Staff: Staff Profiles
Ofer Yerushalmi - Village Managing Director
Ofer Yerushalmi became Village Manager on January 1, 2006, having been Director of Informal Education and Counseling at Yemin Orde for the previous three years. Ofer received his BA in Education from Hebrew University and MA in Israel Studies from Haifa University and also studied at the Graduate Institute of Educational Leadership in Jerusalem. Before joining Yemin Orde, Ofer worked for Israel's Society for the Protection of Nature as a Regional Director and for the Ministry of Education where he was responsible for training programs for teachers.
Gedalya Oren - High School Principal
Gedalya Oren took over as principal of the Archie Sherman High School at Yemin Orde in September 2005, following the retirement of the previous principal. Gedalya has been on the academic faculty at Yemin Orde since 1994, teaching History and Torah Studies. Prior to joining the Yemin Orde staff, Gedalya lectured on Jewish Philosophy at the Meirav Institute near Haifa. Gedalya received his BA in Political Science and MA and Doctorate from Haifa University in Jewish Philosophy.
Susan Weijel - Director of Outreach
As Director of Outreach and Development, Susan Weijel is the first person to greet visitors to Yemin Orde as she is the primary liaison between Yemin Orde and different groups and individuals from Israel, Europe and N. America. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, Susan immigrated to Israel in 1991 and received her MA in Public Administration and Urban Planning from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Before she came to Yemin Orde, Susan worked for the Jewish Agency in Israel coordinating educational and cultural programs for new immigrants, and as coordinator for the Joint Distribution Committee's national projects for the Ethiopian community in Israel.
Shagau Mekonen - Educator and Counselor
Shagau, thirty-five years old, is married to Geula and is the father of four children (Dvir, Reut, Shalev and Shai). He immigrated to Israel from Ethiopia in 1985 and completed his high school education at Yemin Orde. Shagau went on to study at Yeshivat Har Etzion following which he completed his army service in a combat unit. In 1997 he returned to Yemin Orde to work as a counselor for a group of immigrant youth, a position he holds to this day. He returned to give other young immigrants the encouragement and support to succeed as he has. Concurrent to working, he is studying towards a degree in Business Administration at Kirya Academit College.
Ahmed Abolehefa - Village Catering
The children of Yemin Orde adore Ahmed who has been working at the village since he was 18 years old. Any graduate returning to the village is sure to visit the kitchen to say hello to him. An Israeli Arab who lives in a village near Yemin Orde, Ahmed is 40 years old, married, and has four children of his own. Says Ahmed, “I love the kids here. If not, I wouldn't be here for so many years.”
Isabella Kaufman - Principal, Brazilian School
Isabella, 38 years old and the mother of three children, made aliyah from Brazil in 1996. Her husband Shmiel is the Village Brazilian Project Coordinator, and Isabella is the Brazilian School principal as well as a history teacher. As surrogate parents to the 35 - 40 children in their care, Isabella and Shmiel enjoy the challenge of working with the youngsters in the program. This program was designed by Yemin Orde to strengthen the Jewish identity of Brazilian teenagers in order to counter the increasing assimilation in that country.
Moshe Cohen - Village Maintenance
Moshe has been working for Yemin Orde for 25 years. He lives with his wife and three children in the Village as he manages the maintenance department staff of seven. Moshe is responsible for plumbing, electrical work and general upkeep of the entire village. In addition, he is a talented carpenter whose work can be found throughout the homes and offices of Yemin Orde.
Rachel Durban - Teacher of Literature
Rachel, a published poet, has been with the village for 24 years. She was born to Holocaust survivors who had immigrated illegally to Israel. Rachel was brought up in Haifa and studied Literature and Art History at the University of Haifa. Rachel also studied courses in Mathematics and Philosophy at Oxford University in England, and has a Masters degree in Literature and Education Leadership.
Eviyatar Cohen - Coordinator, Mayah Program
As a new member of the Yemin Orde team, Eviyatar Cohen became coordinator of the Mayah Program, which brings children of Jewish descent from state orphanages throughout the FSU, in the summer of 2005. At age 29, Eviyatar has already gained wide experience in working with disadvantaged children. He began his career by founding the Iftach school for youth-at-risk in Israel, then spent two years as a shaliach (emissary) for the Jewish Zionist Movement in Kharkiv in the Ukraine where he also taught at a local boarding school. Eviyatar received his B.Ed. from the Moreshet Yaacov College of Teaching and lives with his wife and four children at Yemin Orde.