Shahaf Foundation Staff
Dr. Haia Jamshy
CEO
"Enhancing community resilience in neighborhoods and settlements by supporting mission-driven young communities, developing community networks, and promoting a community-oriented municipal strategy – all form an important tier in strengthening the geo-social periphery in Israel. The change will be generated from the bottom, by an activist, caring, leading civil society. This is the only way to close social, educational and economic gaps in the periphery and produce an equal, just society in Israel."
Haia Jamshy has a Ph.D. degree in sociology of education from Tel-Aviv University. During her employment with JDC, Dr. Jamshy was responsible for the development and advancement of strategic planning units in local municipalities. Prior to that, she had served as CEO and subsequently as a board member of the Israeli Women's Network organization – an NGO dedicated to the advancement of women's rights in Israel. About 15 years ago, she entered the philanthropy world as CEO of the Oran Foundation – the private foundation of the Naor family. Subsequently, she co-founded the Shahaf Foundation with philanthropist and business entrepreneur Avi Naor. Dr. Jamshy specializes in the advancement of initiatives in the social world, as well as in the development of strategic processes and evaluation tools and methods.
Tzahi Ben Hagai
Vice CEO
"I see the activism of citizens, community and communality as the key to dealing with the challenges of Israeli society and the world in the 21st century. Investing in these areas will lead to a leap in the quality of life for all of us."
Lives in Kibbutz Einat, married to Keren, a father to Yuval, Navot and Lotem.
Tzahi holds a B.A. in Social Work from Tel Aviv University. Educating students to community work and policy change. He holds an MBA from Ben Gurion University of the Negev and a personal and group coaching course of MIL.
Led projects in the field of at-risk children and youth and children with special needs in civil society organizations – Etgarim Association, youth sponsorship frameworks and more.
He managed programs at the Naor Foundation – the Naor family foundation and was a partner in the establishment of the Shahaf Foundation.
Upon the establishment of the fund, he managed social investments in the fund and is currently vice CEO of the Shahaf Foundation. During his work at the Foundation, he developed the field of accompanying the intentional communities, accompanying and establishing community organizations, working with local authorities, and contacting and collaborating with government ministries.
Yaara Katz Feiner
Director, Neighborhoods in Change Project
"The change in the project’s neighborhoods is achieved by the civil society operating in the neighborhood, led by the mission-driven communities and local activists in cooperation with the local authority. Establishing the partnership and combining the efforts, along with strategic planning and an in-depth approach will lead the neighborhood to growth and enhance community resilience. I have been an activist and believer in social community involvement for many years. We have the power to act in order to influence and make the neighborhood where we live better."
Yaara, who lives in Jerusalem, is married to Noam and the mother of Noga, Uri and Gal. She has a BA in economics and business administration and a master's degree in NGO administration. For over a decade, Yaara coordinated and led various social programs and activities in Jerusalem, as outlined below. Jerusalem Youth Council – educating local young leaders for social responsibility and community involvement. VP Operations & Head of Communities & Projects, the Jerusalem Movement – an activist movement aspiring to maintain Jerusalem as a pluralistic, open and accommodating city.
Content consultant, Jerusalem Education Administration. Yaara currently leads the Neighborhoods In Change project of the Shahaf Foundation, intended to encourage community and social growth and regeneration in neighborhoods of Israel's geographic and social periphery.
Reem Shmuelevitz
Director, Neighborhoods in Change Project
"The best way to learn and deepen about building communities is to experience community learning ourselves: both in the content and in the manner of the meeting. To share with each other the knowledge we gain in the field and face the challenges of the community firsthand. I aspire for the network of learning communities to be the professional home of those involved in community development in local authorities. There will be partnership, growth and friendship in it, and many professional communities will find their homes in it."
Until the age of 32, Reem was a member of the cooperative-mission community "Dror Israel" (the alumni movement of the "Hanoar haoved vehalomed) and today he is married to Daphne and a new father. He has a bachelor's degree in education, a teaching certificate and a master's degree in the history of the people of Israel. He served as the CEO of an association in the field of group facilitation, founded and managed several physical communities, initiated and managed processes for creating resident leadership based on house committees in the Beit Shemesh municipality. He published the non-fiction books "Midbaran: Yetzer Hatob" (The United Kibbutz) and "Live the Midbarn".
Zehorit Peretz
Director of Finance