Mandel Program for Senior Executive Leadership in the Negev
The program brings together a senior leadership group that takes responsibility for the shared challenges of the Negev and supports the development of a common vision, ethos and long-term strategic thinking. This collaborative group is an important statement and holds great potential for future regional impact.
Program FormatOne day every two weeks
DurationOne academic year
The program was established to address the complex realities of the Negev, including significant population diversity, pronounced socioeconomic disparities and limited visibility and voice for some communities in the public sphere. There is also ambiguity regarding the distribution of powers and responsibilities between the three levels of government— central, regional and local— as well as tensions between local and national democracy.
The Center recognized the importance of promoting dialogue to address these challenges in creative ways, as well as the need to support senior local leaders who are eager for collaborative learning that highlights the region's unique character. The program facilitates such dialogue by bringing together a diverse group of representatives from different sectors and geographical areas, all of whom work toward a common vision, ethos and a shared space for the entire region. The very existence of this collaborative group, engaged in long-term strategic planning, is an important statement and holds great potential for future regional impact.
Program fellows are senior officials in the Negev working in the fields of education, welfare, community development, culture, regional government, health, security, higher education and law. They serve in local and regional government, government agencies, public bodies and major nonprofit organizations dedicated to advancing the Negev. Although program fellows represent a wide range of sectors and institutions, all participants live and work in the Negev, from Eilat in the far south to Kiryat Gat and Ashkelon in the Northern Negev.
Course of Studies
The program cultivates a trust-based group of senior leaders from different government ministries, local authorities and civil society organizations. Fellows work together to develop a shared ethos and vision for the Negev, engaging in study and collaborative work to promote inclusive and diverse spaces for all residents of the region. Throughout the program, participants also clarify their own roles and responsibilities in the region (as opposed to the responsibility of the State), within their various professional fields.
Impact in the Field
Program graduates actively collaborate on initiatives addressing issues in law, education, community life, infrastructure planning and demographics.
Security and law enforcement: Four graduates have joined an action group focused on personal security and community well-being in the Negev. They are developing a program to foster stronger relationships between Negev Bedouin leaders and local law enforcement agencies, in response to findings of low trust in these agencies among the Bedouin public.
Quality of education: Five graduates formed an action group dedicated to improving education in the Negev. They are planning a knowledge center that will map challenges within the Negev education system and propose solutions promoting educational excellence and social mobility.
Infrastructure and demographics: Six graduates have joined an action group focused on infrastructure planning and regional demographics. Together, they are developing a project to bring together Jewish and Bedouin youth in the Eastern Negev through joint sports initiatives in local communities and schools.
About the Center
The Mandel Center for Leadership in the Negev aims to improve quality of life in the Negev by cultivating strong social, educational and cultural leadership. The Center focuses on developing a powerful community of leaders grounded in vision, values and expertise, who will lead groundbreaking initiatives, out of their commitment to all the communities of the Negev and to strengthening the shared spaces of the region.