Please join the Inter-Agency Task Force on Israeli Arab Issues and top Israeli civil society experts on October 27th for a lunch briefing from 12:00-2:00 pm (lunch will be served) on the Current State of Arab-Jewish Relations. Specifically, we will hear from key thought leaders about the latest trends in business / economic development, education, equality, and high tech as it affects Jewish-Arab relations and issues facing the Arab citizens of Israel. Our esteemed speakers are:
Mr. Ron Gerlitz and Mr. Ali Haider, Co-Executive Directors of Sikkuy: The Association for the Advancement of Civic Equality in Israel;
Dr. Ramzi Halabi, Chairman, and Ms. Smadar Nehab, Executive Director, Tsofen - High Technology Centers;
Mr. Helmi Kittani, Executive Director, The Center for Jewish-Arab Economic Development (CJAED) and
Mr. Mike Prashker, Founder and Director, MERCHAVIM - The Institute for the Advancement of Shared Citizenship in Israel.
Bios have been included below.
Please RSVP to Michal Cohen at michal.cohen@jdcny.org or (212) 885-0825. Location details will be provided upon RSVP. Space is limited.
Finally if you would like to arrange a private meeting with one of our presenters, please contact the appropriate person below.
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BIOS
Mr. Ron Gerlitz
Co-Executive Director, Sikkuy
Mr. Ron Gerlitz joined Sikkuy as co-executive director in January 2009. He is a graduate of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem with a B.Sc. in mathematics and computer science and an MA in public policy, both magna cum laude.He began his professional career in hi-tech, working for six years, both in Israel and in Silicon Valley, California. In parallel Ron also devoted his energy to political activism, both in Israel and in the USA. Before joining Sikkuy, Ron was a project manager at the Israel Venture Network (IVN). He took part in developing strategies and implementing projects advancing local economic development in the periphery, both in the Jewish and Arab sectors. He lives in the town of Srigim in the Ela Valley near Beit Shemesh.
Contact: Mr. Carl Perkal at carl@sikkuy.org.il
Mr. Ali Haider, Adv.
Co-Executive Director, Sikkuy
Mr. Ali Haider, Adv. has been the co-executive director of Sikkuy since 2004. He was previously the director of Sikkuy's Employment Equity and Fair Representation project. Ali holds L.L.B and L.L.M. degrees from Bar-Ilan University and was admitted to the Israeli Bar Association in 1997. He is widely recognized and extensively published as an expert in the field of affirmative action for the disadvantaged and minorities in Israel. Ali lives in the village of Ibellin in the western Galilee.
Contact: Mr. Carl Perkal at carl@sikkuy.org.il
Dr. Ramzi Halabi
Chairman, Tsofen
Dr. Ramzi Halabi, Tsofen Chairman, is a lecturer at Tel Aviv University and an economic and organizational consultant in the Arab community in Israel. He is an expert on and active in promoting economic equal opportunities for the Israeli Arab sector. Among his former roles are: former Mayor of the Regional Council of Daliat-al-Carmel, Director of the Arab Business Club, head of the IDF Salary and Pensions Department. Dr. Halabi holds a Ph.D. in Social Sciences from Tel Aviv University.
Contact: Ms. Smadar Nehab at smadar.nehab@tsofen.org
Mr. Helmi Kittani
Executive Director, The Center for Jewish-Arab Economic Development (CJAED)
Helmi Kittani, Executive Director of The Center for Jewish-Arab Economic Development (CJAED) is an Arab Israeli economist; he joined CJAED in 1992, after 20 years of managerial experience at one of Israel's largest banks. In 2002, Helmi was awarded the Knesset's Quality of Life Award, along with CJAED founder Sarah Kreimer, from Speaker of the Knesset MK Avraham Burg, for their longstanding efforts to improve the quality of life of Arab citizens of Israel and to promote tolerance and understanding between Jews and Arabs. In 2009, Kittani was awarded the New Israel Fund Human Rights Award in recognition of his achievements in promoting human rights, civil rights and equality for the Arab citizens of Israel. He holds a degree in banking from Tel-Aviv University, and is on the New Generation Technologies (NGT) Arab-Jewish Technological Incubator Board of Directors.
Contact: Mr. Avner Tavori at avner@cjaed.org.il
Ms. Smadar Nehab
Executive Director, Tsofen
Ms. Smadar Nehab, Executive Director of Tsofen, is a technology entrepreneur and has held key positions in leading technology. She brings broad experience in the initiation, the creation and management of technological organizations, and in organizational and technological consulting. Smadar earned a BA in Mathematics & philosophy of Science from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and M.Sc. in Computer Science form the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot.
Contact: Ms. Smadar Nehab at smadar.nehab@tsofen.org
Mr. Mike Prashker
Founder and Director, MERCHAVIM - The Institute for the Advancement of Shared Citizenship in Israel.
As the Founder and Director of MERCHAVIM, Mr. Mike Prashker is responsible for vision and strategy, the ongoing development of the "shared citizenship" idea and its applications and driving new initiatives like the major new society-building initiative Kulanana. Mike also oversees MERCHAVIM's strategic partnership with Israel's Ministry of Education and is responsible for partnership-building with MERCHAVIM’s steadily expanding group of Israeli and international philanthropic, government and NGO partners.
Contact: Mr. Mike Prashker at mikep@merchavim.net