SID ISRAEL
Yearly Summary
April 2016 - March 2017
This Was Our Year
We are delighted to present our annual report for 2016–2017 to the Pears Foundation. The opportunity
we have been given to advance the field of humanitarian aid and international development in Israel is
an exciting privilege, and one we do not take lightly. We are proud to be able to report on our progress
in working with a growing community of public and non-profit institutions and organizations, as well as
private businesses, who share our belief in the importance of Israeli activity in the developing world.
We are immensely grateful to the Pears Foundation for its partnership and support, without which none
of our achievements would have been possible, nor would our ongoing work. We very much hope that,
together, we will continue to advance this field in the coming years, and that we will be joined in our efforts
by a growing circle of partners and supporters.
Yours,
Alon Beer and the staff of SID Israel
SID Israel in numbers:
• 83 organisations are now members of our international
development and humanitarian aid community (please
see attached list)
• 1,600 people have taken part in SID Israel activities
• 7,500 subscribers to the SID Israel newsletter
• 10,500 followers of our activities via social networks
• 14,500 people introduced to the organisation’s activity
and to the field of humanitarian aid and
international development
1. Training and Capacity Building
The Israeli Centre
for International
Development and
Humanitarian Aid
Studies — SID Israel
We are proud to announce that we
have established the Israeli Centre
for Humanitarian and International
Development Studies. The Centre,
which was formally launched in
March 2016, offers professional
training and career development
to support Israelis working, or
seeking to work, in international
aid and development organisations.
The main thrust of the Centre’s
work has been the creation of an
annual flagship program of courses,
designed and delivered with the
involvement of Israel’s leading
experts in this field. Some of these
courses are provided in partnership
with Israeli organizations, such as
ZAKA, and others in partnership
with international organizations,
such as UNICEF, as well as with
academic programs such as
the Glocal master's program at
the Hebrew University, and the
Academic College of Tel Aviv Yaffo.
Participants in these courses learn
about the history and structure of
the world of aid and development;
explore and discuss the central
dilemmas in the areas of long-term
humanitarian aid and development;
receive tools for applying to a
variety of jobs in international
organisations; and acquire skills
for staff management and decision
making. Courses generally include
a simulation assignment, requiring
participants to review and apply
the material studied in real-life
cases. The sessions (comprising
both lectures and workshops) are
delivered by lecturers and field
workers with practical experience
of working in the developing world
in both Israeli and international
organisations.
The establishment of the Centre
reflects two important trends and
needs: the growing number of
those affected by natural disasters
and armed conflicts around the
world, with a subsequent rise in
demand for professionals able to
provide immediate relief and to
establish long-term rehabilitation
programs; and the need to increase
the involvement of Israelis as
Training Course in
Working Responsibly in
Disaster Areas—Volunteers
Responding to the Refugee
Crisis in Europe
professionals in humanitarian aid and international development organisations,
not only because Israelis have much to offer in this regard, but also because
increased Israeli presence in this field can also greatly help Israel’s development
as a tolerant, open, and accepting society, ready to extend aid to the “other”.
One of our long-term goals for the Centre is to establish a program that
awards an academic diploma in international development and humanitarian
aid. To this end, we have begun exploratory discussions with a number of
recognised academic institutions in Israel.
In addition to its flagship program, the Centre also develops and delivers a
range of shorter courses for international aid and development professionals
and volunteers. Recent and future examples include:
Courses
⋅ Children’s Rights in Multi-Cultural Societies and Conflict Zones
⋅ Medical Responses and their Use in Emergency Humanitarian Aid Systems
⋅ Principles for Working Responsibly in Disaster Zones, as part of the Master’s
Program in Social Work at the University of Haifa
⋅ Emergency Project Directors’ course, in partnership with RedR
⋅ Introduction to International Development—Theory and Practice
Symposia
⋅ International Aid Employment Opportunities
⋅ Integrating into Emergency Aid Teams
⋅ Global Refugeeism
⋅ Economic Development in Developing Countries: One Step Forward,
Two Steps Back
⋅ Leveraging Social Media Management for Development Work
Workshops
⋅ Corporate Responsibility as a Non-Profit Tool for Partnerships
and Fundraising
⋅ The Role of Development in Areas of Conflict
⋅ The United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals
In-Service Training Unit
⋅ Planning and Implementation of Community Projects in the
Developing World
⋅ Integration and Work in Emergency Teams
Please see the attached list of SID Israel lecturers.
SID Israel has provided three
professional training courses to
the NGOs Natan-International
Humanitarian Aid and IsraAID.
These courses were focused
on doctors and mental health
professionals from the Arab sector
volunteering in Europe in response
to the recent refugee crisis there.
The two courses delivered for
Natan, in April and July 2016, were
for volunteers for the organisation’s
activities in Serbia, while the course
for IsraAID, delivered in March, was
for volunteers for the organisation’s
aid work in Greece. We were
particularly pleased that these two
organisations, which normally prefer
to work independently, decided to
participate in courses run by SID
Israel — an indication of the added
value that our training expertise
offers to Israeli aid and development
organisations.
A total of 54 participants took part
in these training courses.
Workshops for High
School Students
In May 2016, we conducted
workshops
on
international
volunteering at high schools in Bnei
Brak and Tel Aviv, engaging students
in a debate about our obligations,
rooted in Jewish tradition, to help
others, both Jews and non-Jews,
whether in Israel or abroad. The
workshops included first-hand
Educational Program for
Global Citizenship
The program for global citizenship
works to inform the future
generations of Israeli society about
our role as Israelis in the globalised
world we inhabit. Over the last year,
this program has been run in five
schools at ninth-grade level, and
we have delivered 112 lessons on
globalisation topics.
After several years of running a pilot
program and gaining approval from
the Ministry of Education, we are
happy to report that the program
has now also been approved as
a recognised in-service teacher
training program, meaning that
teachers who choose to participate
(and then teach the program
elements in their classrooms)
accounts from former volunteers,
and the students explored and
discussed such topics as the
importance of global volunteering,
the potential benefits of overseas
volunteering, and the dilemmas that
arise in the context of volunteering
abroad.
These high-school workshops form
an important part of our efforts to
raise the profile of international aid
and development work in Israel,
particularly among young people,
and to encourage volunteering in
this field. They also help encourage
are eligible for credits and
compensation from the Ministry of
Education. The first teacher training
courses are now planned for Beer
Sheva (February-March 2017),
Ashdod (February-March 2017),
and Kiryat Shmoneh (date to be
finalised soon). Subjects taught in
the course include: The economy
and history of globalisationrelevant effects on Israeli society
and politics; Children’s rights from
a comparative perspective over
the years; International institutions
and international law relating
to humanitarian issues; Aid and
development-civil society in Israel;
and Ministry of Foreign Affairs
policy and Israeli aid (presented by
a Ministry representative). Due to a
high demand from various schools
across Israel, the program is being
translated to Arabic, to be used in
schools throughout Arab-Israeli
communities.
young people to be more open to
seeing the needs and challenges of
others, and to think about taking
responsibility, as individuals and as
a group.
2. Influencing Public Attitudes and Policy
Unfortunately, the field of humanitarian
aid and international development
does not feature highly on Israel’s
national agenda, and Israel comes
at the bottom of every international
indicator in this regard. The widelyheld view in Israel, and one that
we are working to change, is that
Israelis should deal with their own
problems before attempting to help
with those of others.
We work on two fronts: first,
with the public at large, and with
Round Table Meeting:
Israeli Ambassadors to
Africa and Civil Society
Organizations
particular focus groups within it;
and second, with decision makers
in Israel’s Knesset and government.
Our activity over the last few years
has resulted in a good number of
achievements of which we are duly
proud — in particular, our success in
having this issue featured in major
national platforms.
Following a lengthy process of
dialogue with Ministry of Finance
officials, who have expressed their
desire to support our activity in Israel,
the Ministry’s chief economist has
published the Ministry’s intention
to award SID the status of sole
supplier approved for promoting
international aid and development
in Israel.
and MASHAV departments of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a unique
round table event, bringing together
Israel’s ambassadors to African
nations and over 30 civil society
organizations with activity across
the continent. The event resulted
in new partnerships and better
understanding on both sides.
In line with our goal to foster a better,
more comprehensive dialogue
between the Israeli government
and civil society organizations, we
co-hosted, together with the Africa
to attend.
The session reached a number of
conclusions about ways to improve
the humanitarian response to future
emergencies, and a work team was
established with the mandate of
composing recommendations for
more coordinated efforts between
the different bodies involved.
Knesset Sub-Committee
on Foreign Affairs and
Public Relations
The Knesset Sub-Committee on
Foreign Affairs and Public Relations
recently convened a first-of-its-kind
session to draw lessons from the
Israeli response to an international
humanitarian disaster.
This was the earthquake that
shattered Nepal in April of 2015,
killing over 8,000 people. A number
of Israeli delegations took part
in the rescue and humanitarian
response, both governmental (such
as IDF search and rescue forces,
and Ministry of Foreign Affairs aid
teams) and non-governmental. SID
Israel was heavily involved in the
initiative to arrange this session, as
well as in its design and in the list of
organisations and individuals invited
Panel Discussion at
Sderot Convention
During 2016’s Sderot Convention for
Society, we held a high-level panel
discussion on Israel’s activity with
regard to the United Nations 2030
sustainable development goals. The
participants ranged from ministries
and governmental agencies to
business executives and nonprofit
organizations.
Interim Nepalese Ambassador to
Israel.
For the first time ever, Israeli
volunteers
received
official
certificates issued by the Knesset.
Knesset Ceremony
Honouring Israeli
Volunteers
In collaboration with Tevel B’Tzedek,
we arranged for a reception to
be held at the Knesset honouring
Israeli volunteers who provided
humanitarian assistance in Nepal
following last year’s earthquake. The
reception, held on June 8, 2016, was
co-hosted by MK Dr. Michael Oren,
Overcoming Bureaucratic
Obstacles
In August and September, SID-Israel
was able to report on tangible progress
on two key bureaucratic issues that
have hampered the operations of
Israeli international development and
humanitarian aid organizations.
• 46a tax status:
Following a lengthy process, including
intensive work with the Fighters for
Life organization (a SID member), the
Knesset Finance Committee finally
awarded 46a tax status (under the
chair of the Knesset Sub-Committee
on Foreign Affairs and Public
Relations; MK Ayelet NahmiasVerbin, chair of the Knesset “Lobby
for the Israeli Family”; and the
provisions of section 46a of the Income
Tax Law), for the very first time, to an
Israeli humanitarian aid organisation
that operates beyond Israel’s borders.
This means that donations made to
this organisation will be recognised
as tax deductible. Other such Israeli
organisations are now taking steps to
apply for this status.
• National Insurance for volunteers:
Over the years it became apparent that,
due to the wording of current legislation,
volunteers working abroad for small
Israeli organisations were not covered
by National Insurance in the event of
accidents or injuries sustained during
their service. In partnership with ZAKA,
the emergency response and search
and rescue organisation, and one of
our members, SID Israel has formulated
a technical solution that now allows
all such organisations to register their
volunteers and to receive National
Insurance coverage for any mishaps.
These are also both wonderful examples
of the way in which cooperation between
SID Israel and its member organisations
can resolve acute problems such as this.
Decision Makers’
Newsletter
In February, SID Israel released its
first decision makers’ newsletter.
This first release was intended to
create awareness among highprofile government officials, as well
as senior journalists and business
leaders. The newsletter included
an introduction to SID Israel,
several important issues relating
to Israeli foreign aid, and a review
of the activities of SID Israel and
its members. Confirmed readers
included the Prime Minister's Office,
several ministers, and many more.
3. Public Events
Regarding Africa – Art,
Innovation and Doing
Good
On February 8, 2017, together
with Vital Capital and the Tel Aviv
Museum of Art, we held aground
breaking event dedicated to Israelis
who work to save and improve lives
in Africa.
This gala event, included a pitch
session from three Israeli companies
and organizations, representing
the new ways Israelis are helping
Africans improve their lives.
The UN 2030 Sustainable
Development Goals and
the Business Sector in
Israel-Event at TASE
On April 12, SID Israel, together
with “Good Vision”, Israel’s leading
consulting agency for corporate
responsibility,
planning,
and
management, held a first-of-its-kind
event entitled: The United Nations’
Sustainable Development Goals
and the Business Sector in Israel.
The purpose of the event was to
convene a broad, cross-sectorial
discussion on the business sector’s
Special awards were given to Prof.
Dov Pasternak on his contribution to
agriculture, and to Idan Raichel on
his efforts to build bridges through
music. Five Israeli winners were
recognized at the event: Fair Planet,
Arava Institute, Dr. Inon Schenker,
the Tamar Golan Africa Center, and
Fundacao Angola.
The event, hosted by SID Israel’s
public council chair Mr. Nitzan
Horowitz, brought together more
than 650 guests and participants,
including
members
of
the
government and the Knesset, leading
art and culture figures, business and
technology leaders, and nonprofit
and civil society organizations.
involvement in, and contribution
to, the attainment of the UN
2030 Sustainable Development
Goals. The event brought together
representatives from government
(Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry
of Environmental Protection) and
civil society organisations, along
with senior figures from various
high-profile corporations such as
the Strauss Group, El-Al, Unilever
Israel, Shikun and Binui
(Arison Group), and many
more. It was hosted at the Tel
Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) by
the CEO of TASE, Yossi Beinart.
The keynote speaker was Tali
Einav, the most senior Israeli
member at the UN economic
development agency UNID.
In addition to the important
elements of networking and
awareness-raising around this vital
issue, the event also produced
a significant concrete outcome:
agreement to produce a covenant,
to be co-signed by major Israeli
businesses, committing to working
towards the UN 2030 Sustainable
Development Goals. This covenant
is currently being drafted.
SID Washington Annual
Conference with Nitzan
Horowitz
Better TogetherCo-Sponsored Event with
OLAM at SID Washington
The SID Washington Annual Conference
was held in June 2016. Former MK
Nitzan Horowitz, the chairman of SID
Israel’s Public Council, represented
SID Israel at the conference, and
moderated a discussion on the role
of NGOs in promoting peace and
coexistence against a background of
continuous conflict, as viewed from
the Israeli perspective.
OLAM, SID Israel, and SID Washington
co-sponsored a joint event in
Washington DC on March 15, 2016
in honour of Global Partnerships
Week. The event, entitled “Better
Together?!”, featured a panel
discussion on the challenges and
opportunities
of
multi-sector
partnership.
It was moderated
by Larry Cooley, founder of
were interested in international
volunteering, what it involves, and
how they might contribute. At the
Faculty of Agriculture, for example,
many students asked about
participating in agricultural projects,
and about how they might be able to
use their knowledge to help people
in developing countries.
Volunteering Fairs
Two volunteering fairs were held in
May, one at the Academic College of
Tel Aviv-Yaffo in March, and the other
at the Hebrew University’s Faculty of
Agriculture in Rehovot, presenting
the advantages and attractions of
international volunteering, and
showcasing the increasing number
of Israeli organisations active in
the developing world. They also
highlighted some of the clear
advantages Israel has in the fields of
education, medicine, public health,
agriculture, infrastructure, and
Management Systems International
(MSI) and the North American
representative on the Governing
Council of SID International, and the
participating panellists were: Michal
Bruck of the NALA Foundation, Dr.
Shoshan Haran of Fair Planet, Yarden
Zornberg of Project TEN, and Yosef
Abramowitz of Energiya Global.
technology, all of which help improve
the quality of life of people around
the world as part of international
projects.
The participating organisations
were Fair Planet, Tevel B’Tzedek,
Brit Olam, Fighters for life, and
Project TEN. They were grateful for
the opportunity provided by SID
Israel to reach these highly relevant
populations of young people. None
of these organisations would have
been able to arrange an event of
this kind on their own, and the
success of the events underlined the
importance and value of SID Israel
as an umbrella organisation.
The fairs created a great deal of
interest among students, who
Over 400 students signed up
to receive information about
volunteering abroad from the
participating organisations, and also
joined the SID Israel mailing list in
order to receive our newsletter and
get updates about our courses and
public events.
Study Day: “The Political
Human Being-Making
Values a Social Reality”
A member of SID Israel, Gal Lusky,
CEO of Israeli Flying Aid Organisation,
delivered a lecture to participants
in the Gal Pre-Army Program, as
part of a study day on people who
influence those around them, based
on their own opinions and choices,
rather than being influenced by the
choices of others. Lusky referred to
this kind of person as the “political
human being”. Other presenters
at the study day included MK Isaac
Herzog, leader of the opposition
in the Knesset, and Matan Peleg,
director of the Im Tirzu NGO.
Development on the Bar
As part of our efforts to engage
with young Israelis and expose the
public to development issues, we
held several events in bars across
Tel Aviv. Each event had a keynote
speaker fro the development and
international spheres, who gave a
lecture on a contemporary topic
and later held a discussion with the
audience.
Workshop for Graduates
of the Hebrew
University’s Glocal
Program
As part of a weekend retreat
for graduates of the Hebrew
University’s Glocal Community
Development Studies program and
of the academic program at the
Arava Institute for Environmental
Studies, held at Kibbutz Ketura,
we delivered a workshop on Israeli
foreign aid, Israel’s membership of
the OECD, Israel’s foreign budget,
and ethical issues connected to
foreign aid. The aim of the workshop
was to connect these graduates —
who are now set to work in foreign
aid and development — to the work
in the field that is greatly dependent
on Israeli aid budgets and policy.
4. SID Israel Research and Knowledge Development Centre
Our Centre for Research and Knowledge Development, operated in cooperation with experts from the worlds of
both academia and practice, provides the professional content base for all our activities. The Centre also develops
specific courses and publications. These include:
• Academic Course for University of Haifa’s MSW Program. One of our aims at SID Israel is to introduce
the subject of international aid and development to students in various academic programs. In partnership with the
school of social work at the University of Haifa—the largest school of social work in Israel, and one of our partner
institutions—we developed a unique course that gives students two academic credits towards their master’s
degree in social work (MSW). The program provides an introduction to humanitarian aid, covers the principles of
responsible aid work in disaster areas, and more.
• SID Member Booklet. There are now more than 83 member organisations of the Society for International
Development worldwide, active in aid and development work in the field and in academic programs at institutions
around the world. To make this information more accessible, we are currently working on a member booklet that will
present the member organisations according to categories of activity and geographic areas in which they operate,
and provide basic information about each.
• The SID Israel Volunteers’ Handbook: “Doing it Right”. Volunteering abroad is a unique and powerful
experience, and there are many and diverse ways to go about it. This handbook presents the full range of possibilities
for volunteering, and provides tips and advice to help beginner volunteers ensure their volunteering is useful and
meaningful. The content for the handbook was collected from former and current volunteers and from heads of
Israeli organisations working with volunteers, and is based on a broad and diverse selection of personal experiences.
• The Israeli Dictionary of Humanitarian Aid and International Development. This booklet contains
100 core terms and concepts that together provide an accessible introduction to the field of humanitarian aid and
international development, making it more accessible to the general public, and in particular to students and young
people. We hope the dictionary will attract more people to learn about this area and become actively involved.
• Promoting Human Development Worldwide—A Digest of Israeli International Organisations. This
digest, published in September 2016, lists the Israeli international development and humanitarian aid organisations
that are members of SID, and describes the nature, focus, and location of their work. Produced in English, the digest
seeks to raise awareness—in Israel, in Jewish communities worldwide, and internationally—about the involvement
of these Israeli organisations in developing countries.
• English-Language Academic Programs Booklet. Produced in partnership with OLAM, this is a digest of
English-language academic programs in Israel relating to international development and global service. We hope
this booklet will inspire and encourage students from around the world to consider studying in development-related
programs in Israel, and so advance Israel’s profile internationally in the field of international development studies.
• “Reducing Suffering, Building Resilience” Booklet and the World Humanitarian Summit. Produced
in partnership with OLAM and MASHAV (Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation), “Reducing
Suffering, Building Resilience”-A Digest of Jewish and Israeli Humanitarian Aid Organisations was prepared for the
UN-sponsored World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul in May 2016, attended by over 6,000 heads of state and
NGO leaders. The booklet was distributed at MASHAV’s booth at the summit’s exhibition fair. Incidentally, we had
originally hoped that there would be some Israeli NGO representation at the summit, but due to security concerns
and to UN-imposed constraints on the number of participants per country, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs decided
to limit Israeli participation to the official governmental delegation. We were delighted, however, that several nonIsraeli Jewish organisations (AJWS, CADENA, and JDC) sent representatives. We connected these representatives
with one another and with the official Israeli delegation.
SID Israel Lecturers
AYA NAVON
Aya Navon is a lecturer in the Glocal International—Development master's program at the Hebrew
University of Jerusalem. Prior to joining Glocal, Aya was involved in development work in Sri-Lanka,
Nepal and Haiti. She was among the founders of-‘Tevel b’Tzedek, an Israeli organization involved
in community development in Nepal and Haiti. Ms. Navon's thesis “Lost in Translation” focused on
the different modes of translation in the field of development, exploring the experience of local
staff in international organizations in Nepal. Her fields of interest include: cross-cultural relations
in development, the implications of complexity theories for the field, and the potential of social
entrepreneurship.
BELLA KOVNER
Bella Kovner is a PhD candidate at the Institute of Criminology the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's
faculty of law. Her doctoral research is focused on child arrest and juvenile justice in East Jerusalem,
and she is a fellow at the Center for the Study of Multiculturalism and Diversity at the Hebrew
University. Ms. Kovner also teaches at the Glocal International Development master's program at
the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Ms. Kovner holds a master's degree in sustainable international
development from Brandeis University and is a counter-trafficking and child protection specialist.
Over the past decade, she has worked in Nepal, China, Albania, Uganda and Cambodia on EC,
USAID, USDOL, UNICEF, WFP and Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC) funded projects aimed at
combating trafficking in human beings and exploitative child labor.
MICHAL BRUCK
Michal is an organizational consultant and project manager who works with NGOs and international
organizations such as the Red Cross, UNICEF, the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR, and the United Nations’
World Food Program. She is a member of the forward team of the humanitarian community’s
Logistics Cluster. Michal has led teams and participated in emergency humanitarian delegations
since the 1990s, beginning with the crisis in Kosovo in 1997, through to the fight against the Ebola
outbreak of 2014. After completing her master’s degree in business administration in Switzerland,
specializing in the management of multi-national organizations, she was hired to help the World
Food Program create a system for providing logistical services to the humanitarian community
during emergency situations around the world. The World Food Program hosts the Logistics
Cluster, which provides airlift, transportation, and storage services for the entire humanitarian
community. Subsequently, Michal worked in Ethiopia for four years, running a program to improve
the government’s humanitarian supply chain, with the participation of the United Nations, the
Ethiopian government, and funding partners including USAID, the World Bank, and others. Michal
currently serves as CEO of the NALA Foundation, which operates community health programs
in the developing world aiming to wipe out neglected tropical diseases, including bilharzia and
intestinal parasites.
SID Israel Lecturers
JONATHAN HARAN
Jonathan is a mechanical engineer with extensive experience in renewable energy, waste-toenergy (WtE), and social entrepreneurship. He is the CEO of of Engineers Without Borders Israel,
an NGO that improves quality of life in developing communities by implementing projects in the
water, energy, education, and agriculture sectors. As a WtE expert heconsults on and promotes
commercial biogas, gasification, and wastewater treatment projects.
DR. ODEDA BENIN-GOREN
Odeda Benin-Goren is a Registered Nurse, certified in Emergency Nursing and holding an MPA
and PhD. She serves as an advisor to the World Health Organization (WHO) on emergency
preparedness and health system reforms in Ukraine, and is a member of the WHO/ Japan
International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Working Group, setting standards for medical team
reporting during emergency situations). She is also an advisor to the Israeli Foreign Ministry’s
Center for International Cooperation (MASHAV), in which capacity she is involved in setting up
emergency response systems, trauma units, and emergency medicine departments, including
training multidisciplinary professional teams. Since 2008, Odeda has served as a United Nations
Disaster Assessment Coordinator under the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs,
United Nations (UNDAC-OCHA). Between 1976 and 2012, she worked in a number of clinical and
managerial positions at hospitals, including managing hospital departments, setting up a training
center, and being director of the medical center’s emergency preparedness.
RAM NECHEMIA
Ram Nechemia holds a master’s degree in public health, with a specialization in managing emergency
and disaster situations, from Tel Aviv University’s Sackler Faculty of Medicine, and a bachelor’s
degree in law from the University of Essex, England. He is a certified Master Coach (MCIL), and is
CEO of Shoonra—Thinking and Management Skills. As CEO of Shoonra, he is responsible (among
other things) for emergency training, and offers medical organizations learning and training
processes to maximize their level of readiness for emergency and disaster situations, throughout
the stages of preparedness, treatment, and rehabilitation. Shoonra has trained managerial and
medical teams in Ukraine (on behalf of the World Health Organization and the Israeli Ministry of
Foreign Affairs), and medical teams in China.
DR. ALIZA INBAL
Dr. Aliza Inbal is the director of the Pears Program for Global Innovation at Tel Aviv University,
which supports Israeli innovators and entrepreneurs addressing developing world challenges.
She founded the program after a long career as a task team leader at the World Bank, a career
diplomat for the Israeli Foreign Ministry, and a consultant for international organizations such as
the Asian Development Bank and the International Labour Organization. She was recognized in
2013 by Israeli newspaper Maariv as one of the 100 most influential Jews in the world for her work
to support Israeli innovation for developing countries.
SID Israel Lecturers
DR. REUT BARAK WEEKES
Dr. Reut Barak Weekes specializes in development economics and political relations in the
developing world, and has a wide interest in development in diverse communities. At the Hebrew
University's Glocal International Development master's program, Dr. Barak Weekes teaches the
courses “Introduction to International Development” and “Development Economics: Principles and
Application”, and guides students in the process of choosing and preparing for their internships. Dr.
Barak Weekes’ PhD thesis, from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at the University
of London, focused on the impact of governance relations on water management in China. Dr. Barak
Weekes’ current research focuses on the impact of micro-finance schemes on community relations
and community building in East Africa. She is a SID Israel board member, and provides advice to various
organizations in the developing world in their work in the field of community development.
GILI NAVON
Gili Navon holds a bachelor's degree in Indian studies, anthropology, and sociology, and a master's
degree summa cum laude in international community development studies, both from the Hebrew
University of Jerusalem. Gili has vast experience in fields related to rural India, anthropology and
social economic development; she established "Amar Majuli" a community-based NGO working on
behalf of the tribal rural community on Majuli Island, North East India, and has been leading the
organization for the last five years. As the managing director of Amar Majuli she is responsible for
the development and implementation of an innovative model for sustainable rural development
and women’s empowerment through mutual learning, trust and partnership building between
community-level, local Governmental authorities and market related national and international
organizations. She has good knowledge of both Hindi and Assamese, which is vital for close relations
and ongoing cooperation with local NGOs and community members.
GAELE CHOJNOWICZ
Gaele Chojnowicz is an emergency specialist with an academic background in psychology, anthropology,
political sciences, and humanitarian law. Additionally, Gaele has been trained in emergency management
and protection. Following five years as a protection officer conducting refugee status determination for
the UNHCR in Israel, Gaele worked for several years as a manager of protection programs in emergencies
for INGOs in Africa (Chad, Central African Republic, Ivory Coast, Liberia, and DR-Congo) and Asia (Sri
Lanka and Myanmar). Her experience includes working in refugee camps and IDP sites, setting up and
managing child protection, SGBV (Sexual and Gender Based Violence) prevention and responses, and
psycho-social programs. She now divides her time between her home base in Israel and short support
missions to the UN, strengthening humanitarian coordination mechanisms.
SID Israel Lecturers
YIFTACH MILLO
Yiftach Millo is the field coordinator for HIAS’s initiative “Integrating Overlooked Refugee
Populations into SGBV Prevention and Response Mechanisms in Africa,” and chairman of ASSAF
- Aid Organization for Refugees and Asylum seekers. Yiftach holds a BA in general history and
African studies from Tel Aviv University, and an MA in development studies from the University
of Melbourne, Australia. He has over 15 years of experience in international development and
humanitarian assistance management working for UNICEF, UNHCR, UNDPKO, OXFAM Australia and
Concern Worldwide, principally in Asia, Africa, Australia, and Latin America. Yiftach acts as a trainer
and consultant in the field of international resource mobilization, and has extensive experience in
securing international funding and managing grants provided by multilateral and bilateral donors
as well as private funds.
YAEL ABERDAM
Yael Aberdam has worked in various conflict and post-conflict settings since 2001, as a project
coordinator, head of mission, and program director in Kosovo, the Democratic Republic of Congo,
Ivory Coast, Burundi, the Republic of Congo, Sri Lanka, and the Central African Republic. Most
recently, she worked as a field human resources officer for the organization Medecins Sans Frontieres
in New York, and also as a mentor for MSF’s project managers. Prior to MSF, Yael managed projects
with the organization Solidarities in emergency and post-emergency programs, encompassing
a broad range of humanitarian aid. She also worked with the organizations MERLIN and CAM
on emergency medical and psycho-social projects. Yael holds degrees in international relations
and French literature from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and a master's in international
humanitarian assistance from the Université Catholique de Louvain in Belgium.
JUDITH NEISSE
Judith Neisse holds a master's degree magna cum laude from the Albert Ludwig University of
Freiburg in Germany in Islamic sciences. Between 1998 and 2011, she created and managed a
Belgian consulting company to manage projects funded by the European Union in developing
countries in the fields of culture, education, and human rights. Her work has taken her to Morocco,
Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Vietnam, and encompassed daily project
management, preparation of bids and tenders, and professional training. Working on behalf of
the European Commission, she was responsible for establishing the regional cooperation program
in the Mediterranean area for heritage conservation and tourism (Euromed HERITAGE), which
involved 27 countries of the European Union and 10 Mediterranean countries, including Israel, as
well as a regional program to improve the status of women in Arab countries.
YURI TSITRINBAUM
Yuri holds a bachelor's degree in economics and African studies from Ben-Gurion University, and a
master's degree in humanitarian activity from Geneva University. After his studies, Yuri worked for
international humanitarian organizations in Haiti, Kenya, Congo (DRC), and the USA. Currently he
works as a freelance consultant for companies operating in sub-Saharan Africa.
SID Israel Public Council Members
Nitzan Horowitz
Chairman, former MK
and senior journalist
Prof. Alean Al-Krenawi
Ben-Gurion University
Oren Nehari
Foreign news editor
of Channel 1
Prof. Galia Sabar
Chair of African Studies,
Tel Aviv University
Arad Nir
Head of foreign news
desk, Channel 2 News
Orna Angle
Architect and environmental activist,
former advisor to the Prime Minister
and former CEO of Tel Aviv Port
Prof. Arye Eldad
Former MK, former IDF Chief
Medical Officer and radio personality
Sigalit Landau
Israeli sculptor, video and
installation artist
Dr. Yuval Karniel
Renowned expert in communications
and technology law
SID Israel Public Council Members
Avi Pazner
Retired Israeli diplomat, World
Chairman of Keren Hayesod–UIA
Yehuda Meshi Zahav
Chairman of ZAKA-Emergency
Response
Eytan Schwartz
Tel Aviv council member and the
Mayor’s foreign affairs advisor
Shlomo Molla
Former MK
Yigal Tzur
Writer, journalist and documentarian
Aviram Hassman
Advertising professional, lecturer
and researcher of political and social
marketing, and one of the leaders of
the battle against AIDS in Israel
Dr. Einat Wilf
Former MK and senior advisor to the
Prime Minister
Yuri Geiron
Former head of the Israel Bar
Association and member of the
Judicial Selection Committee
Netta Ahituv
Senior journalist at Ha’aretz and
Galei Tzahal
SID Israel Members
A.N.B PROJECT MANAGEMENT
A.N.B PROJECT MANAGEMENT
AJEEC-NISPED
AMAR MAJULI
AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE
AMERICAN JEWISH JOINT DISTRIBUTION
COMMITTEE
APPLEDEEDS ACADEMY
ARAVA CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
ASHOKA
ASSOCIATION FOR CHALLENGE & EXPERIENTAL
EDUCATION IN ISRAEL
ATID INTERNATIONAL NETWORK
B’TZEDEK
BEIT ISSIE SHAPIRO
BE-IN-C0
BRIT OLAM INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEERING
AND DEVELOPMENT
CHOOSE LIFE
CINADCO
CO-CREATION CONSULTING
COLEMAN COLLEGE OF MANAGEMENT
STUDENTS ASSOCIATION ABROAD
EDEN - PROMOTING SOCIAL JUSTICE TO NEEDY
COMMUNITIES IN ISRAEL AND ABROAD
ENGINEERS WITHOUT BORDERS - FACULTY
OF AGRICULTURE
EYE FROM ZION
FAIR PLANET
FIGHTERS FOR LIFE ISRAEL
GALILEE INSTITUTE
GLOCAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT STUDIES,
THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY OF JERUSALEM
GOOD VISION
GYE NYAME
HEBREW UNIVERSITY HADASSAH BRAUN
SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AND COMMUNITY
MEDICINE
HAIFA UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR CHILD
DEVELOPMENT
ID2
IMUNA (THE ISRAELI MODEL UN ASSOCIATION)
INNOVATION: AFRICA
ISRAEL DEV.
ISRAEL FLYING AID
ISRAEL TRAUMA COALITION FOR RESPONSE
AND PREPAREDNESS
JERUSALEM AIDS PROJECT (JAPI)
LEV ECHAD
MAGEN DAVID ADOM IN ISRAEL
MANNA CENTER PROGRAM FOR FOOD SAFETY
& SECURITY
MASHAV
MATSILIM LELO GVOULOT (RESCUERS
WITHOUT BORDERS)
MAZE GLOBAL TRAINING & CONSULTING
MCI
MCTC (MOUNT CARMEL TRAINING CENTER)
MDA
MIFALOT EDUCATION & SOCIETY ENTERPRISES
MOCRAD ISRAEL
NALA FOUNDATION
NATAN - INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN AID
PERACH INTERNATIONAL
PROJECT TEN – GLOBAL TIKKUN OLAM
RAK AHAVA
ROBERT H. SMITH FACULTY OF
AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND ENVIRONMENT
SAVE A CHILD’S HEART
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK - UNIVERSITY OF
HAIFA
SCHOOL OF SUSTAINABILITY - IDC HERZELIA
SFC
SHVIL TEAM
SPARKS
STRESS, TRAUMA AND RESILIENCE STUDIES TEL-HAI COLLEGE
TAMAR GOLAN AFRICA CENTRE, BEN-GURION
UNIVERSITY
TEVEL B’TZEDEK
THE ART OF CHANGE MAKING
THE INTER-DISCIPLINARY ECO-ENCOUNTER
THERAPY PROGRAM
THE INTERNATIONAL GLOBAL MIGRATION
AND POLICY PROGRAM
THE INTERNATIONAL M.A. IN SECURITY &
DIPLOMACY
THE INTERNATIONAL M.A. IN SOCIAL WORK
THE INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM IN
CONFLICT RESOLUTION & MEDIATION
THE INTER-UNIVERSITY PROGRAM FOR AFRICAN
STUDIES
THE ISRAELI FUND FOR UNICEF
THE ISRAELI SOCIAL MODEL
THE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION OF ISRAEL
THE PEARS PROGRAM FOR GLOBAL
INNOVATION
TOWO GROUP
UNITAF
VITAL CAPITAL FUND
WEITZ CENTER FOR SUSTAINBLE
DEVELOPMENT
WHEELCHAIRS OF HOPE
WORLD ORT
ZAKA