Meet the Shoham Steering Committee!

ORLY LAHAT (CHAIR)

I was born in 1951, in the city Rechovot. Married to Hadas (PhD), father to Assaf, Omer, Tamar and Yuval. A grandfather to Eitan.

Served 25 years as a pilot in the Israeli Airforce, ranked Lieutenant Colonel.

I hold a BA in Economics and Political Science from Tel Aviv University, and a graduate of professional trainings designed for Executives and Directors.

Between the years 1986-1988, I was a Jewish Agency Community Shaliach (Emissary) in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In the past 20 years, I am the CEO of ORGAD YEADIM, an organization which deals with social entrepreneurship and organizational development. I am a lecturer specifying in the topics of leadership, changing perceptions in organizations and the non-profit sector. In the past two and a half years, I’ve been co-chairing the Shoham – Memphis Partnership.

GIDI BEERY

I am 58 years young, happily married to Risa (57) and we live in Shoham since 1997. We have 5 sons, 3 daughters-in-law, 5 granddaughters and 1 grandson.

Ages ago I studied Mathematics and Computer Sciences (B.SC. and M.Sc.) at Tel Aviv University. I served as an officer in the Israeli Air Force, leading software development for large scale mission control and navigation systems. Between 1988 and 2003, I held various executive positions at Comverse Technology, at the time a world leading hi-tech firm in the telecommunications sector. Leaving the hi-tech industry I transitioned to the non-profit sector (NGOs) to leading as a member of the Israel Venture Network (ivn.org.il), the establishment of Avney Rosha – the Israel Institute for School Leadership (avneyrosha.org.il/eng). Excited by the opportunities to help the Israeli society, I joined Yad Hanadiv, the Rothschild Foundation in Israel (yadhanadiv.org.il), in 2006. On behalf of Yad Hanadiv, I had the honour and responsibility to lead the renewal project of the National Library of Israel (nli.org.il), which I advise till today. As of January 2017, I am a freelance strategic advisor to non- and for- profit organizations alike.

GILI BEZALEL

I am married to Yael, Principle of the "Ahad Ha'am" high school in Petah Tikva, a father of Noa, who is the head the scouts youth movement in Shoham, and Adi who is in a year of Mechina (army preparatory program) at the "Hartman Institute" in Jerusalem.

I am the Director of International Relations for "The Society for the Protection of Nature" (SPNI). In addition, I am working for the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) as part of the Sorting and placement team for Shlichim (emissaries). I was the Director of "The Ulpan Kibbutz" project owned by the Jewish Agency and the Kibbutzim movement.  From 2001-2004, I was a JAFI "Shaliach" in Washington DC, USA.

On a personal level, I am part of the Memphis – Shahom partnership, steering committee from day one. It's a pleasure to work with the all of the partners and to be active in this wonderful project between us.

YEHUDIT DOHAN-INBAR

Born in 1967. I graduated from the Faculty of natural sciences at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. I have been working as a project manager and system analyst in various telecommunication companies. As employee of Amdocs, I have worked with telecommunication companies in the USA and in Canada and nowadays I work in Bezeq, the largest telecommunication company is Israel.

I volunteered in a youth center that provides social and educational support to children from difficult neighborhoods, and was part of Shoham’s parent patrol, operating during school vacations and at nights to ensure youth’s safety.

I am married to Roni Inbar and have two children.

For the last couple of years, I’m part of the emerging Reform community in Shoham. I believe that the importance of the Reform Judaism in Israel is the in its ability to provide an alternative way of practicing Judaism, that emphasizes the liberal, progressive and pluralist values of Judaism.

MICHAEL GILINSKI

I am an attorney, dealing with consulting companies in the field of auditing and compliance.

I am a partner at a firm that employs 15 workers (lawyers, accountants, IT staff, etc.) - all experts in their respective field (real estate, capital market, education, etc.). The firm offers pro-bono services to a number of organizations to make an impact in the community.

I have been a board member of Beit Tefilah Israeli for a number of years. I assisted in establishing the Reform community in Shoham, and I am also an active member in the PTA at my children’s schools. I serve as deputy brigade commander, with lieutenant colonel status, and I am in charge of home front command.

I am married to Gladys and father of three, whom I educate according to Jewish values (as I see them), Zionism, love of all humanity, and love for the land of Israel.

TOVI KOCHAV

I live in Shoham for over 20 years, I'm 51 years old.

I'm married to Esti, and we have 3 wonderful daughters: Reut (29), Sapir (25) and Sagit (20), and 3 cute granddaughters: Roni (8), Haleli (6) and Ori (3).

I have a M.A. degree in Business & Management from Ben-Gurion University and a B.A. in Economics and Computer Sciences from Bar-Ilan University.

For the last ~4 years I am the CTO of the Deloitte’s Technology practice in Israel, where I lead major Information Technology transformation efforts for organizations.

Prior to joining Deloitte, I served for 29 years in the Israeli Air Force (IAF), where I held senior positions in the world of Information Technology (mainly operational and intelligence mission critical systems). My last role was the IAF's CIO with a rank of Colonel.

During my career in the IAF, I led IDF delegations to Poland (Holocaust "Witnesses in Uniform") and to Moscow and St. Petersburg as part of the MAHUT program* to Russian speaking Jewish communities.

I'm active in a few community initiatives in Shoham. My main hobbies are: aviation – building & flying of airplane models, reading, traveling and trekking, sport in general and particularly basketball.

ARELA KOTER HAMOU

A mother of 3: Noa (20) Nir (18) and Maya (13), live in Shoham for the last 20 years. My eldest daughter was 6 months old when we moved to Shoham. Almost all my professional life I filled-in marketing roles, first as Lady Globes forum Manager (conferences and forums for business women) and later as an Account Manager at an Advertising Agency, and a Marketing Manager as the leading International Management Consulting firm.

Today I'm the Marketing Manager of Meptagon Group www.meptagon.com.  Other than fulfilling my career aspirations, I enjoy Running- 10km, half marathons etc., reading books, painting whenever I get the chance, and volunteering. As it is my first year in the Shoham-Memphis partnership, I'm thrilled and excited to visit, meet and experience the Memphian community and to co-think how we can grow this partnership together.

DORIT MEDINA

I am 51 years old, married to Alon (54) and we live in Shoham since 1995. We have 4 kids: 3 girls - Stav (24), Rotem (21), Ziv (17), and a son Matan (11).

After High school I went to the academic reserve and studied Electrical Engineering in the Technion and MBA in Tel Aviv University. I served as an officer in the Israeli Signal Corps.

After the army, I worked in different high-tech companies, developing chips, including - Digital, Infineon, Samsung and Intel. In the last 10 years I am working as a lecturer in Afeka Collage for Engineering in the electrical department.

NAAMA RUBINSTEIN SAMET

I hold a DMD degree from the Hebrew University and Hadassah School of Dental Medicine in Jerusalem, Israel, and a graduate of the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery postgraduate program at the Sheba hospital, Tel-Hashomer, Israel. In addition, I hold an MBA degree from Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, USA.

My work is divided between my Maxillofacial practice, lecturing and teaching dentists in the field of Maxillofacial surgery and dental implants, and consulting to dental companies in fields that are related to my specialty as well as in the field of dental implantology. In addition, I currently act as a Board member at ILAN -The Israeli Foundation for Handicapped Children – in Ramat Gan, Israel, Consultant for the Israeli Export Institute related to the Dental field, and volunteers at the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel, and at the National Center of Forensic Medicine (Abu Kabir), and of course, the Shoham – Memphis Partnership.

DANNY SHAPIRO

I was born and educated in New York City.  As a teenager in the 1970s, I was deeply active in Hashomer Hatzair, a kibbutz-oriented Zionist youth movement, and I made aliya in 1980 with a group of North Americans, settling on a small kibbutz.

I lived on the kibbutz for seven years, during which I completed my B.A. in political science at the Hebrew University, served for two years in the IDF, worked in agriculture and education, and met and married, my wife, Liora, who was born and raised in the Israeli town of Petach Tikva.

In 1987, we left the kibbutz. We eventually settled in the then-new community of Shoham, where we have lived for 20 years, raising our kids and becoming increasingly involved in community life in a number of volunteer capacities.

Professionally, I have worked in public affairs and fundraising for nearly 30 years for Israeli non-profit institutions and NGOs, holding senior positions in the Schneider Children’s Hospital, Tel Aviv University, the Peres Center for Peace, the U.S.-Israel Binational Science Foundation, and Technion - Israel Institute of Technology.

I currently serve as director of fundraising for WIZO – the Women's International Zionist Organization, which is Israel's largest non-governmental provider of educational and social welfare services.

My wife Liora holds a PhD in molecular biology and Masters in business administration. She is the director of molecular biology for one of Israel's leading biotech service companies.

We have two children: Stav, 27, who is a commissioned officer in one of the top R&D units of the IDF Intelligence Corps, and is studying for his Masters degree in electrical engineering from the Technion. He got married last year. And Noam (girl), 22, who will begin studying at the Hebrew University next fall.

In terms of personal interests, I still follow American politics and culture, as well as American sports, particularly baseball (a Mets fan….). I love to cook, and have a growing interest in photography.

I am deeply committed to Israel and its future, feel strongly connected to Shoham, and hope that I can make a meaningful contribution to the new partnership with the Memphis Jewish community.