About the Gesher Leadership Institute
Our Vision
The Gesher Leadership Institute nurtures and trains Israeli leaders to forge connections and unity between different sectors of the Jewish people in Israel and the Diaspora.
The Institute’s fellows are “change agents” who are influential in their field in Israeli society. Following on from their participation in the course, the leaders promote inter-sectoral discussion and partnership between the ultra-Orthodox, religious, traditional and secular sectors. In addition, they are active in strengthening the relationship between Israel and Jewish communities in the Diaspora.
Our Activities
- Leadership Courses
We select leaders from the worlds of education, business, security forces, academia, and social activism and we show them how to build common ground between different sectors of society, while maintaining mutual respect and understanding of the “other’s” needs.
The various tracks offered by the Institute attract participants from different backgrounds who participate in riveting dialogues and discussions within the group, listen to top-notch lecturers, develop their leadership skills, confront burning social and identity issues and travel to a Jewish community in the Diaspora for an intensive on-site visit.
:Leadership Tracks
A. Gsharim Leadership Track – for people holding key positions who passionately believe in the importance of Israel’s social fabric. The course consists of thought-provoking sessions and dialogue with different sectors of Israeli society, as well as training for designing and implementing projects. Subsequent to completing the course, fellows choose a personal project within their sphere of influence which promotes unity and dialogue between different groups in Israel and the Diaspora.
B. Media Leadership Track – Gsharim.com – for senior Israeli media personalities who set the public agenda through written, electronic and social media. During the course, the media leaders, who come from varying outlets and backgrounds, get to know each other and engage in serious discussions about the role of the media in Israel.
C. Gesher to the Diaspora Track – for public-opinion shapers who hold senior positions in Israeli society. The chosen fellows are afforded a unique opportunity to familiarize themselves with Diaspora Jewry, through dialogue and an in-depth mission to a Jewish community in the Diaspora.
- The Leadership Graduate Network (LGN)
Upon completion of the course, graduates join the Leadership Graduate Network. The Institute arranges on-going activities for graduates of each cohort, as well as an Annual Conference for all fellows. The network is an opportunity for our change-agents to leverage their individual expertise to help each other enhance dialogue and activism in Israeli society.
- Professional Training Seminars
Upon request, the Institute runs professional training seminars for different target audiences – school staff and principals, IDF personnel, university lecturers, youth movement leaders etc. Through facilitated discussions, site visits and lectures, the seminars teach how to approach issues in Israeli society and how to engage in dialogue between the different sectors.
To book a training seminar, contact us at: [email protected]
Team
Director and Founder of the Institute. Responsible for all programs at the Institute, including management and content aspects. Shira is a group facilitator and holds a Master’s degree with honors in Nonprofit and Community Organization Management from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She is also an internationally certified NLP Practitioner. Shira serves as a board member of “Rashut HaRabim,” an organization promoting Jewish renewal in Jerusalem. She leads the “Tevel Forum” for leadership program directors organizing delegations to the Diaspora.
Manages the entire alumni sector of the Gesher Leadership Institute, including conferences and workshops aimed at strengthening the network and dialogue among alumni. Additionally, provides support to alumni in launching change-making initiatives within their spheres of influence.
Responsible for the development and execution of collaborative projects among all alumni. Chava served as Vice President of Marketing at a high-tech company for many years, initiated and coordinated projects for national service organizations, and is an active community organizer. She has led several initiatives in the Nof Ayalon community and currently serves as the Chairperson of the Parents’ Council at the Sha’alvim Ulpana and as a member of the Gezer Regional Council’s plenary.
Responsible for all logistical aspects of the Gesher Leadership Institute, both in Israel and the Diaspora. Holds a degree in Economics and Logistics.
Advisory Committee
Sits on the Board of Directors at Gesher, Lt-Gen (res.) in IDF, former head of IDF Women’s Corps and former Chief Commissioner of Israel Prison Service. She is the founder and director of Adato Consulting Ltd.which provides international consulting on prison management in general and terrorist inmates in particular, as well as on leadership in Israel and abroad. Orit is the Chairperson of the GLI steering committee and is one of the Institute’s founders.
Gesher’s CEO since 2011. Sits on the Board of several social organizations such as the National Service Association, Eshkolot, Heled etc. He is a well-known social activist in his home town of Bet Shemesh and is a former city councilor and chairman of the city’s Partnership 2000. Ilan set up the roundtables forum in Bet Shemesh with representatives from all sectors of the city’s population. He is the founder of the GLI.
Sits on the Board of Directors at Gesher as the representative of the Morris Family Foundation. A facilitator at the Shefer School of Parenting and, until recently director of the Gush Etzion branch of the Big Brother, Big Sister mentoring program. A graduate of the school of social work at the Hebrew University. Liz is the Chairperson of the Gsharim.com media leadership track.
Academic Monitoring
The course’s activities are complemented by constructive research assessments to determine the effectiveness of the activities in the field. The assessments integrate questionnaires, observations, checking outcomes, and the like.
In addition, the course engages in preparing articles and position papers on the topic of relations between different groups of Jews, both in Israel and between Israel and the Diaspora.