Michael Wegier - Executive Director
Michael combines a passion for creative teaching with a commitment to strategic planning and educational leadership. He has worked in Jewish education and policy planning in Israel, the USA and the UK. His most recent position was Director of Program and Planning for the United Jewish Israel Appeal in the UK. Michael is a graduate of the Mandel Jerusalem Fellows (2000-2002) and has a Master's Degree in Contemporary Jewry from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Previously, he served as a senior educator at Melitz in Jerusalem and was also the Melitz Scholar to the JCC in Baltimore from 1996-9.
Shlomit Naim-Naor - Deputy Director
Shlomit Naor is the deputy director of Melitz and the chairperson of the Israeli Batei-Midrash network. She holds a Masters degree in Hebrew Literature from Ben Gurion University and a B.A. in Philosophy and Hebrew Literature from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Shlomit, who was born and raised in Raanana has worked for more than a decade in Jewish education for organizations including the Jewish Agency for Israel, Elul - a pluralistic beit midrash in Jerusalem and the Ministry of Absorption. She spent three years as a community shlicha in Redbrige, Northeast London. In addition to her Jewish-Zionist educational background, Shlomit is a published poet and translator.
Amihai Bannett - Israel Connect Coordinator
Amihai Bannett is an educator with experience as a teacher and administrator in both Israel and the Diaspora. Amihai served as a teacher in Ma’alot, a northern town bordering with Lebanon and in Bet Shemesh and as a Principal in a Jewish day school in Winnipeg, Canada. Amihai holds a teaching certificate and Bachelor of Education from Herzog College in Alon Shevut and a Master of Education in Administration and Supervision from Loyola University in Chicago. Amihai served in the elite Golani Brigade and continues to serve in the IDF as a reserve soldier.
Alexandra Benjamin - Director of Overseas Programming
Alexandra, a native of London, England, made aliyah to Israel in 2002. An experienced Jewish educator even before moving to Israel, Alexandra has a Masters degree in Jewish Studies from University College, London. Alexandra has lectured and taught extensively in the United States. She has worked with all age groups and denominations bringing high level Israel and Jewish education into schools, synagogues, Hillels, and other institutions. A licensed tour guide, Alexandra has worked with groups from all over the world on short trips and long-term programs in Israel. Alexandra lives in Jerusalem and believes there is no place like it in the world. She is an active member of her community Shira Hadasha.
Jana Gayevsky - Director of Olim Programming
Born in Russia; BA in History and Philosophy at the University of Haifa; Joined Melitz in 1990; Jewish Agency Consultant for immigrants from the Former Soviet Union in North America.
Ellen Levi – Director of Resource Development
Ellen’s experience spans various areas of Jewish education and non-profit management, including fund raising, program development, community relations and leadership development. She has worked with synagogues and with Jewish organizations including Hillel, The Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland, The ASSOCIATED: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore, and The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. Ellen holds a B.A. in political science from Haverford College, an M.A. in Jewish Studies from Baltimore Hebrew University and an M.A. in Policy Sciences from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. She made aliyah in 2008 and has been with Melitz since 2009.
Shlomit Sattler - Project Coordinator, Herzl Museum Project
Shlomit was born in Jerusalem to parents who had immigrated from America and Australia. She did her army service as a soldier-teacher working in the south of Israel with new immigrants and under privileged students. After her release from the IDF Shlomit spent a year studying at the Ein Hanatziv religious kibbutz Seminary before beginning her career in Informal Jewish Education. For more than 15 years Shlomit has been writing, facilitating and coordinating informal educational programs and seminars in Israel, the FSU, the USA and the UK. In 2003 Shlomit began a four year position based in London as the Jewish Agency for Israel educational emissary to the Union of Jewish Students of Great Britain. Since her return to Israel Shlomit has primarily been kept busy by her wonderful children, but also finds the time to work as a freelance educator, and part time at the Museum on Mount Herzl as the educational coordinator. Shlomit has a BA from Bar Ilan University and lives in Jerusalem with her husband and three sons.
Peri Sinclair - Educational Director of Rav Siach
Peri Sinclair was born and raised in K'far Saba. She grew up in a Masorti/Conservative family, studied at a TALI school, and was an activist and leader in Noam, the Masorti youth movement. In her army service she achieved the rank of Lieutenant (Segen). Peri holds a BA from the Hebrew University in Psychology and Jewish Thought, and an MA in Jewish Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary, where she is currently working on a doctorate in Midrash. Professionally, she has worked in a variety of educational positions, including running family education workshops for the TALI Education Fund, guiding in the seminar department of the Diaspora Museum, and most recently serving as the assistant education director of a large Conservative synagogue in New Jersey. She lives in Modiin with her husband and three wonderful children.
Nabil Abu Salman, Building Manager
Nabil is from the town of Abu Ghosh just outside of Jerusalem. He began working at Melitz in 1988, making him Melitz's longest serving employee. In 2008 Nabil accompanied Jewish and Arab Israeli students on a mifgash trip in Poland with Polish and German students. Nabil is married to Ne'mai and has seven children.
Ariela Rosemberg, Administrator and Graphic Designer
Ariela made aliyah from Argentina in 1995. She studied at the Overseas school at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Subsequently she studied at the Hadassah College of Hotel Management. She also studied photography and graphic design. Ariela is married to Ariel and has three children, Tomer, Chen and Tali
Zilpa Edri, Bookkeeper
Zilpa was born in Jerusalem. She began working at Melitz in 1990 as the assistant to the bookkeeper and was subsequently promoted to serve in this role herself.