Wexner Israel Fellowship Alumni Community

Continuing on A Path of Excellence

Distinguished alumni are currently found in all aspects of Israeli public life, many holding major leadership positions in a wide cross-section of government ministries, government authorities, government companies, municipalities and local authorities, hospitals, HMO's and NGO's (non-governmental organizations).

Wexner Israel Fellows return to Israel with a renewed commitment and leadership vision for their work in the public sector. They also return to a growing community of Wexner Israel Fellowship Alumni. There are currently 207 Israeli alumni representing twenty-two Fellowship classes.

This unique community of experienced public leaders is bonded by a passion for excellence in public service and a common language, borne of a shared set of academic and personal experiences from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. The Foundation's seminars and institutes enhances their return to Israel equipped with a greater understanding of North American Jewish life, and the inner workings of U.S. government, both of which enhance their work in public service in Israel.

The Wexner Israel Fellowship Alumni benefit, upon their return to Israel, from ongoing contact with the Foundation and each other, as well as continued leadership training, including:

• An Alumni Council that consists of members of a range of classes.
• An annual Alumni Institute each summer - A three-day seminar devoted to exploring leadership in public service with a Scholar-in-Residence from Harvard's Kennedy School. Past scholars include: Dean Joseph Nye, Ambassadors Richard Haas and Robert Blackwill, Professors Martin Linsky, Ronald Heifetz, Gary Orren, David Gergen, Marshall Ganz, Mark Moore, Robert Putnam, Malcolm Sparrow, Warren Bennis, Daniel Shapiro and Robert Kegan; former Justice Minister of Canada, Professor Irwin Cotler; and Professor Barbara Kellerman of Harvard Kennedy School's Center for Public Leadership. 
• A Reception in honor of the newly-selected class of Wexner Israel Fellows, including ministry leaders and government officials, to enhance networking within the public service community.  
• Gatherings of the Wexner Foundation community in Israel throughout the year to promote social interaction and to maintain  involvement in the larger Foundation community.   
• Opportunities for dynamic involvement with Members, Fellows and alumni of the Wexner Heritage Program and the Wexner Graduate Fellowship, designed to further common goals as well as lay the groundwork for a robust Israel-Tfutzot partnership. To that end, Wexner Israel Fellowship alumni regularly join Wexner Heritage Members for structured mifgashim, encounters exploring Jewish identity through various lenses and experiences.

Alumni Forums

Wexner Israel Fellowship alumni maintain six professional forums, with each led by an alumnus or alumna functioning as Coordinator. The Forums meet regularly to discuss issues on the current public agenda and to involve alumni in ongoing engagement with issues like Women in the Public Sector, Education, Israel-Tfuzot relationships, Law and Society, Leadership in the Third Sector and Public Health. To read more about the Forums please click here.

Alumni Council

A 15-member Council, headed by an alumni Chair, convenes several times a year to promote various initiatives in cooperation with the Foundation. Council Members are drawn from all alumni classes and a variety of professional backgrounds, and serve a two-year term. For more information please contact Cindy Chazan, Vice-President, Alumni and Community Development or Deborah Housen-Couriel, Director, Wexner Israel Fellowship Program.