly experienced in facilitating groups in religious-secular dialogue, dealing with Jewish cultural identity and writing programs in the field.
Has been working at MERCHAVIM since 2007.
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Libi Sumin Levin
Born in Latvia, Soviet Union and lives in Modi'in. Made Aliyah at the age of 15 with her family. Group facilitator and organizational advisor. Holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a Master's in Organizational Psychology. Highly experienced facilitator focusing on "difference" with IDF, new immigrant and religious groups. Has been working at MERCHAVIM since 2004.
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Abeer Halabi
Born and lives in Daliyat al Carmel, Israel. Social worker and group facilitator. Holds MA in Social Work. Highly experienced facilitator of women's and conflict groups. Has been working at MERCHAVIM since 2004.
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Fachera Haloun
Born in Isfiya, Israel and lives in Jerusalem. Social worker and group facilitator. Holds a BA in Social Work and MA in Criminology. Previously worked as Parole Officer for youth and adults. Has been working at MERCHAVIM since 2003.
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Maya Rabi
Born and lives in Ramle, Israel. Group facilitator. Holds a BA in Psycology and doing her MA in Clinical Psycology. Higly experineced mediator for diverse groups. Has been working at MERCHAVIM since 2009.
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Miguel cal-shuval
Born in Israel, lives in givataym. Group facilitator .Holds a Bachelor's degree in theater and Multidisciplinary Studies. Highly experienced in working and Group facilitating of Disadvantaged: Special needs(children, teens and adults, with psychiatric disability ),teenagers ( both in the community and institutionalized ), parents and educational staff. Has been working at MERCHAVIM since 2011.
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Shimon Statfeld
Born in Cyprus and lives in Bat Hefer. Is a citizenship teacher, educational counselor and group facilitator. Holds a BA in Psychology and an MA in Educational Counseling. Is highly experienced in group facilitation with crisis and conflicted groups and guiding organizational change. Has been working at MERCHAVIM since 2007.
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Pedagogical Facilitators |
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Olla Perry – Arabic Language Pedagogical Instructor – "Let's Talk" program
Born in Moscow, the former Soviet Union, lives in Ra'anana. Made Aliyah at the age of 5 with her family. Arabic teacher and pedagogical instructor. Holds a BA in Arabic Language and Middle Eastern Studies and an MA in Linguistic Pedagogy. Serves as a pedagogical instructor at Levinsky Teachers' College. Highly experienced literary Arabic teacher and pedagogical instructor. Has been working at MERCHAVIM since 2005.
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