Meet the staff


Moshe Samuels		Program Director A Chicago native and longtime Jerusalem resident, Moshe took over as program director after many years of experience working in the Jewish community both in Israel and abroad. Throughout his career, Moshe has served as the Jewish Agency Shaliach for Birmingham, Alabama, as the Israel Fellow at the University of Western Ontario Hillel, was educational director of the Conservative Movement's youth organization in Israel, and much more. Moshe is a graduate of the Gilboa Yeshiva and holds a teacher's certification in Jewish Studies from Herzog Teachers College. As Program Director, much of Moshe's work happens behind the scenes dealing with the administration and financing of the program, but he'll still be around to teach classes and lead study sessions and Kabbalot Shabbat.
Elin Avrunin		Program Coordinator - Community Service Track After serving in the IDF's Education Corps and receiving her degree in Behavioral Science from the Tel Aviv-Jaffa Academic College, Elin began working in the field of education and social justice in Tel Aviv. She led the way in opening a youth center in south Tel Aviv's Neve Ofer neighborhood where she supervised Tikkun Olam volunteers and got to know the program before joining the staff. This year Elin will serve as coordinator for the Community Service track. For those choosing this track, Elin will be your madricha (guide). She'll be around to provide guidance and the first staff person that you'll turn to during your Tikkun Olam experience.
Benji Weiman-Kelman		Program Coordinator - Coexistence Track Born and raised in Jerusalem (except for one year living in Hong Kong), Benji has now settled in Jaffa. A jack-of-all-trades, Benji is studying Psychology and Philosophy at Tel Aviv University, is a licensed paramedic and a diving instructor. Benji's experience also extends to the realm of Jewish education, having worked as a guide in a Progressive Judaism pre-army program that he had formerly participated in. For those in the Coexistence Track, Benji will be your madrich (guide) during your time on Tikkun Olam, providing guidance on the program experience and life in Jaffa, among other things.
Tamar Alon		Volunteering Coordinator - Community Service Track A former Jerusalemite and current Tel Avivi, Tamar joined the Tikkun Olam staff after several years working with Tikkun Olam volunteers as a staff member at the Arab-Jewish Community Center in Jaffa. Tamar received her first degree in Archaeology and Egyptology from Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and received her certificate in art from the Kibbutz Seminar in Tel Aviv. Tamar's adult life has been spent in the field of social justice, working in a variety of organizations and projects dealing with interfaith coexistence, absorption of Ethiopian immigrants, and more. In addition to being the Associate Director of the Bina In The Neighborhood project, Tamar will be your guide for your volunteering experience if you choose the Community Service Track, providing instruction, guidance and advice in helping you build the most meaningful and effective volunteering experience possible.
Avital Rozen		Volunteering Coordinator - Coexistence Track Education Coordinator Hailing from the remote outpost of Kibbutz Ketura (near Eilat), Avital has turned city-dweller and now lives in Tel Aviv. Avital studied Industrial Design at the Avni Institute in Jaffa, and has been a Jaffa tour guide at Mishkenot Ruth Daniel for several years. For those choosing the Coexistence Track, Avital will be your guide for your volunteering experience. From start to finish, she'll be around to introduce you to the volunteering options and give advice and guidance to make sure your volunteering experience is as productive as possible. As Education Coordinator, Avital is hard at work putting together engaging and enriching educational programming, from weekly classes to special day tours to monthly overnight trips.
Mark Wolfe		Director of Marketing and Admissions A native of New Jersey, Mark received his bachelor's from the University of Maryland in Computer Science and worked in the field for several years in New York City before coming on the Tikkun Olam program. Following his participation in the program, Mark chose to make aliyah and join the program staff. As Director of Marketing and Admissions, Mark is hard at work year-round trying to raise the profile of the program and recruit new Tikkun Olam participants for future editions of the program. From the moment you hear about the program until the moment you land in Israel, Mark is your contact person for all questions related to the Tikkun Olam program.
Izhar Ben-Zaken		Logistical Coordinator A graduate of a Bina Garin group (a group that combines volunteer work with regular army service), Izhar has come back into the Bina fold and is now in charge of taking care of all the technical issues that are involved in the day-to-day operation of the Tikkun Olam program. Be it fixing things around the apartments, dealing with the landlord or reserving the campsite for the monthly trip, Izhar will be taking care of all the little things that make the program go as smoothly as possible. When not fixing leaky faucets in the Tikkun Olam apartments, Izhar is studying interior design at the Holon Institute.
Mira Regev		Department Chair Mira is originally from Jerusalem, but she's now a "Tel Avivi" through and through. Already ordained as a Reform Rabbi, Mira is also studying for her doctorate in Kabbalah. Mira also spent time in the U.S. studying at the University of Pennsylvania. After spending 3 years as director of Tikkun Olam, Mira will be spending the next year in the U.S. expanding the reach of the program while also working to develop new programs to help bring diaspora Jews to Israel to work for social justice and coexistence.

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Meet the staff