Israeli committee members bio
Gabi Barzilai has been a volunteer on the steering committee of Partnership Together since 2008. Married to Estherke, father of five and grandfather of nine. An educator, he teaches Bible and Judaism to a wide variety of audiences. In the past year, he has been guiding communities in the Gaza envelope, providing cultural, community and spiritual guidance.
Hagit Cohen was born and raised in Kiryat Gat and currently lives in Moshav Sde Moshe.
She is married to Ofir and together they are parents to five wonderful children, with their youngest son being a child with special needs.
Hagit is a high school teacher of geography and art history at Karmi Gat High School in Kiryat Gat.
In her free time, she creates art as a hobby, including mosaic, macramé and knitting. In addition, Hagit writes books, combining her love for creativity and personal expression
Gili Elkin is the Founder and Managing Partner of ICI Fund, a U.S.-based venture capital fund backing exceptional Israeli founders building deep technologies that can shape the next industrial era. Through ICI Fund, she works closely with entrepreneurs developing breakthrough companies across areas such as advanced materials, compute, cyber-physical systems, sensing, and strategic energy, while helping connect Israeli innovation to U.S. investors and market opportunities. Gili earned her LLB and BA from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and her MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business. She also served in the IDF in a classified unit, an experience that helped shape her discipline, resilience and long-term perspective.
Gili lives in Lachish and volunteers on the steering committee supporting the Lachish area, reflecting her deep commitment to local community alongside national innovation. Outside of work, she loves snowboarding and loves dark chocolate.
Etai Friedlander was born in Johannesburg South Africa. He made Aliya at the age of 15. After matriculating he enrolled in the Hesder Yeshiva in Yerucham and served in the tank division in the IDF. (Did miluim for nearly 20 years) Etai is a qualified teacher (holding 2 other degrees). He has worked in educational and community NGOs for nearly 30 years. Etai is married to Gaby and they have 4 children (one married). Etai has lived in the partnership region for nearly 25 years.
Yael Glaster, 43, a member of Kibbutz Ein Tzurim, is married to Yoav and a mother of five.
Her professional background includes experience as a teacher and educator, as well as managing the Southern District of the "Garin Tzabar" program within the Israel scouts.
Yael has a B.A. in Sociology and Human Resources, a teaching certificate and an M.A. in Educational Counseling and Group Facilitation.
Today, she combines her passion for working with people and her love for international environments as a flight attendant for El Al.
Oren Habivian, married to Osherit and father of four, lives in Ibn Shmuel.
A civil engineer with a bachelor's and master's degree from the Technion, Oren deals with project management and the establishment of hospitals and medical centers.
In addition, he is the owner and winemaker of Marsha Winery in Moshav Zarhia (in the Shafir regional council) and is involved in wine production, out of love and a deep connection to working the land and cultivating the place.
In his free time he enjoys being out in nature, preferably doing something that involves a lot of adrenaline.
Reuven Kirshner is originally from Chicago and currently lives in the Carmei Gat neighborhood of Kiryat Gat. He studied Industrial Engineering and Management at the Jerusalem College of Technology. Reuven served in the Artillery Corps of the army and continues to serve in a reserve unit. He works as a Learning and Development Manager at a high-tech company in central Israel. He is married to a talented photographer, and together they are raising four children.
Lian Koralker, 29, from Kiryat Gat, is an alumna of the partnership programs “Mifgash,” “Kol Israel,” and “Diller Teen Fellows.” She also completed a gap year with the Jewish Agency in Vancouver, Canada.
She served as a surveillance soldier on the Egypt border, studied practical engineering in mechanics and electronics and later worked at Intel. Today, she owns a tutoring center for English and math in Kiryat Gat and is happy to return to the partnership family as a member of the steering committee.
Shuki Levin, a resident of the Lachish Regional Council, married to Shira.
Parents of four children, grandparents of five.
Shuki and Shira operate a hydrotherapy pool for treating children with all kinds of difficulties.
Amit Mayer was born in the United States and grew up in Israel. For the past six years, she has been living in Moshav Shahar, in the Lachish Regional Council. Amit works as a Global Marketing Director at an international company.
She is deeply involved in community initiatives and local activities that support and strengthen community life in the moshav and the surrounding area. Amit brings to the steering committee experience in leading processes, an entrepreneurial mindset and a genuine desire to contribute to shared efforts and community building, alongside strengthening connections between Israelis and Jewish communities around the world.
David Mihretis a senior educator and social leader who has served since 2018 as the CEO of NACOEJ Israel (North American Conference on Ethiopian Jewry), an organization dedicated to educational advancement from primary school through academia. Previously, he spent over 20 years directing the "Steering Center for Ethiopian Jews in the Educational System," where he advised senior officials on integration strategies and managed dozens of intercultural mediators. A resident of Kiryat Gat since 1984, David holds two Master’s degrees: one in Educational Administration and Policy from the Hebrew University and another in Public Policy from Tel Aviv University, alongside a B.A. in Education and Sociology from Bar-Ilan University.
Yaara Zano-Miyara , a resident of Moshav Ahuzam in the Lachish Regional Council and a mother of three, is a criminal defense attorney who balances her legal career with a profound commitment to community service. Her public leadership roles include serving on Ahuzam’s Municipal, Culture, and Education Committees and chairing the Luba Eliav School Parents' Association. Additionally, she is an active partner in the "Growing Again" (Tzomachat Shuv) initiative, supporting Gaza envelope communities in their recovery and cultural restoration following the events of October 7th. Yaara’s community work is driven by a genuine passion for fostering human connections and social action. Her personal tie to the Partnership is further reflected through her son, a graduate of the "Mifgash" program and a current participant in the Diller Teen Fellows program.
Iris Kriti Moyal: Committee Chair is a proud mother of three university students, married to Haggai and lives in Moshav Lachish.
After approximately 12 years at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and another 19 years at Intel in administrative and human resources roles, she chose to retire in order to pursue what she truly loves: learning.
Her interests focus mainly on humanities, the Middle East, history of the State of Israel, politics and government.
Iris is passionate about volunteering and is actively involved in a variety of ways: providing one-on-one support, contributing within her local community in the moshav and serving on the Partnership’s Steering Committee. For the past three years, she has served as Chair of the Steering Committee.
Orna Nahmani is an organizational consultant and educational program developer with extensive experience working with local authorities, kibbutz communities, educational networks and civil society organizations across Israel. Her areas of expertise include non-formal education, community leadership development, resource mobilization, and program design for social education professionals. Orna holds three master’s degrees- in Communications, Law and Innovation- and is a certified organizational consultant. She is deeply rooted in the Negev and southern Israel, where she leads processes of social change and cross-sector collaboration. Orna is a strong believer in the power of strategic partnership between Israel and the Diaspora as a driver of community growth and societal resilience.
Yarden Nevo serves as Associate Director General at the Soroka University Medical Center, a large hospital that accommodates 1250 beds and provides services to all citizens of the Negev. Yerden is in charge of all professional and managerial guidance to unit managers in the hospital, ensuring safe and satisfactory healthcare. Before serving as Associate Director, Yarden was Assistant to the CEO at Clalit Health Services and Finance Manager at Geha Medical Center. He holds a BA and an MBA from The Hebrew University and lives with his spouse in Ein Zurim."
Yehuda Oren, 74, member of the Moshav Massuot-Yitzhak, son of the founders of the community. Married to Hania, together they raised 5 children, 16 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.
Member of the steering committee since 1998, Yehuda finds in this committee an excellent way to realize his ambition to strengthen the connection, familiarity and affection between communities wherever they are.
Tamar Rahamim, is a resident of Merkaz Shapira. Married to Benny, she is a mother and grandmother. Tamar serves as an operations Manager in the regional veterinary service and volunteers as the head of the local community committee. Throughout the years she has been guided by a deep belief in human dignity, partnership and the strength of a united community.
Eran Shafir is the Community Director of Moshav Ein Habsor,
A Rabbi, dreamer and storyteller who believes in the power of community to transform society and foster individual healing.
Throughout his career, Eran has dedicated himself to the ‘Jewish-Israeli Story’.
As the founder of ‘Hamegdal‘(Vertical Communities)
he operates in the intersection between social entrepreneurship and spiritual leadership.
Eran lives in Eliav with his wife, Or and their three daughters: Yali, Na’ama and Tamar.
Ben Straussman, a resident of Moshav Neta in the Lachish region, is a father of six and a proud grandfather of nine. A veteran educator who believes deeply in the power and importance of education, Ben until recently served as the head of the Merkaz Shapira Ulpana (a high school for girls) located within the partnership region. Since 2018, he has been an active member of the Steering Committee for the "Partnership2Gether" (P2G). Ben feels deeply privileged to serve on the committee and is grateful for the opportunity to play a significant role in the partnership’s activities and the connections it fosters.
Niva Vollman joined the Steering Committee six years ago after retiring from 20 years of work with the Partnership. During those years she focused mainly on fostering connections, strengthening ties between the partner communities and building relationships between people -a realm that remains close to her heart as a lay member of the committee today. Niva lives in Kiryat Gat with her husband. She is a mother of three and grandmother of three. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, cooking and spending time with family and friends.
Dagan Yahal
64 years old, married, father of two children and grandfather to five grandchildren
Dagan has been living in Moshav Sde Moshe in Lachish since 1992.
He is the CEO of Y.S. Gat, Kiryat Gat Industrial Park Management Company since 1995.
Actively volunteers in several organizations:
Since 2005 he has been the Chairman of MTA Association, Business Development Center. Chairman of the Oded Fund for Business in collaboration with the Jewish Agency and the International and Bank Poaleim, which grants loans to small businesses in Kiryat Gat \ M.A. Lakish \ M.A. Shafir.
He has been a member of the P2G steering committee of the Partnership since 1996.
A former basketball player in Israel's youth team. He enjoys field trips.
Lior Zazovsky, born and raised in Kiryat Gat, where he continues to live with his family today.
Lior is a teacher of electronics and computers.
He is married to Rachel and a father of three wonderful children, all graduates of the Partnership programs.
Rachel Zazovsky, born and raised in Kiryat Gat, where she continues to live with her family today.
She is a teacher of electronics and computers.
Rachel is married to Lior and a mother of three wonderful children, all graduates of the Partnership programs.
