Menu of Speakers 2007
Amy Kronish
Michael Granoff
Khaled Abu Toameh
Yaakov Katz
Yael Hedaya
Chuck Freilich
Micha Halpern
Andrew Summey
Israel Bonan
Yitzhak Ben-Horin
Ron Leshem
Galila Ron-Feder-Amit
Gail Har Even
Hila Engelhard
Naomi Gefen
Avi Goldberg
Oded Gour-Lavie
Roy Keidar
Michael Khoury
Daniel Lichtenstein
Tal Werner-Kling
Uri Leventer
Amy Kronish is a consultant for the Jewish and Israeli film industry, curates film programs for Beit Avi Chai in Jerusalem, and works on coexistence programs at the Jerusalem International YMCA. You can contact her at akronish@netvision.net.il. Available week of 1/24, small fee
Michael Granoff founded Maniv Energy Capital (MEC) in 2005. MEC was a seed investor in Israel Cleantech Ventures, the first venture capital fund to focus exclusively on opportunities in the clean technology sector in Israel. In 2004, out of concern for the economic, geopolitical and environmental consequences of continued oil dependence, he helped conceive the highly regarded Washington-based advocacy group, Securing America's Future Energy (SAFE). He received his B.A. from Tufts University and his J.D. and M.B.A. from Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management. Available 2/18-2/20, small fee, contact Esther Cohen at ecohen@jcrcboston.org
Khaled Abu Toameh is an Israeli Arab Muslim who works as the West Bank and Gaza correspondent for the Jerusalem Post, U.S. News and World Report. Since 1988 he has been the Palestinian Affairs Producer for NBC News. His articles are published in numerous publications such as The Sunday Times, Daily Express and the New Republic. Available 2/24-2/25, contact Jonathan Cohen at Jonathan@aish.org
Yaakov Katz is the military correspondent and defense analyst for The Jerusalem Post, the Middle East's leading English daily. Mr. Katz has covered the police beat and settler affairs for the Post and was the chief correspondent during the Gaza Strip disengagement in the summer of 2005. He is also the Israel correspondent for USA Today. Available 2/27, 2/28, 2/29, small fee, contact Esther Cohen and ecohen@jcrcboston.org
Yael Hedaya earned an M.A. in Creative Writing and English Literature from New York University. She has worked as a journalist and columnist for the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth and Tel Aviv's weekly magazine, Ha'ir. She is currently teaching creative writing at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Available 4/28 week, small fee, contact Udi Urman at Culture@BOSTON.mfa.gov.il
Chuck Freilich is a Senior Fellow at the Belfer Center at Harvard University Kennedy School of Government. Freilich was Israel's Deputy National Security Advisor and his areas of expertise are US- Middle-East policy and Israeli National security policy has appeared on CNN, quoted in the NY Times.. He teaches at Tel Aviv University and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Born in New York he immigrated to Israel in his teens. Available year round, free, contact him at chuck_freilich@harvard.edu
Micha Halpern is a political analyst in the area of Middle East and Muslim Fundamentalism and an expert on terror. He was a lecturer at Yale University, taught at Brandeis University and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and recently released his best selling book THUGS. He also writes a column on Kosher wines and is the only exclusively kosher wine reviewer in the Western world. He can be contacted at ZamMdh@aol.com and http://www.micahhalpern.com
Andrew Summey is the Christians United for Israel (CUFI) Eastern Regional Coordinator and Director, CUFI on Campus. He was the former Director of Christian Outreach for The David Project Center for Jewish Leadership and continues to consult for them. He also served as a Christian outreach consultant for the Jewish National Fund in Canada and helped found the Winnipeg Zionist Initiative in 2002, a former program of the Asper Foundation in Manitoba, Canada. Andrew received his BA in Jewish and Christian studies from Providence College in Manitoba, Canada and is completing his Masters in Jewish-Christian Studies from Seton Hall University in New Jersey. Available year round, small fee, contact andrew.summey@cufi.org
Israel Bonan is a member of JIMENA (Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa www.jcrcboston.org/jimena). Israel was born in Egypt but after being persecuted and imprisoned for being Jewish he fled Egypt in 1967 to the United States. He is now a professor of computer science at Simmons College. He is available to speak year-round and can be contacted through edreyfuss@jcrcboston.org
Yitzhak Ben-Horin was a reporter and editor for Ma'ariv for 30 years and served as the Bureau Chief in New York and Washington, DC between 1994 and 2003. Since October 2003, he has been the Washington Bureau Chief of Yedioth-Ynet (Hebrew version) and Ynet-news (English version). He covered the Oslo accords, the Wye River, Shepherdstown, Camp David summits and the Annapolis Conference. His presentations cover: The Annapolis conference and the push for a Palestinian state; The race to prevent a nuclear Iran; The 2008 presidential race and the Israeli point and The way Israel has been portrayed in the American media. He is based in Washington D.C and available year round; small fee, For more information contact Udi Urman at Culture@BOSTON.mfa.gov.il
Ron Leshem lives in Tel Aviv and is deputy director in charge of programming at Channel Two, Israel's main commercial television network. He wrote the book Beaufort that was later made into a movie by the same name. It will be released in theaters around March. It is also being sent to Hollywood as the Israeli representative for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Movie. Available 2/25 week, contact Udi Urman at Culture@BOSTON.mfa.gov.il
Galila Ron-Feder-Amit was born in Haifa in 1949. She has a degree in biblical studies and Hebrew literature from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. For seven years she was foster-mother to 10 children from broken homes, and she recorded her experiences in a fictional series that was broadcast on radio and adapted for the stage and TV. She has published six novels for adults and about 250 books for children and youth, many of which have been broadcast, filmed and serialized in children's and teen magazines. Available in early March, contact Udi Urman at Culture@BOSTON.mfa.gov.il
Gail Har Even is an Israeli author whose books have been translated into English. She is a great lecturer for your International Women's Week events. Available during the month of March, contact Udi Urman at Culture@BOSTON.mfa.gov.il
Hila Engelhard is a 2007-08 Wexner Fellow. As the Director of the Diplomatic Cadets Course, she was responsible for planning and implementing the Ministry of Foreign Affair's six-month-long training course which constitutes the first stage of training for the Diplomatic Corps of the Israeli Foreign Service. She has also worked for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in West and Central Africa and Mexico City. Available year round, free, hila_engelhard@ksg08.harvard.edu
Naomi Gefen is a 2007-08 Wexner Fellow. As the Director of the Occupational Therapy Department in Alyn Hospital she evaluated children with special needs in the field of assistive technology, representing hospital and occupational therapy on governmental and non-governmental committees, and researching and lecturing at national and international conferences. Available year round, free, naomi_gefen@ksg08.harvard.edu
Avi Goldberg is a 2007-08 Wexner Fellow. Dr. Goldberg is the head of the Emergency Preparedness Department at Clalit Health Services. He is a member of several advisory committees at the Ministry of Health, including the National Trauma Council and the National Epidemic Management Team. He teaches in the MHA program at Tel Aviv University. He holds an M.D. from Tel-Aviv University and a M.A. in Health Administration from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Available year round, free, avi_goldberg@ksg08.harvard.edu
Oded Gour-Lavie is a 2007-08 Wexner Fellow. He is the Head of the Research and Development Department at the Ministry of Defense. He is a Naval Captain and served as Commanding Officer of a missile ship and twice as the Commanding Officer of submarines in the Israeli Navy. He graduated cum laude with a B.SC in Electronic Engineering from the Technion, the Israeli Institute of Technology. Available year round, free, oded_gour-lavie@ksg08.harvard.edu
Roy Keidar is a 2007-08 Wexner Fellow. Roy is the Legal Advisor to the Israeli National Security Council in the Prime Minister's office. Notably, Roy was appointed by former prime minister Ariel Sharon to be a member of the inter-agency team that planned and executed Israel's "Disengagement Plan" from the Gaza Strip. Roy holds both LL.B. and LL.M. degrees from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Available year round, free, roy_keidar@ksg08.harvard.edu
Michael Khoury is a 2007-08 Wexner Fellow. Michael served as the First Secretary for Economic and Commercial Affairs (Commercial Attaché) at the Israeli Embassy in Greece from 2003 to 2007. In his previous position as Deputy Director of the International Agreement Division at the Ministry of Industry, Trade & Labor, Michael took an essential part in shaping the trade policy of Israel towards the World Trade Organization (WTO). Available year round, free, michael_khoury@ksg08.harvard.edu
Daniel Lichtenstein is a 2007-08 Wexner Fellow. Daniel is the Deputy Medical Director of HaShfela District, the largest district of Israel's 2nd largest HMO, Maccabi Healthcare Services. Daniel currently holds the rank of Major in the IDF medicine corps and was an artillery officer during his 4 four years of mandatory military service. Daniel holds a B.Med.Sc (magna cum laude) and a M.D from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and a M.H.A. (cum laude) from the School of Management at the Ben Gurion University of the Negev. Available year round, free, daniel_lichtenstein@ksg08.harvard.edu
Tal Werner-Kling is a 2007-08 Wexner Fellow. Since 1995 she has been is a Senior Deputy to the State Attorney in the Department of International Affairs at the Israeli Ministry of Justice. She was one of the Israeli delegates in both the Council of Europe and European Union forums. She also negotiated with various countries, including the United States, regarding issues relating to extradition and international legal assistance. She holds a LL.B and a LL.M from The Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Available year round, free, tal_werner_kling@ksg08.harvard.edu
Uri Leventer is a Master in Public Policy student at the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government where he concentrates on International Security. He served as an intelligence officer for five years in the Israel Defense Force. He then worked as a news editor in Ha'aretz newspaper and Channel 10. This past summer he worked at The Center for American Progress where he focused on Nuclear Weapons, Non-Proliferation and Middle East Affairs. Available year round, small charge, uri_leventer@ksg08.harvard.edu
