Executive Director

Nimrod is a Research Fellow at the Harry S Truman Institute for the Advancement of Peace. He is currently writing his PhD dissertation at the Department for Middle Eastern Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem on the topic: “The role of external incentives in conflict resolution: the cases of Israel and Turkey”. Nimrod is a member of the Leadership Committee of the Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP), and is among the founders of the International Forum for Peace and Democracy. Previously, Nimrod worked at the Levtzion Center for Islamic Studies, the Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies and the Israel Oriental Society. In 2004, he participated in the U.S. Department of State's International Visitors Leadership Program on "Conflict Resolution and Preventive Diplomacy". He also took part in an Israeli-Palestinian policy-planning process of building scenarios for the future of Jerusalem. His publications deal with the role of incentives in peace processes, civil society in Israeli-Palestinian conflict resolution, Turkey-EU relations, and US policy towards the Middle East. Nimrod was raised in Rehovot, and lives today, with his wife Keren, in Hod Hasharon.

nimrod@yifc.org

Incoming Executive Director

Adam is currently studying towards a MA degree in conflict analysis and resolution in the Swiss Center in Hebrew University. He graduated cum laude from Tel Aviv University with a degree in Political Science and History. Adam is a trained conflict consultant and facilitator and has worked a dialogue facilitator in Israel and abroad with Seeds of Peace and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. He is also a freelance print journalist, published in several media outlets, including the Jerusalem Post, the UN Bridges magazine and was the deputy editor of his faculty newspaper. Adam began his involvement with YIFC as a participant in the 2008 Brussels conference on the European role in the Middle East conference. He was raised in Washington D.C. and currently resides in Jerusalem.    

Noa is a MA student for Communication Studies at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and holds a BA in Political Science and Communication Studies from the Ben-Gurion University. Noa works as an assistant to the President of Ben-Gurion University and also as the Campus Coordinator of the Stand With Us International Fellowship program. Noa also works as an Academic Tutor- in communication law course at Ben-Gurion University and was working at the Radio-South Station in Beer-Sheva. At 2007, Noa took part in a Students study tour to Brussels on "Understanding the EU&NATO institutions and the European Jewish Communities on behalf of the Centre for the study of European Politics and Society at BGU.

Project Manager

Shelly graduated an M.A in European Studies at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Her main field of research was the international figure of the European Union, with an emphasis on the subject of Human Rights.

Noa Epstein is the Director of the Mediterranean Department at the Peres Center for Peace.  A peace activist since the age of 14, when she first joined Seeds of Peace, Noa has worked as Programme Manager of Peace Now and dialogue group facilitator at Seeds of Peace. Noa graduated from the Red Cross Nordic United World College in Norway, an International School presided by Nelson Mandela and Queen Noor, and holds a BA in International Relations (Summa Cum Laude) from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In 2008 she became a graduate of the Ford Fellowship of the 92nd st. Y. Noa is interested in social entrepreneurship and community organizing. Noa speaks five languages, including Arabic.

noa@yifc.org

Carmen is a BA student at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, studying International Relations and Political Science. Currently she works as a research assistant for Dr. Shaul Shenhav from the Political Science department, Hebrew University and as a coordinator of Israeli delegation to the Democracy Festival in Berlin on behalf of the German Agency for Civil Education. In addition, Carmen also coordinates the Taglit-Birthright project for the Hebrew University and is an active member of the European NGO, "Crossing Boarders". Some of her past social activities include participation in various delegations such as "The Child Summit", held at the UN, students exchange delegation to Germany, and Conflict management workshop in Denmark and Sweden. Carmen was also among the organizers of "Students Lead South", a volunteering project which took place in the city of Sderot and she was a coordinator in "Students Lead North", another volunteering project which took place in the North of Israel after the Second Lebanese War. Carmen's involvement with YIFC started in 2007 through an internship course she took at the Hebrew University.

Carmen@yifc.org

Dror is a Medical Doctor working at the Schneider Hospital in Petah Tikva. Furthermore, Dror is a Ph.D. candidate at the Department of Physiology, Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Prior to that, he served as the assistant to the Director General of the Ministry of Public Security. He was born and raised in Herzliya, and currently lives in Gat Rimon.

dror@yifc.org

David holds a Bachelor's Degree in Law, Letters & Society from the University of Chicago and a Masters Degree in International History from the London School of Economics. In 2005-2006 David was a visiting graduate student at Tel Aviv University, and currently is a PhD candidate in Law at Columbia University. He is a Board Member at the Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP), and lives in New York.

david@yifc.org

Koby works at Mckinsey & Company and is a recent graduate from Yale University, majoring in Ethics, Politics, and Economics with a specific interest in Economics and International Affairs. In addition he took part in the selective Yale Studies in Grand Strategy program. Koby speaks in public often on the political situation in the Middle East and the involvement of youth in political activism. Among other places, Koby spoke at the UN, in Carnegie Hall, on CNN, and in schools and temples around the United States and abroad. In past summers Koby worked as a political analyst for Friedman, Billings, and Ramsey (FBR), and also as a Middle East analyst in the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). At Yale he founded a political dialogue group and he volunteered with the local community in New Haven on economic development programs.

koby@yifc.org

Shirley holds a Bachelor's degree in Politics and Government from the Ben-Gurion University in Beer Sheva. During her studies, Shirley worked as a journalist at a regional television news program of "HOT" cable TV and at the "Radio South" station. Shirley is working at the Institute for Policy and Strategy at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, and is part of the production team of the "Herzliya Conference". In the summer of 2006, she took part in a seminar on "European Integration" in Limerick Ireland, and at a NATO simulation in Slovenia. Shirley lives in Ramat Hasharon.

shirley@yifc.org

Nadav graduated from the Law and Business School of the Inter-Disciplinary Center Herzliya, and currently works at a law firm in Tel Aviv. Previously, he volunteered in the "Halev in Law" program, providing aid to under-privileged people with legal proceedings; was a member of the editorial staff of the Law Review Journal, published in The Marker web-site, and accompanied Jewish students from abroad, participating in the Birthright program. He lives in Tel Aviv.

nadav@yifc.org

Adi graduated in Political Science and Sociology from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Adi has been active for many years in the international organization CISV (Children's International Summer Villages) promoting peace education and cross-cultural partnership. She has been a participant, junior counselor, leader and national junior representative in international summer camps and conferences and in national activities, and took part in board meetings. In the year 2005 she was the fund raiser of Beit Hillel at the Hebrew Univeristy. In the last years Adi has participated in various international seminars and conferences, enhancing cross cultural cooperation. Adi is also a facilitator of conflict Israeli-Palestinian groups, in Israel and aboroad.

adi@yifc.org

Oded is an MA student at School for Public Policy at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and holds a BA in Economics and Political Science from the Hebrew University. Oded works as an assistant to the Director-General of the Minister of the Interior. Previously, he worked as an economist at a consulting firm, focusing mostly on market failures and on
micro-economics. He also served as a research assistant for Dr. Momi Dahan from the School of Public Policy at the Hebrew University, and worked as a Controller at the Municipality of Jerusalem. He lives in
Jerusalem.

oded@yifc.org

Project Manager

M.Arch student of Architecture at the department of Architecture Landscape and Design at the University of Toronto. Maier completed his BA in History and Ancient Near Eastern Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He also studied there for MA in Biblical and Ancient Literature. Maier is the recipient of scholarships from DAAD, the Austrian Government, the Provincial Government of Ontario, University of Toronto and several other independent scholarship funds. He has completed courses at the University of Vienna and the University of Halle in Lutherstadt-Wittenburg. He has worked for the Zvi Hecker Architects office in Amsterdam and recently presented an exhibition entitled “Gegen die Wand – Islamic immigration and social housing in Amsterdam” at the Larry Wayne-Richards gallery. Previously, he coordinated the young forum of the Kol Haneshama Community – a center for Progressive Judaism in Jerusalem, and volunteered at Physicians for Human Rights and at "Kav La'Oved" - workers help line. Maier participated in the conference about the EU role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in 2002. He currently lives in Toronto, Canada.

Ido Zelkovitz is PhD. candidate in the University of Haifa's Middle Eastern History Department on a full scholarship for Excellency. Currently Ido works as lecturer in the Multidisciplinary Studies Department at the University of Haifa. He is also a member at the board of editors of "East Wind", the e-journal of the Middle East and Islamic Studies Association of Israel (MEISAI), and a research fellow at the Ezri research center for Iran and the Persian Gulf Studies at the University of Haifa.

His main fields of expertise include Palestinian social history, politics and culture. The Palestinian-Israeli conflict, radical Islam, and shaping and changing of identities and discourses in the Middle East during time of war and resolution.

Ido's PhD. Dissertation title is "From nation building to state building- student's socio-political role in the Palestinian National Movement". His M.A thesis (Summa cum Laude) also written in the University of Haifa under the supervision of Dr. Mahmoud Yazbak examined the "Islamic discourse, national identity and armed struggle: the Fatah movement 1959-2005". Lately he published some articles on this issue.

Ido burn, raised, and living in Haifa.