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Meet the FREE Eilat Hotel Experience 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.
Yariv Ofer, Director of Educational Programs
Yariv was born and raised in Kibbutz Yechiam in the Galilee. He graduated from Ashrat High School in 1988 and served as a combat team commander in the IDF from 1988 - 1992. Yariv has traveled extensively in Europe, Asia as well as North and South America and studied criminology at Bar Ilan University, graduating in 1997. After getting his tour guiding license from Haifa University in 1999, Yariv has guided many Israeli and American high schools, families, youth movements and Taglit-Birthright Israel groups. He is married to Dana and father to Roi and Ma'ayan.
Shahar Shapira, City Coordinator
Shahar was born and raised in Ramat HaSharon and moved to Eilat with her family at the age of nine. As a high school student, Shahar volunteered with "BBYO" and in Eilat's "Youth Say No to Drugs" program. She also helped create Eilat's first student body and was the first chairwoman and in charge public relations at the following year. Shahar served in the Israeli Amy in the Air Force as a Human Resources Coordinator. At the age of 21 she published her first book. Shahar has a B.A. degree in Psychology from the Ben-Gurion University. During her first year in university, Shahar worked as a counselor for Russian immigrant youth. During her second year she was a counselor for Ethiopian immigrant youth. Before coming to Oranim, Shahar worked as the Event Coordinator of the Dolphin Reef Resort and as the Lobby Manager at the Royal Beach Hotel, both in Eilat.
Tal Peled, City Coordinator
Tal spends her free time hiking in the desert, swimming or diving in the Red Sea. At childhood, she spent three years in New York and later returned with her family to establish the new town of Maccabim. Her high school years were spent in the boarding school of Sde Boker in the Negev. There she hiked and learned to appreciate the beauty of the desert, a seed that commenced her lifelong passion for nature and conservation. After serving as a communication officer in the military, she joined the staff of the Nature and Parks Authority in the Ein Gedi nature reserve in the Judean Desert where she worked as a park ranger. Afterwords, she traveled for 18 month travel around the far east. It is there where she spent five months dolphin-watching on a yacht in New Zealand. Upon returning to Israel, Tal began her biology and environmental studies and just recently finished her M.Sc. on Conservation and Desert Ecology. She brings her love for nature, for Israel, her worldwide knowledge and instructional expertise to Oranim.
Galit Rosiansky, City Coordinator
Galit was born and raised in Ashdod to a British mother and an Israeli father. She spent a lot of her early years in living in England. After graduating high school, she served as an operation sergeant in the Liaison Unit coordinating diplomatic connections with the M.F.O. and Egyptian officers. Galit studied Political Science in Bar Ilan University and also has a teaching certificate. She has been a college lecturer and an English teacher in high schools for the past 12 years. She initiated programs between American / Brazilian youngsters and Israeli youth in school. Galit is married and a mother of two children.
Carmen Swartz, Hebrew Ulpan Teacher, Eilat
Carmen Swartz has a BA in Education Management and Jewish History. She is working as a Hebrew Ulpan teacher for the last seven years. Carmen is living in Eilat for two years now and worked at the preparatory program for "Olim Hadashim" (New Immigrants) at Ben Gurion University. Today Carmen is also teaching elders at the community center.
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