About the Institute

The Mandel Leadership Institute believes that vision-driven leadership, grounded in a broad and deeply rooted worldview, has the potential to contribute greatly to the flourishing of Israeli society, inspired by the values of Israel’s Declaration of Independence. Our fellows are people with proven leadership experience from the fields of education, culture, and society, from the public sector and civil society, from the IDF and the Haredi community, and from all regions and communities in Israel. Graduates of the Institute hold key positions in Israeli society and work to advance a just, inclusive, compassionate and democratic Israel.

Fellows of the Mandel Youth Leadership Program read a vision poster

Israeli society has grappled with a variety of challenges for many years: social, religious, ethnic and political divisions; growing socioeconomic inequality; and substantive differences of opinion regarding the character and future of the State of Israel. In recent years, a series of historic events – including the COVID-19 pandemic, the bitter national dispute over judicial reforms, the October 7 terror attack and subsequent war – have brought to light the profound divides between different groups in Israeli society over the nature of our shared future. Leadership is truly tested during times of crisis, making Mandel’s leadership programs even more essential in this period of unprecedented social tension.

The Mandel Leadership Institute selects communities and fields of action where challenges can be met by exceptional leaders capable of driving significant change. The Institute’s current programs support leaders in the Haredi community, leaders of non-formal education organizations, Jewish cultural entrepreneurs, senior staff at academic institutions for teacher education, senior IDF commanders and senior public servants.

Fellows of the Mandel Foundation–Israel standing together at the Tell el-Ful lookout, observing the urban landscape visible from the site — Photo: simanim.tv

The Mandel Leadership Institute believes that vision-driven leadership, grounded in a broad and deeply rooted worldview, has the potential to contribute greatly to the flourishing of Israeli society. The Institute is therefore dedicated to training leaders in the fields of education, society and culture. The Institute recruits individuals with proven leadership experience, a strong sense of responsibility, a willingness to learn and a deep commitment to improving their communities, professional fields and Israeli society as a whole.

A close-up of fellows seated in a row in a lecture hall, listening attentively — Impact in the Field
Collectively, Mandel Leadership Institute programs foster networks of dedicated leaders who share common goals and a unified language. Graduates of the Institute hold key positions across Israeli society, launch new initiatives and help significantly improve their respective fields. They are motivated by their commitment to building a better, more just, tolerant and democratic Israel, in the spirit of the Declaration of Independence: “The State of Israel will be open for Jewish immigration and for the Ingathering of the Exiles; it will foster the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants; it will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race, or sex.” — From Israel’s Declaration of Independence, 1948

About the Mandel Foundation–Israel

The Mandel Foundation–Israel aims to advance Israel as a Jewish and democratic state that is inclusive, just and pluralistic, by training visionary leaders in the fields of education, society and culture in Israel.