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Meet the FREE Community Involvement Staff:
Ofer Gutman, Director of Oranim Long Term Israel Programs
Ofer was born in 1975 and raised in Tivon, a town in the north of Israel, as a third generation to one of the first families' founders of the town in the late 1930s. He served on a battleship in the Navy of the Israel Defense Force. Ofer has L.L.B. degree and he is an attorney. He has worked in the Israel Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism, dealing with civil rights in Israel and helping new Olim with legal issues. Over the years, Ofer was very active on the campuses in Israel with peace and social issues and arranged many seminars for young adult and student leadership in Israel about Zionism and social issues. From 2004-2008, Ofer was the Central Shaliach (emissary) for the University Student Division/Hagshama Department of the World Zionist Organization in North America, working to bring Israel to the campuses and the campuses to Israel. Ofer has also worked in politics for several campaigns and was the chairman of Young Meretz and was in charge of the young adult and student activities of the party. Ofer was also a delegate to the World Zionist Congress.
Nir Shoshany, City Coordinator, Ramla
Nir Shoshany was born and raised in Rehovot, and moved to Ness Ziona in 2003. He holds a BA in Business and Media from the Tel Aviv-Yafo College of Management. During and after his studies, Nir was involved in a variety of media projects including broadcasting on 106FM radio stations in Tel Aviv-Yafo and Ness Ziona, publishing two books, script writing for television, writing in local newspapers, graphic design, movie editing and event production. In the recent years, Nir worked at the youth department of Ness Ziona's city hall, teaching the teenagers of Ness Ziona leadership skills and local history. Nir married Limor in March 2009 and now he is happy to be working for the Oranim Community Involvement program.
Mazi Dror, City Coordinator, Ramla
Mazi Dror was born, raised and educated in Ness Ziona. She studied home decoration in Technikum Academic School. In 1982, Mazi got married and moved to Moshav Talmey Menashe. Her husband Ofer and her have 3 children and we own a cats and dogs farm. From 2002-04 I was the manager of an education center for children with learning disabilities. Over the years, Mazi has taken many courses in holistic treatment - a subject which still holds her interest.
Kineret Rozen, City Coordinator, Ashdod
Kineret, named after the Sea of Galilee, was raised in "Moshav Gea," a small moshav in the South. As a child, Kineret spent four years living in Belgium as the daughter of diplomats. Later on, she became active in a youth group called "Bney Hamoshavim" from the age 15 to 25. During these years she worked with volunteering youth and was in charge of the activities in her community and the celebration of holiday festivals. She volunteered for a year in the North of the country before she was recruited to the army where she was a commander of an observation post in the Gaza strip. Kineret holds a degree in Political Science and Mass Communication from Bar Ilan University.
Shiry Shemesh, City Coordinator, Ashdod
Shiry was born and raised in Ashdod. She served in the Israeli Army at the Erez Checkpoint near Gaze. Shiry has been a counselor in Jewish summer camps in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. She just finished her B.A. in Behavioral Science, Management and Economics at Ben Gurion University. During her studies, Shiry was working as an academic advisor in Kivoonim Center in Ashdod, an organization which guides and advises youth in their educational career after serving the army. Shiry then became a coordinator for higher education in Kivoonim. She is also active in a leadership group, "Ashdod Meitoreret"' representative in municipal committee and was part of an international delegation in Poland.
Assaf Cohen, City Coordinator, Ness Ziona
Assaf was born in Tiberius near the Kineret Lake and moved to Ness Ziona when he was five. He learned in elementary school and high school in Ness Ziona and defines himself as Ness Ziona’s Natural son. In the army years, Assaf served in the IDF Navy and after that he got his degree in Architecture & Engineering from the Tel Aviv College. After Studying, he started working with groups of teenagers in cities including Beer Sheva, Ness Zion, Beer Yaacov and Eshkol, teaching them leadership skills, guiding trips and leading them towards the love for Israel. On top of that, from childhood Assaf has been a musician in his soul and usually plays with different bands all over Israel. For now, he is planning to put aside his guitar for a while and start devoting his time for the Oranim Long Term Programs in Ness Ziona.
Dvora Santo, Hebrew Ulpan Teacher, Ramla & Ness Ziona
Dvora Santo is working as a teacher for 30 years. For the past 20 years she has been teaching Hebrew to new immigrants in Ashdod. Her students are coming from countries all over the world including former Soviet Republics, France, Argentina, and Ethiopia to name just a few. She is well-experienced with students of all ages between 16-80. In addition to teaching Hebrew in Israel Dvora worked in ulpans in Russia, Belarus and Uzbekistan. She is happy to use her years of experience to help English speaking students to learn Hebrew and to make their time in Israel fun and enjoyable.
Michal Fiksler, Hebrew Ulpan Teacher, Ramla
Michal Fiksler was born in the United States, and at the age of six made Aliyah with her family to Israel. She grew up in the center of Tel Aviv-Yafo and received her first degree in Special Education at Bar-Ilan University. In 1989, Michal passed a certification course to teach the Hebrew language. Since then, Michael has been teaching those who make Aliyah in Ulpans and teaching tourists from different places around the world. Michal is living today in Nof-Ayalon, a Yishuv close to the City of Modiin. She is a mother of four children and a grandmother of two grandchildren.
Dvora Kalai, Hebrew Ulpan Teacher, Ashdod
Dvora was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and made Aliyah in 1963. Since then, she's been working as a teacher in the Ulpan in Ashdod and teaching the Hebrew language for the last 17 years. Dvora is passionate about helping people learn the Hebrew language and is happy to be a part our program.
Hadas Noy, Hebew Ulpan Teacher, Ashdod
Hadas was born in Israel and was raised in Moshav Sarah Mordechay where she continues to live today with her family. She has three children and one grandson. Hadas is graduate of Teacher's Seminar and has a first degree in education and literature from Hebrew University in Jerusalem. During the last 18 years, Hadas has been working as a Hebrew Ulpan Teacher.
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