Board
Dorit Shomron
Chairwoman of the Board
Museologist, director and career coach. Formerly CMO of The Israel Museum, and associate at Lord, an international consulting firm for the development of museums and cultural heritage. Formerly employed at the Museum of Modern Art in San- Francisco and the Historic Museum at San Jose, California. Former CEO of Kol HaIsha, a multicultural women’s NGO. Dorit has extensive experience as an active board member in various nonprofits in the fields of education, media, women's advocacy, and rights of medical patients, in Israel, Europe and the United States.
Dorit holds a BA in International Relations from the Hebrew University and an MA in Museum Studies from San Francisco State University, specializing in management of museums and NPO. She is a graduate of Tel Aviv university's Lahav executive program and is a certified personal, business, and career coach. A Jerusalemite living in the Galilee, Dorit is married and a mother to three boys with deep feminist awareness.
"I joined the El HaLev board of directors because building a safer society for both women and men is a universal goal, and because instilling skills for self-defense and coping with physically and mentally violent situations through education is a social mission of utmost importance. Being personally aware of the eternal personal and familial damage that is caused by exposure to sexual violence, I thoroughly know how dangerous the lack of knowledge, awareness, and tools for self-defense can be.
The existence of El HaLev is crucial for changing views and mindsets regarding the importance of self-defense education and of instilling physical, behavioral, and verbal means for prevention, to be used in threatening situations and active danger. El HaLev's activity in Israel and its international influence make it a lifesaving organization. Instilling tangible and practical self-defense tools saves the lives of women and girls who learn to efficiently handle violent and risk situations that endanger their bodies and souls."
Gali Malkiel
Board Member
Director of business unit at Ribbon Communications and mentor to senior executives
Gali currently manages a high-tech business unit of all Ribbon Communications software products. She formerly worked at various high-tech companies (Telrad, Nortel and Ribbon Communications) as VP of International Development and Marketing. Gali also accompanies executives and CEOs in both high-tech and NGOs for business optimization and improvement of business performance and personal and executive skills.
Gali is a BA and BSc in psychology and computers, holds an MBA, has been trained in coaching and is a certified director.
Gali has accompanied El HaLev for the past 7 years as a business coach, member of the audit committee, and currently a member of the board of directors.
A great believer in the fact that the prevention of violence against women begins with education, Gali has seen El HaLev’s blessed and multifaceted work over the years, and its impact on the prevention of violence in society.
Dr. Etush Kessler
Board Member
CEO of Danna – from Separation to Growth, a non-profit supporting women and men in processes of separation, divorce, and grief.
Social and educational entrepreneur, specializing in project management and development, and in processes of change in the third sector, while building partnerships and pooling resources.
Etush has extensive knowledge and experience working in the educational system and its various branches. She has previously worked as director of training, development and mentoring at the JDC Chotam program, has managed a national program for connecting NGOs and public authorities, and has developed training programs for cultural competence. She is also the founder of the knowledge center at Yad BeYad NGO and has managed a reception unit and a counseling unit in the Karev Program.
Etush holds a BSc in biology, an MSc in genetics and a PhD in intercultural mediation in the educational system. She is a graduate of the Directors' Program and of a specialized program for non-profit CEOs.
Etush joined the El HaLev board of directors during 2021 and contributes of her knowledge and experience towards expanding El HaLev’s influence and activity within the educational system. She is happy to take part in El HaLev’s meaningful activity, which has extensive impact on violence prevention in society.
Debbie Amichai
Board Member
Debbie Amichai holds a master’s degree in Social Studies and Social Work from Oxford University and is an accredited Couples and Family therapist and an Employment coach. Debbie has worked for many years helping women in abusive situations. She was coordinator for services for abused women in the Social Services Department in Hadera and was one of the staff who founded the WIZO shelter for Battered women in Jerusalem where she worked for several years. Debbie is in private practice in Jerusalem and in Tel Aviv. She gives lectures and workshops all around Israel, and serves on the board of El-HaLev, to promote the prevention of physical, emotional, and sexual violence.
Tiferet Solomon-Sadan
Board Member
CEO – The Blender, Hadassah Academic College Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Jerusalem
Formerly a business partner and content manager at Wisio, a chief business development officer for a BioMed company, and director of the innovation and entrepreneurship program at the Hebrew University School of Business Administration. She holds a BA in political science and international relations from Hebrew University.
Tiferet has been a board member at El HaLev for over three years and has been an advocate of policy and legislative change in the field of date-rape drugs and date-rape drugs survivors, for over four years.
“Originally one of El HaLev’s first participants in the IMPACT for teen girls’ program, I have since taken part in many of El HaLev’s activities. Today I have the honor of working to promote El HaLev’s goals in many areas, foster productive cooperation and more.”