Michal SellaExecutive Director
MichalSel@givathaviva.org.il
Tel: +972(4)6309343
Michal Sella is the Executive Director of Givat Haviva – the Center for Shared Society, and an expert in Israeli politics and public policy. She has extensive experience working with governmental bodies both in Israel and abroad, working as the Director of the Center for Policy Change at Shatil - New Israel Fund, a parliamentary advisor at the Knesset; a journalist and co-editor at Channel 2; a co-founder of The Whistle (the Israeli fact-checking NGO) and a pedagogical coordinator at Hashomer Hatzair youth movement.
She holds a master's degree from Oxford University in public policy, as well as bachelor's degrees from Tel Aviv University in history and journalism. She lives in Tel Aviv with her partner and child.
Mohammad DarawsheDirector of Strategy
mmd@givathaviva.org.il
Tel: +972(4)6309291
Mohammad Darawshe is Director of Strategy at the Center for Shared Society at Givat Haviva. He holds a masters' degree in Peace and Conflict Management from Haifa University, and is a Robert Bosch Academy Fellow and faculty member at the Hartman Institute. Previously worked as co-director of The Abraham Initiatives, elections campaign manager at the Democratic Arab Party and United Arab List, and was a leadership fellow at the New Israel Fund.
Member of the executive board of Darkenu, Pnima, and Aaron Economics Center. Previously elected council member of his hometown Iksal. Presented lectures at the European parliament, NATO Defense College, the World Economic Forum, Club de Madrid, US Congress ,and Israel's Presidential Conference. Recipient of the Peacemakers Award from the Catholic Theological Union and the Peace and Security Award of the World Association of NGOs.
Member of the National Committee on Coexistence Education Policy; the Three-Sector Roundtable at the Prime Minister's office; and the Strategic Planning Authority for Economic Development of Arab Sector.
Nurit GeryDirector, Givat Haviva International Center
gery.nurit@gmail.com
Tel: +972(54)9797165
After volunteering at an orphanage in Zimbabwe, Nurit moved from the commercial world, where she worked in the pharmaceutical industry, to the social sector. Nurit joined Givat Haviva in 2016 and is one of the founders of Givat Haviva International School which brings together a diverse group of gifted young people from Israel and around the world.
Nurit’s commercial work experience spans Israel and the U.S, in senior management, marketing and sales, entrepreneurship and business development. Prior to joining Givat Haviva, she worked for 20 years at GSK where she was a Business Unit Director.
Nurit holds an MBA from USF, California and a BA in Biology from the Technion, Israel.
She is married to Amos and mother to three - Oren, Tomer and Gilad.
Ola NajamiDirector of the Jewish-Arab Center for Peace
directorjacp@givathaviva.org.il
tel: +972-4-6309288
Ms. Najami received her BA in Psychology and Education from Birzeit University in Ramallah and completed a course on informatics at the Technion in Haifa. She has spent much of her career working to create a shared society in Israel through intercultural dialogue, Arab leadership, and women’s empowerment.
Prior to joining Givat Haviva in 2023, she was the Co-Deputy Executive Director Program for Abraham Initiatives. In the past, she managed the field of safe communities at Abraham Initiatives. She developed and wrote about the field with respect to improving personal security in Arab society, cultivating leadership among women and youth. Previously, Ms. Najami worked for the Women Against Violence Association for eight years. She was in charge of all awareness-raising projects and those geared towards boosting the representation of women in decision-making positions.
Galit KellnerDirector of the Arabic Studies Institute
arabic@givathaviva.org.il
Tel: +972(4)6309330
Hold B.A. from Haifa University with majors in Arabic language and Education studies. Hold M.A. from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Department of Arabic & Oriental Studies. Master in teaching foreign languages.
In the last 16 years a teacher and a director in the Arabic Studies college at Givat Haviva which employs teachers and conduct courses for hundreds of students on a yearly basis in Givat Haviva as well as all over Israel.
Past Experience:
- Arabic teacher in the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology
- Arabic teacher in various High schools in Israel
- Hebrew and Bible Teacher in various Jewish high schools in Seattle, Atlanta(USA) and Montreal(Canada).
Married to Eyal with 3 children and 3 grandchildren
Director of the shared Givat Haviva Art Center
artcenter@givathaviva.org.il
Tel: +972(4)6309262
Anat Lidror, Director of The GH Art Center, has curated and managed The GH Art Gallery since 2016.
Anat has a BA in Art and Photography from Bezalel Academy of Design and Art, Jerusalem, certification in group facilitation with dance and movement from The Wingate Institute, and a background in psychology and architecture.
Previously, Anat worked building artistic, educational content and processes for workshops and programs, connecting spirit, space, and material in art and movement.Her interest is in curation and management, and she believes in the relationship between human space and environment, and connection of spirit and matter through art.
Anat is a member of Kibbutz Ein Shemer, married to Nes and mother of Almog and Kai.