Leadership & Staff

Mechina Management

Meir Lifshitz

 – CEO and Head of the Mechina

Married to Ruti and father to Dror, Carmel, Shahar, Hadar, and Zohar. Resides in the "Adi Negev" rehabilitation village in the Negev. Holds a B.A. in Public Administration and Policy. Served as a combat soldier and commander in the Paratroopers Brigade in various roles and currently serves as a Battalion Commander in the reserves.

Shmulik Shaul

Head of the Mechina

Married to Tehila and father to Uri, Elia, Maayan, Roee, and Achinoam. Resides in the mixed religious-secular community of Eliav in the Lachish region. Served as the high school principal at the Susiya Environmental Yeshiva for 11 years. Served in the Military as a medic on the "Purple Line" in the 769th Brigade and currently serves as a paramedic in the 79th Battalion of the 14th Armored Brigade in the reserves. Loves hiking and people.

Neri Sagi

Educational Director

Resides in Jaffa. Managed the Ein Yahav Mechina for three years. A graduate of Shalem College, majoring in Philosophy and Jewish Thought. Loves the vastness of nature and the soul.

Gilad Shai

 – VP of Strategy and Development

Married to Yakira and father to Uri, Libbi, and Sinai. Resides in Kibbutz Sa'ad in the Western Negev. Holds a B.A. in Public Administration, Policy, History, and Art, and an LL.M. in Law. Served as a soldier and commander in an operational unit of the Intelligence Corps and continues to serve there in the reserves. Deeply connected to the Negev, its people, the land, and its landscapes. A believer in the human spirit.

Mechina Headquarters

Racheli Saadon

– Alumni and Media Coordinator

Resides in Jerusalem. A graduate of the Eliav branch and was a counselor for Cohort VIII in Nahal Oz. Served as a commander at Havat HaShomer. Currently a student of PPE (Philosophy, Politics, and Economics) at the Hebrew University.

Shahar Ben Pazi

 – Partnerships and Projects Coordinator

Married to Avinoam and mother to Boaz, Shalom, and Tzvi Ahava. Resides in Sansana. Responsible for collaborations with various organizations and projects. Has a background in teaching education and history; loves people and encounters.

Nurit Reich

Office Manager

Married to Mor, mother to Roee, Noa, and Guy. Resides in Beit Guvrin. Office Manager and supervisor of prevention of sexual harassment at the Mechina. Loves reading, going to the cinema, and the sea.

Branch Managers

מנהל שלוחת גבים אלי דודאי

Eli Dudai

 – Manager of Nahal Oz Branch

Partner to Nadav and father to Yiftach and Naomi. Resident of Kibbutz Nahal Oz. A mathematics teacher and formerly the vice principal of a school in Sderot. An educator and graduate of the "Hotam" (Teach First Israel) program. Believes the role of an educator is to cultivate the strength to create courage.

Nevo Weintraub - Bomard

 Manager of Dorot - Branch

Married to Carmel and father to Lian and Uri. Resides in Kibbutz Dorot. Formerly a counselor for Cohort V at the Nahal Oz branch. An armored corps company commander (C.O.) in the reserves. Formerly managed homes for lone soldiers in the "Habyit Hachi Achai" organization and currently serves on its board. Graduate of the Negev Mechina in Sde Boker; loves every moment of educational work and is a fan of sports and trekking.

מנהלי שלוחות צור

Tzur London

Manager of Gevim - Branch

Married to Naomi and father to Zohar Lev and Tamar. Resides in Kibbutz Kramim in the Northern Negev. Formerly managed the "Kedma" service year. Loves teaching and has a special place in his heart for Gemara instruction.

סיון

Sivan Yahalom

Manager of Beit Guvrin Branch

Married to Dolev. Resides in Beit HaKerem, Jerusalem. Formerly a counselor for Cohort IV in the Eliav branch and for Cohort IX (second-year students). Holds a B.A. in Political Science and Education and an M.A. in Public Policy. Believes that every person must know: "I am but dust and ashes, yet for my sake the world was created."

Logistics & Administration

Nurit Reich

Administrator

(See details above under Office Manager).

אסתי מנהלנית

Esti Weissman

Administrator

Married, mother of 4, and grandmother of 7. A member of Kibbutz Kabri in the north, she moved to Nahal Oz in the south as part of the "Elul" adult service year program. Served as a teacher and counselor for the Ministry of Education for many years. Feels it is a great privilege to enrich and educate today's youth.

גלי

Gali Schwartzman

Administrator

Married, mother of 3, and grandmother of 4. Has resided in Kibbutz Gevim for 28 years. Manages the kibbutz store and is the community's cultural coordinator. Loves being constantly active.

Regular Lecturers

יניב

Yaniv Mazuman

 Resident of Eliav, former Head of the Mechina, and current CEO of Yad Ben-Zvi. Lecturer on Ethics and Character Development.

Ephraim Back

Resident of Kfar Etzion. Former head of the Beit Guvrin branch. Educator and leader of journeys to Poland. Lectures on Traditional and Modern Judaism.

Inbar Levy Ron

 Public Policy Manager at the "Israel Free" movement. Formerly a parliamentary advisor in the Knesset and interned at the State Attorney's Office. Lectures on activism, social change, and politics.

מרצה אבנר דינור

Avner Dinur

 Member of the urban kibbutz in Sderot. A secular theologian. Lecturer in Jewish Thought and Philosophy at Sapir College and various pre-military academies.

Board of Directors

מוריה

Moriah Ben-Tulila

עמיר

Amir Ellenberg

רנית

Dr. Ranit Budai-Hayman

אבי

Avi Naim

Partners in the Journey

Eran (Yaakov) Shapir

One of the founders of Eliav, a joint religious-secular community. Community manager of Moshav Ein HaBesor. Graduate of the "Israeli Rabbinate" program at the Oranim Midrasha and the Shalom Hartman Institute. A strategic and conceptual partner to the Mechina's management team, engaged in "healing reality."
"To heal an ailing reality / With letters and words / With melody and story / With prayer and speech / With encounter and study / With dialogue and hope / Through action…"

ביקו - שותפים לדרך

Zvika (Biko) Arran

Social entrepreneur, attorney, and consultant to donors and foundations. Currently a consultant for the public department at the Accord Center – Social Psychology for Social Change. Formerly led the establishment of "Kol HaAm," the President’s initiative for global Jewish discourse. Founding CEO of "929 – Tanakh Yomi." Founder and first CEO of "Midot," which rates non-profits in Israel. One of the founders of "Nachshon," the first non-religious pre-military academy, and former Chairman of the Meitarim Lachish Mechina. Served for a decade as an officer at IDF Radio (Galatz). Served in the reserves as a casualty notification officer.