WHO WE ARE

Be-Atzmi is a non-profit organization that for the past 25 years has worked throughout Israel to advance underserved communities who struggle to find employment opportunities. We help them integrate into the workforce through a range of programs that pave their way to a new and better future – for them, their families, and their communities.

WHAT WE DO

Be-Atzmi advances and supports people in underserved communities throughout Israel. We help them integrate into the modern workforce. We give them the tools they lack and help them develop the skills that will open up opportunities to find employment and achieve economic independence. To this end we focus on education and development, and rehabilitation leading to integration. Anyone who needs us, anywhere in Israel, is welcome to enroll in one of our programs.

Management

  • Nira Zimels

    Nira Zimels

    CEO

    Ms. Zimels has a longstanding familiarity with all aspects of employment. She previously served as CEO of Manpower Professional, Manpower Bereshit and Manpower Sectors, as Director of Employer Relations and Technologies at the Israeli Employment Service, and the Service’s program for underprivileged groups. She holds a BA in political science and sociology from the Hebrew University and a master’s degree from Bar-Ilan University.

  • אבנט קליינר

    Avnet Kleiner

    Head of Partnerships and Communications Division

    Avnet has been involved in the non-profit world for over 17 years. He is responsible for the organization's external affairs, raising funds as well as selling our services to. In the past, he founded two organizations - ALFA, for Holocaust survivors in the Negev region, and WhatIsReal, for Advocacy missions against anti-Semitism. Avnet was the Director of USA Development in “ADI Negev - Nahalat Eran” and Director of USA Development at CauseMatch.

  • Anat Baidatz

    Anat Baidatz

    Director of Knowledge Management and Development

    Ms. Baidatz has extensive experience in therapy, training, consulting, and leading career development processes. She previously led workshops at Be-Atzmi and was in charge of the organization’s group facilitators. Ms. Baidatz has a bachelor’s degree in social theater and a master’s degree in bibliotherapy. She is a certified group facilitator and a graduate of the Israeli Institute of Group Analysis’s Organizational Applications program.

  • Gabi Barnea

    Financial and Administrative Director

    Mr. Barnea has extensive experience as financial director in the third sector, he is a CPA and holds a bachelor's degree in Economics and Accounting from the Tel-Aviv university. Mr. Barnea oversees the implementation of regulatory, management, and control requirements pertaining to the organization’s budgets and accounts. She is also in charge of working with the finance and audit committees of the board of directors.

  • Nariman Seliman

    Nariman Seliman

    Director of Arab Sector Planning and Program Director of Riyan Centers

    Ms. Seliman has extensive experience in directing social programs and projects, especially employment development initiatives. She previously directed the “Lights to Employment” program in Nazareth and served as coordinator of the Arab sector at the Israel Association of Community Centers. Ms. Seliman holds a bachelor’s degree in human services from the Max Stern Yezreel Valley College and is a certified group facilitator.

  • Lihi Gross

    Human Resources Director

    Ms. Lihi Gross has extensive experience in human resources in the business and social sectors. She directed worker recruitment, organizational development and manager training at Manpower for 15 years, and headed the human resources department at Teach First Israel for 4 years. In the past two years she established and lead the small and medium employers’ branch in the employer and human resource development section of Business Roundtable Israel.

  • Kfir Mey-Tal

    Kfir Mey-Tal

    Director of Information Systems

    Mr. Mey-Tal specializes in knowledge management and organizational applications, particularly in establishing and managing information systems in complex, international, and decentralized organizations. He has extensive international experience in information systems project management in Africa, Europe, and India. Mr. Mey-Tal serves as a consultant and mentor for tech ventures. He has a bachelor’s degree in economics and accounting and an MBA.

  • Orli Stuchiner Cohen

    Director of Social Services Programming

    Ms. Stuchiner Cohen has extensive experience as senior management in the third sector and philanthropy, holds a bachelor's degree in social work and an MBA in social leadership from the Mendel program and Ben Gurion University. She is engaged in social entrepreneurship and policy change and was a partner in amending the law for the rehabilitation of women leaving battered women's shelter and implementing the “Daf Chadash” initiative as a government program.

  • Liat Brosh

    Director of Placement and Promotion programs

    Ms. Brosh has extensive experience in the fields of education and employment of underserved populations. She served for 12 years at the Manpower in a variety of managerial positions, managed the 'Equal Employment' program to integrate people with disabilities into the labor market and served as the vice president of the 'Hotam' organization where she led the recruitment, screening, placement and management of the alumni community.

Board of Directors

    Michal Ferber

    Michal Ferber

    Founder

    An entrepreneur and educator, Ms. Ferber has developed projects for educators and children and served as a pedagogical instructor at Kibbutzim College. She was inspired to establish Be-Atzmi in order to pursue her vision that everyone deserves the chance to succeed in life and that we can and must provide people with the opportunity to connect with their strengths and capabilities, empowering them to make new choices.

  • Zvi Tropp

    Zvi Tropp

    Volunteer Deputy Chair and Finance Committee Member

    Mr. Tropp's was the economic advisor to Israel’s security establishment; an advisor to the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin; chairman of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems; chair of the investment committee at Bank Leumi; VP Marketing at Caniel Industries; CFO and head of business development at Baltimore Spice Israel; and senior VP at Enavis Networks. Mr. Tropp has a master’s in agricultural economics and administration.

  • Giora Offer

    Giora Offer

    Volunteer Chair

    Mr. Offer is a partner and chair of the Lahav Fund. He has served as CEO of Discount Group, chair of Cal Israel Credit Cards and chair of IDB Swiss Bank. Prior to that, he was a board member at Bank Leumi. One of Israel’s most prominent corporate executives, Mr. Offer is committed to strengthening Israeli society and promoting equality and social justice. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in industrial engineering and management.

  • Yael Hermel

    Yael Hermel

    Volunteer Board Member

    Ms. Hermel served as Director of the Department of Individual and Family Welfare at the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Social Services. She volunteers on the executive boards of several different organizations, contributing her professional experience to address issues dear to her heart. A social worker by profession, Ms. Hermel has a master’s degree in social work from Tel Aviv University.

  • Yosef Weitzman

    Yosef Weitzman, Esq.

    Volunteer Board Member

    Mr. Weitzman is vice president of the Israel Bar Association. He has authored several books, including Writ of Execution – Theory and Practice [Hebrew]. Mr. Weitzman is a lecturer in the Faculty of Law at Ono Academic College. He serves as chair of the Humanitarian Committee for Long-Term Care Workers in the Israeli Population and Immigration Authority, and is on the board of Magen David Adom, the Tel Aviv Municipality, and several other organizations.

  • Prof. Johnny Gal

    Prof. Johnny Gal

    Volunteer Board Member

    Prof. Gal is a professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Paul Baerwald School of Social Work and Social Welfare. He served as chair of the Individual, Family and Community Subcommittee of the Alalouf Committee to Fight Poverty in Israel and was editor of the journal Social Security. He is currently head of the Social Welfare Policy Program at the Taub Center for Social Policy Studies in Israel. and served on several public committees dedicated to a range of policy processes.

  • Regina Unger,

    Regina Unger, CPA

    Volunteer Board Member and Member of the Finance Committee

    Ms. Unger owns a company that provides accounting and financial management services. She served as chair of Mendelson, chair of TAT Technologies, and CEO of KMN Holdings Ltd. Ms. Unger has taught financial auditing at Tel Aviv University for over 20 years and has published numerous papers and other professional literature. She has a bachelor’s degree in economics and accounting and a master’s degree in economics (specializing in financing) from Tel Aviv University.

  • Shlomi Kot, CPA

    Volunteer Board Member and Chair of the Finance Committee

    Mr. Kot is a partner at EY Israel, specializing in risk management and information systems consulting, he also teaches information systems and regulation at Ono Academic College. Mr. Kot is VP of the Israel Information Systems Audit and Control Association and chair of the Strategy Committee. He is one of the founders of the Association for Assisting Reserve Soldiers in Need. Mr. Kot has an MBA, is a Certified Internal Auditor and a Certified Information Systems Auditor.

  • Yehezkel (Hezi) Nurel

    Yehezkel (Hezi) Nurel

    Volunteer Board Member and Finance Committee Member

    Mr. Nurel is founder and active chairman of the Natoon Group, one of Israel’s leading property management, operations and maintenance companies. An electrical systems consultant by trade, Mr. Nurel is one of Israel’s top experts in the field with over 25 years of experience. He serves as a professional consultant for developers and contractors and teaches property management, operations and maintenance at several vocational training schools.

  • Eli Sharabani, Esq.

    Volunteer Board Member

    Mr. Sharabani is a social entrepreneur and a strategy and fundraising consultant for NGOs. He has over 20 years of experience in establishing nonprofits and developing social initiatives. He previously led the resource development and external relations unit at the Open University of Israel and supervised the development of the Ohio Savings Charitable Foundation in the United States. he also served as chairman of the Israeli Social Model Association and of Tzav Pius.

    דורית נובק

    Dorit Novak

    Volunteer Board Member

    Ms. Novak is the former Director General of "Yad Vashem", Prior to that, Ms. Novak was the Program Director of Wisconsin Plan at the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor, and Head of Development of the 'Employment Promotion' program, Ms. Novak also launched and directed the "Heznek" NGO and managed the Onyx Technologies. During her army service in the IDF, she served in various positions including Head of the PR Branch and Head of the Culture Division at the rank of lt. colonel.

Audit Committee and Internal Auditor

  • Itai Tsabari

    Itai Tsabari, CPA

    Volunteer Audit Committee Member

    Mr. Tsabari has an MBA and is the business administrator of a tech company.

  • Ketty Hadad-Budegzad

    Ketty Hadad-Budegzad

    Volunteer Chair of the Audit Committee

    Ms. Hadad-Budgesed is the owner and CEO of investment banking firm Tchelet Financial Consulting and Management. Ms. Hadad-Budgesed has an MBA and her professional background is in financial investment management. She teaches capital markets at Rehovot College.

  • Guy Monarov

    Guy Monarov, CPA

    Be-Atzmi’s Auditor and Volunteer Audit Committee Member

    The founding partner of the MONAROV & Co., Mr. Monarov has extensive experience in auditing, risk management, information security, and cybersecurity. formerly a faculty member at the University of Haifa, an internal auditor in several public companies, governmental companies, and NGOs. He is chair of IIA Israel’s Information Security and Cyber Forum and former VP of the Israeli Information Systems Audit and Control Association.

  • Arik Ohana, CPA

    Volunteer Audit Committee Member

    Mr. Ohana serves as an external consultant in internal audits and risk management for financial entities, government ministries, and public, private and governmental companies. He has over 15 years of experience in auditing and risk management. Mr. Ohana has a bachelor’s degree in accounting and information systems and an MBA.

    Eileen Toledano

    Eileen Toledano, CPA

    Volunteers in the General Assembly

    Ms. Toledano is a member of KPMG’s Global FinTech Steering Group. She has served as auditing partner at Bank Leumi Israel, MAX IT Finances, and other financial corporations. She chaired the liaison committee between the bank supervisor and the CPA Institute, and served on various committees at the Israel Securities Authority, including the Galai Committee. Ms. Toledano has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Queen’s College, NY.

תמונה לפני טעינת וידאו

OUR VOLUNTEERS

Ta’asuKav volunteers provide jobseekers with a sympathetic ear, a supportive shoulder, and professional guidance. Our volunteers commit to at least three hours of volunteering a week for a minimum period of one year, and participate in professional training sessions. Their support includes assessing and clarifying callers’ needs, capabilities, and aspirations. They identify potential barriers, and recommend appropriate employment solutions. By helping numerous Israelis advance their professional paths, our volunteers contribute to improving every aspect of a job seeker’s life: their self-confidence, family life, and financial stability.