Our
Staff
Ariel Dloomy
Co-Executive Director
Ariel Dloomy
Co-Executive Director
Co-Executive Director of AJEEC-NISPED since 2014, Ariel was born and raised on Kibbutz Nahal Oz in the Western Negev. He holds a Master’s Degree (with honors) in Middle East Politics from the University of London and a BA (with honors) from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
Ariel has extensive experience with community development and conflict resolution, having worked with the Arab Bedouin community of the Negev for more than 15 years. He founded and developed a variety of socio-economic and community development programs in Israel, in the Middle East and in the developing world. Under his leadership, AJEEC-NISPED has received the President of Israel’s Excellence Award. In 2010, JDC Ashalim presented Ariel with an award for excellence for his work with at-risk children and youth.
Ariel is the founder and Chair of SID – the Israeli branch of the Society of International Development – a forum of international and Israeli organizations (governmental, quasi-governmental and non-governmental) working in international humanitarian aid and international development.
From 2011 to 2016, Ariel served as Co-Director (along with a Palestinian counterpart) of the Arab Peace Initiative (API) Regional Network, a forum of civil society activists and organizations from the Middle East working together to promote regional peace. His interest in Arab-Jewish dialogue is part of his own background – his father’s family were Jews from Iraq. In 2012, he co-founded Abdalak, an initiative that brings together Israeli Jews of Iraqi origin and Muslims from Iraq to neutral third countries for dialogue and exchange, allowing them to recover their shared heritage and break down negative stereotypes that have developed through years of hostility.
Ariel lectures about international development, community work and dialogue between communities in conflict. He has published articles on these subjects in a variety of publications in Israel, Europe, North America and Iraq.
Ariel enjoys long distance running and is a member of the Playback Community Theatre. He and his wife have two children.
Vision: “At AJEEC, I dared to dream and then I was able to turn my dreams into reality with the help of a dedicated and professional staff that I consider to be my second family.”
Kher Albaz
Co-Executive Director
Kher Albaz
Co-Executive Director
Kher Albaz lives in Tel Sheva and is married with seven children. Kher has an BA in social work from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and a MA in Social Planning and policy from WLU University in Canada. He also holds an MBA from the University of Haifa. In addition, he has completed numerous courses in the management of social and economic systems. He enjoys music and science fiction movies.
Current Roles: Kher is an expert in government policy with regard to social topics and current trends in the Bedouin society. He is involved with a variety of initiatives in the fields of community development both on the local and national levels. He served as a member of the board in diverse civil society organizations including Sapir College, the Abraham Fund, A Circle for Good, Midot and more.
Past Roles: For many years, Kher was the regional director of social services for the Bedouin villages of Segev Shalom, Kseifa, Ararara and the unrecognized villages of the Negev. He also worked in the Canadian social service system for three years.
Vision: “I see supreme value in all human life and work to create a joint realm where equal opportunities for education and employment are available for all. I believe in the right of all peoples to live with respect, security and a feeling of belonging”.
Sliman Alamour
Deputy Director
Sliman Alamour
Deputy Director
Sliman lives in Kseife. He is 39 years old, married and a father of three children. Sliman holds an MA in Public Policy and Management from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He is also a graduate of Kaye College’s group leadership program and SHATIL’s Leadership Course, as well as the “Window to Government” program focusing on the relationship between civil society organizations and government offices.
Current Roles: Sliman has worked at AJEEC for 15 years. He is responsible for the organization’s strategic planning and advances the building and development of community programming and work processes based on trust and public engagement.
Past Roles: Sliman began his career at AJEEC as a project coordinator for the empowerment of youth in the Bedouin villages of the Negev, responsible for the coordination of the Taliyah (Volunteer Year) program. He later became the manager for all coordinators. In 2009, Sliman was appointed director of AJEEC’s Volunteer Tent (Center) and during his tenure cultivated partnerships with heads of local/regional councils, deans of the colleges and universities, the leadership of civil society organizations and government offices.
Vision: “To meet and enter into dialogue together is the beginning; to maintain relationships is progress and to work together for the betterment of all marks success”.
Liora Schreiber
Financial Officer
Liora Schreiber
Financial Officer
Liora is the mother of four children. She enjoys music, travel, reading and mosaic art.
Present Roles: Liora is a social worker and bookkeeper. She has been working at AJEEC since 2006. SInce 2013 she is the organization’s financial officer.
Past Roles: She is one of the founders of Migvan – the urban kibbutz in Sderot and continues to be an active member today.
Vision: “I am committed to helping create sane alternatives to life in our challenging country”
Naama Gur-Peleg
Director of Resource Development and Marketing Communications
Naama Gur-Peleg
Naama Gur-Peleg
Director of Resource Development and Marketing Communications
Ms. Gur-Peleg comes to AJEEC-NISPED from the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, where she was responsible for coordinating external relations and resource development. Previously, she served as a senior account supervisor at Gitam Porter Novelli, a subsidiary of Gitam BBDO, one of Israel’s leading advertising agencies. Her responsibilities included managing public relations and corporate reputations as well as implementing long-term strategic communications programs for a wide range of clients. Over the years she also has freelanced as a consultant to private companies and non-profit organizations in the areas of communications and resource development.
Married with three children, she lives in Kfar Bin Nun in the Latroun region. She holds a BA in Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology, an MBA and an MA in Political Communication, all from Tel Aviv University. In her free time, she loves to travel in Israel and internationally, watch movies, read and draw.
Dr. Eran Buchaltzev
Director of the Organizational Knowledge Center
Dr. Eran Buchaltzev
Director of the Organizational Knowledge Center
Eran shares his life with Sivan and is the father of three young children. He is a member of the Kama Community – an urban Kibbutz in the Negev. He holds a doctorate in history and the study of cultures.
Current Roles: Eran has several years of experience in content and knowledge development, training and experiential education. He is an expert in social economics with experience in the development of work processes and initiatives to advance social businesses, cooperatives and sustainable local economy.
אני מאמין: “לזהות בכל אדם אחר את העולם המלא והאפשרות לשותפות, תוך התמודדות מתמדת עם הלא-מודע הפוליטי שמגביל אותנו”.
Judy Stoller
Co-Owner and Co-Director of the El Hudaj Bedouin Women’s Fitness Center in Rahat
Judy Stoller
Co-Owner and Co-Director of the El Hudaj Bedouin Women’s Fitness Center in Rahat
Judy is married with three children and a grandmother of one.
Past Roles: Judy worked in a variety of social programs and organizations including the Wisconsin Program and Enush – the Israeli Association for Mental Health. She also worked in the commercial sector in the fields of marketing and customer service
Vision: “El Hudaj is a dream come true. Through this project I learned to know myself and to find things that we can carry out together and that empower all sides involved”.
Nadia El Turi
“Women Weaving a Dream” Coordinator
Nadia El Turi
“Women Weaving a Dream” Coordinator
Nadia is part of the Altori clan, one of the largest families in Bedouin society. Her immediate family includes 10 people. She enjoys reading, watching television and travel.
Past Roles: Nadia worked as a social worker in the Rahat Social Welfare Department with children and women victims of violence. She also coordinator AJEEC’s “Volunteer Year” program.
Vision: In our reality, there are divisions between Jewish and Arab society in general and Bedouin society in particular. Shared society programming will bring the change”.
Milada Schwarzman
Senior Bookkeeper
Milada Schwarzman
Senior Bookkeeper
Milada is married and the mother of two children. She immigrated to Israel from Azerbaijan in 1990. Milada enjoys cooking.
Current Roles: Milada has been working in AJEEC since 2012.
Past Roles: Milada has more than 24 years of experience as a bookkeeper in various offices.
Vision: “My guiding principles are to understand one another, to compromise and to take care of each other”
Jihad Alshafoi
Bridgtech Director
Jihad Alshafoi
BridgeTech Coordinator
Jihad is married and father to a daughter. He is a graduate of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. He enjoys cycling, renovating cars, nature trips, music and classical literature.
תפקידים בהווה: מנחה תקשובי ומתרגומן
Vision: “The moment we recognize that even between people who are very close to one another there exists infinite distance, we will be able to see the “other” as complete”
Aisha Abu Freich
Coordinator, Parents as Partners Program
Aisha Abu Freich
THe “Technology Generation” Project Coordinator
Aisha is the tenth of eleven children, six boys and five girls. She enjoys travelling, particularly in Jerusalem.
Current roles: She works in AJEEC.
Past Roles: Aisha was a Perach (Student volunteers) coordinator for four years. She also worked in the Sodastream factory in the Idan HaNegev Industrial park in Rahat for a year and a half.
Vision: “There is no point in relating to one’s gender, ethnicity, religion or lifestyle. Rather, we should listen to what the person is saying.”
Veronica Vigdorchik
Director of Arab Jewish Partnerships
Veronica Vigdorchik
Director of Arab Jewish Partnerships
Veronica immigrated to Israel with her parents in 1990.
Past Roles: Veronica worked in the Ashdod Youth Center and served as its social involvement coordinator. She was also the coordinator for at-risk youth at the Ashdod War Against Addiction and Violence Authority.
Vision: One of the most memorable experiences was when I travelled to Poland as part of an Israeli delegation for dialoguing between Poles and Jews. This journey reset my way of thinking about the Holocaust and my life as an Israeli. I have dedicated my work to the pursuit of equality and justice among all segments of the population.”
Nada Abu Ghanem
Director of Early Childhood Programs
Nada Abu Ghanem
Director of Early Childhood Programs
Nada is the mother of five children. She holds a Masters in early childhood education. She enjoys travel and Karaoke.
Current Roles: Nada was a lecturer and pedagogical counselor at Achva College. She taught various education classes at the Negev Center College.
Past Roles: From 2002-2010 nada worked at AJEEC as the Early Childhood Coordinator and subsequently, as Director. For three years, she directed the Rahat Community Center’s early childhood center.
Vision: “My vision is that all peoples regardless of religion or nationality will accept one another with a broad smile”.
Ghosoon Alsana
Administrative Assistant
Ghosoon Alsana
Administrative Assistant
Ghosoon is the mother of four boys. She lives in Lakiyah with her family.
Present Roles: Ghosoon has been with AJEEC for the past four years.
Past Roles: Ghosoon worked as a medical secretary in the Lakiyah Health Clinic.
Vision: “We need to build our communities together and not separately. Each side completes the other, thus creating balance and meaningful change”.
Nasrin Afawi
Health Department Coordinator
Nasrin Afawi
Health Department Coordinator
Nasrin lives in Tel Sheva and she is a mother to three boys and a girl. Nasrin holds a BA in Middle Eastern Studies and a general MA from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. She enjoys reading and spending time with her family at home and in the mountains.
Past Roles: Nasrin has worked in AJEEC for the past five years. She is also a personal coach.
Vision: I learned at AJEEC that a person’s past is less important than her actions. When all sides will function for the betterment of the other, all will be well”.
Odded Mark
Director of Training and Content, AJEEC Youth Organization
Odded Mark
Director of Training and Content, AJEEC Youth Organization
Odded lives with his wife and daughter in Mitzpe Ramon.
Past Roles: Odded has vast experience in non-formal education and youth organization activities. Odded had spent a year of service in the No’ar Ha’oved ve’Lomed movement and for three years coordinated the organization’s activities in the country’s center. He was part of the education aide mission to Haiti following the 2010 devastating earthquake. He spent a year in the States, through the Jewish Agency, coordinating the activities of the Bonim Dror Youth Organization.
Vision: “Through meeting the “other”, one learns a lot about oneself.”
Aaron Levy-Forsythe
External Affairs Manager
Aaron Levy-Forsythe
Aaron Levy-Forsythe
External Affairs Manager
Aaron Levy-Forsythe serves as External Affairs Manager, taking the lead on cooperation with donors and other partners. He has extensive experience with communications, institutional relationships, project implementation, and organizational management. Originally from the United State, he holds a BA from The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and an MA from the Institute d‘Etudes Politiques de Paris. Before making aliyah in 2014, Aaron lived and worked in Kazakhstan, the United Kingdom, and France. Aaron is married and in his free time he enjoys reading and travel
Rata Abu Krinat
“Community Resilience” Coordinator
Rata Abu Krinat
“Community Resilience” Coordinator
Rata is married and the father of three girls. He has a BA in Geography and non-formal education. He enjoys agriculture and spending time near the lemon trees that he planted.
Current Roles: Rata works to advance the rights of Arabs in the Negev.
Past Roles: Rata worked for the Negev Coexistence Forum and various other human rights organizations.
Vision: The basis of true partnership is the recognition of the “other” and recognition of the “other’s” historical narrative and the “other’s” right to exist.
Riki Levy
Office Manager
Riki Levy
Office Manager
Riki is married with four children and two grandmother. She enjoys helping and leading.
Past Roles: Riki has been working in AJEEC for 13 years.
Vision: “I believe in the importance of developing supportive social networks, an intimate understanding of one’s professional partners and the concept of “partnership”. I am convinced of the power of partnership in overcoming all barriers”
Raja Dajaf
Information Coordinator
Raja Dajaf
Information Coordinator
Raja is married with two daughters. She enjoys writing and reading, gardening and walking.
Current Roles: Raja is a group leader in the field of identity and conflict as well as a creative writing instructor.
Vision: “I work to achieve equality and justice between different populations”.
Aisha Zayedna
Coordinator for Arab Participants, Arab-Jewish Gap Year
Aisha Zayedna
Aisha Zayedna
Coordinator for Arab Participants, Arab-Jewish Gap Year
Ms. Zayeda hails from Namile, an unrecognized Bedouin village in the northern Negev and holds a BA in English from Achva College. She “grew up” at AJEEC. After high school, she herself was a participant in the Arab-Jewish Gap Year. Later, during her university studies, she was part of the Leaders student community volunteer program.
Before joining AJEEC, Aisha was Director of Unistream, an organization for business and social entrepreneurship. In her free time, she enjoys traveling the world and reading.
Hanadi Sha'er
Government Relations Coordinator
Hanadi Sha’er
Hanadi Sha’er
Government Relations Coordinator
A part of AJEEC-NISPED’s team since 2017, Ms. Sha’er holds a BA in Social Work from Sapir Academic College. Before joining AJEEC, she held a number of positions involved in social inclusion and dialogue between communities. Her previous experience includes managing and developing shelter homes for young Bedouin women, leading trainings on women’s empowerment and promoting dialogue between Arabs and Jews. This background has given her a special perspective on the challenges facing vulnerable populations, including young people, people with disabilities and women who have experienced domestic abuse.
Ms. Sha’er believes that leadership requires responsibility, and that empowering women brings a new, creative voice. She considers herself to be an optimistic person who always looks on the bright side of life
Tal Shamir
Director of the “Community Resilience Project”
Tal Shamir
Director of the “Community Resilience Project”
Tal is married and the father of four children. He enjoys nature, bicycling and reading.
Current Roles: Tal is an educator and a community developer. He has more than 20 years of experience working with youth and community building.
Vision: “Eleven years ago I made a decision to increase my involvement in shared society building, the empowerment of communities in the Negev and the advancement of peace in our region. These are the things I believe in”.
Wahid Alsana
Director of Community and Partnerships, AJEEC Youth Organization
Wahid Alsana
Director of Community and Partnerships, AJEEC Youth Organization
Wahid is married and the father of two. He enjoys sports, particularly soccer.
Past Roles: Waid coordinated the Rayan Organization’s activities in Rahat and worked to help integrate Bedouin in the job market. He coached the Rahat adult soccer team and was awarded the “Coach of the Season” award in 2012/13 by the Israeli Soccer Association.
Vision: “It is very possible to bridge between conflicting opinions in a multicultural society through dialogue with the “other”.
Majda Abu Queder
Coordinator for Knowledge and Development
Majda Abu Queder
Majda Abu Queder
Co-Coordiantor, BridgeTech
Ms. Abu Queder holds a BA in Communications and Creativity from Sapir College. Before taking her current position with the BridgeTech program, she was a participant in the Arab-Jewish Gap Year program. She also worked with the Leadership for Change program with teenagers.
Married and the mother of one daughter, Ms. Abu Queder believes that the best way to know oneself is to know others. When you understand someone different from yourself, only then can you feel and understand your own identity.
Dr. Gili Baruch
Director of Mubadra
Dr. Gili Baruch
Dr. Gili Baruch
Director of Mubadra
Dr. Baruch holds a PhD in Sociology from Ben Gurion University and is an experienced consultant on economic and social development. She has a particular expertise in building and managing inter-sectoral partnerships.
A member of Kibbutz Urim, Dr. Baruch is a mother of three. She enjoys genealogy and thriller TV series.
Her vision is development in the Negev and not the development of the Negev. She believes that small change can signal bigger opportunities, and that local people must make progress together for themselves.
Lihi Shmueli
Coordinate, International Courses
Lihi Shmueli
Lihi Shmueli
Coordinate, International Courses
Ms. Shmueli is currently studying at Ben Gurion University, pursuing a BA in Political Science and Communications. Alongside her position at AJEEC, she serves as Coordinator of the Keren Moshe leadership program at the university.
Previously, Ms. Shmueli served as Coordinator for immigrant studies at Ben Gurion, working with the Ministry of Immigration and Absorption. She also coordinated the Together Partnership Program in Be’er Sheva in cooperation with the Montreal Alliance of the Jewish Agency. Before starting her studies, she was a Jewish Agency Emissary in Columbus, Ohio, in the United States.
Ms. Shmueli belives that the meaning of living together is to appreciate and love every human, regardless of gender, color or religion.
