The Ofir Program

Background:

The State of Israel is currently facing an unprecedented challenge in its history. The events of October 7 not only shook our nation but also exposed a disturbing rise in antisemitism and global hatred toward the Jewish people. The significant challenges facing the Jewish people today demand mutual cooperation and partnership between Israel and the Diaspora. Only through working together can we turn these challenges into opportunities and emerge stronger from this difficult period.

Ophir Libstein, head of the Sha’ar HaNegev Regional Council since 2018, fell on October 7 alongside his son Nitzan, who was murdered while defending their kibbutz. Their deaths were a devastating loss, impacting many people across Israel and around the world. Ophir’s leadership and unique character served as a shining example of extraordinary leadership, especially during Israel’s darkest hours. His actions and influence on the western Negev region remain a testament to a different kind of leadership, leaving a lasting legacy for us all.

The “Ohr Ophir Fund” was established to ensure that Ophir’s values continue to be realized and to carry on his vision. This is a moral duty and mission for us, aimed at addressing future challenges by cultivating unifying leadership capable of tackling national and global issues. His leadership embodies inspiration, dedication, and commitment to fostering a united society, while upholding values of morality, empathy, social justice, and tolerance. At the heart of this mission is the strengthening of Jewish solidarity and the creation of an extensive network of connections between Israel and the Diaspora, bearing a clear message: Am Yisrael Chai!

The Gesher Leadership Institute nurtures and trains Israeli leaders, influential in their fields, to promote connections between various segments of the Jewish people in Israel and between Israel and the Diaspora. The Institute’s programs facilitate in-depth encounters and dialogue between diverse groups within Israeli society, as well as the building of bridges between Israel and Jewish communities around the world. The Gesher Leadership Institute’s alumni network is a community of change-makers engaged in impactful initiatives.

In the spirit of Ophir, we have established the “Ofir Program” – A Bridge for International Jewish Leadership.

The program is committed to developing emerging leadership in Israel and the Diaspora while fostering a strong network within the global Jewish community.

Program Vision:

To create a global Jewish leadership network that fosters cross-sectoral, cross-stream, cross-cultural, and cross-geographical collaborations within the Jewish people. These leaders will work together to address the challenges of the Jewish people, making a significant impact both locally and globally in key areas of the Jewish world.

Program Objectives:

– Peer learning and building a common language between Israeli and Diaspora leaders around the challenges of the Jewish people and finding a shared purpose.
– Providing inspiration, knowledge, and tools to address current and future challenges facing Israeli society and the Jewish Diaspora.
– Developing and implementing joint initiatives to address the challenges of the Jewish people and fulfill their shared mission.
– Creating meaningful connections within an active and extensive global Jewish alumni network.

Target Audience:

The program’s target audience includes senior figures in Israeli society who are graduates of programs focusing on the Jewish Diaspora, alongside senior leaders and community members from Jewish communities around the world. Participants should be eager to develop their leadership skills in the Jewish world and the broader society, strengthen community resilience, and make an impact in various fields of concern to the Jewish people.

Steering Committee:

Our program is developed and led by top experts in the fields of leadership, Jewish peoplehood, and Israeli society.

The program is headed by Prof. Ariel Feldstein, a resident of the western Negev, historian, researcher of the Zionist idea and Israeli leadership, and recipient of the Prime Minister’s Award for Leadership Studies. He leads the academic aspects of the program. Together with Ms. Shira Serez-Zik, Director of the Gesher Leadership Institute, and a team of top Israeli and European lecturers, they will guide the program.

Among the program’s lecturers are:

– Tzipi Livni – Politician and public figure, former Knesset member and Israeli government minister.
– Miriam Peretz – Israel Prize laureate and speaker on leadership and education.
– Zeev Bielski – Former Mayor of Ra’anana, Knesset member, Chairman of the Jewish Agency and World Zionist Organization.
– Jonathan Davis – Vice President for External Relations and Head of the Raphael Recanati International School at Reichman University.
– Retired Commissioner and Brigadier General Orit Adato – Former Commissioner of the Israel Prison Service and Chief IDF Women’s Corps Officer, Chairperson of Gesher.
– Avraham Infeld – Co-founder of Birthright, founder and President of Melitz, and the first Jewish Agency emissary to the U.S.

Program Structure:

Each cohort will consist of approximately 21 leaders from Israel and the Diaspora. The course will span about nine months and include seminars in Israel and Europe, as well as study sessions with individual and professional mentorship.

The program is rich and includes encounters with inspiring lecturers, tours, meetings in Israel and abroad, and is led by a professional facilitator to create a significant group process.

Program Fees: $500 (Financial assistance is available through the Steering Committee upon request.)

Program Components:

– November 17-18, 2024 – Preparation Seminar in Israel (for the Israeli side).
– February 13-16, 2025 – Seminar in Budapest, Hungary.
– June 22-25, 2025 – Seminar in the Gaza Envelope and Jerusalem, Israel.
– Ten Zoom sessions every three weeks throughout the seminar year on Wednesdays, from 18:00-21:00 Israel time, starting on March 12, 2025.
– Development of joint initiatives to address the challenges of the Jewish people and build a shared mission as part of the program. A Zoom presentation event for these initiatives will take place in October.

Upon completing the course, participants will join a prestigious global leadership network of program alumni, which will include content meetings, professional support, a high-quality network, and annual meetings in Israel and abroad.

Eligibility Criteria:

– Managerial Experience: At least five years of experience managing people and projects.
– Leading Position in the Public, Social, or Private Sector: Mandatory.
– Aged 30-50.
– Teamwork and Collaboration: Experience working with diverse teams from across Israeli society and the Jewish Diaspora to promote cross-sectoral and cross-continental collaboration.
– Connection to the Jewish world and Israeli society: A desire to promote initiatives for the Jewish people.
– Academic Education, Bachelor’s Degree: Mandatory.
– Proficiency in English: Mandatory.
– For overseas applicants: Basic Hebrew knowledge – Mandatory.
– For overseas applicants: Leadership program graduates – Advantage.
– For Israeli applicants: Graduates of leadership programs focused on the Jewish Diaspora, particularly those with a long-term commitment to alumni networks in this field.
– Commitment to full participation in all program sessions.
– Commitment to carrying out a joint initiative with other program participants upon completion of the course.

Admission Process:

– Stage 1: Registration, completion of an evaluation questionnaire, and submission of a writing assignment by September 10, 2024.
– Stage 2: Personal interview with the program’s selection team, scheduled for September 2024.

To apply for the program, please fill out the online application form:
https://forms.gle/ubhRc1mXM