As the director of The Religious Peace Initiative (RPI), Rabbi Dr. Roth oversees a network of ‘insider religious mediators’ advancing both religious peace and mitigating crisis situations. He also works to connect religious leaders to the tens of ‘community mediation and dialogue centers’ throughout Israel that Mosaica’s Gishurim Program supports, through the “Rabbis as Mediators Program” and the “Sheikhs as Mediators Program.” In addition to his work at Mosaica, Rabbi Dr. Roth is a core faculty member at Bar-Ilan University’s Graduate Program for Conflict Management, Resolution and Negotiation and at Tel Aviv University’s International Program in Conflict Resolution and Mediation. He teaches graduate courses on religious peacebuilding and supervises graduate students in addition to being a regular lecturer for MEJDI Tours/National Geographic. His book, Third-party Peacemakers in Judaism: Text, Theory, and Practice was published by Oxford University Press in Spring 2021.

Rabbi Dr. Roth earned a Ph.D. from Bar-Ilan University’s Graduate Program for Conflict Management, Resolution and Negotiation, a MA in Talmud from Hebrew University, a B. Ed in Jewish Philosophy from Herzog Teachers’ College, and studied for eight years in Yeshivat Har-Etzion, during which time he received Orthodox rabbinic ordination. Rabbi Dr. Roth has also served as a senior research fellow at George Mason University’s Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution. Before joining Mosaica, he was the founder and director of the Pardes Center for Judaism and Conflict Resolution, the Mahloket Matters Projects and the 9Adar: Jewish Week of Constructive Conflict (known in Israel as Dibur Hadash: Israeli Week of Mediation and Dialogue).

Ruth Nachenson earned a bachelor’s degree in Communication and Political Science and a Master’s Degree in Conflict Research, Management, and Resolution from the Hebrew University. She has over 20 years of experience in the management of social programs in a number of organizations.

She is a mediator and restorative justice facilitator.

Ruth also had the privilege of being the first director of the Gishurim program at Mosaica and took part in developing mediation in Israel, particularly community mediation. Today, she dedicates most of her time and energy towards supporting and creating new models of conflict resolution and autonomous decision-making, disseminating the language and values of mediation to all sectors in Israeli society and advocating for various mediation models to be recognized as alternative dispute resolutions recognized by the State.

Nurit Bachrach earned a bachelor’s degree in both Law and History from Monash University in Australia and a Master’s in Business Management from Hebrew University in Israel. She worked as a district attorney in the Jerusalem district for 11 years.

In 1999-2001, she studied community mediation. Upon her return to Israel, she had the opportunity to establish one of Israel’s first community mediation and dialogue centers, Mosaica in Jerusalem. As early as 2004, Mosaica was already leading national mediation and conflict resolution programs. These activities have continued to expand year after year. In 2015, she was appointed CEO of Mosaica.

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Alon Brachfeld earned a bachelor’s degree in Law and Computer Science from the Hebrew University, a Master’s degree in Philosophy from Ben Gurion University, and a Master’s law degree (LL.M with honors) from the College of Management Academic Studies, in the Human Rights Program.

He is a social activist and researcher in the field of disabilities as well as an attorney, mediator, and coordinator of Olim LeDerech (Family Group Conferences).

Anat Eshel is a mediator and group facilitator with over 20 years of experience.

During the previous decade, she specialized in family and divorce mediation. She managed the Ramle Community Mediation and Conflict Resolution Center for eight years and was one of the founders and managers of the National Association for Community Mediation. She has always been involved in developing mediation in Israel, specifically community mediation, and has worked extensively with the Rural Community Mediation Centers Forum established by Mosaica. She has also been involved in cultural competency programs and conducted training for police officers.

She is currently a senior facilitator at Mosaica and part of the management team of Olim LeDerech (Family Group Conferences). She teaches mediation courses and provides mediation training for the heads of Planning, Treatment, and Evaluation Committees.

Bat-ya Sharon earned a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and a Master’s degree in Conflict Research, Management, and Resolution from the Hebrew University.

She began at Mosaica as the Intake Coordinator for the Mediation and Consensus Building Center in Jerusalem, a fascinating role that she has held for over three years. Previously, she had worked in the Foreign Relations division at the Hebrew University and as an IDF casualty officer, where she worked with bereaved families and wounded and disabled soldiers.

She is currently a mediator and specializes in resolving cases of disputes between neighbors because change can be accomplished and almost immediately, positively impacting the daily lives of people in their ongoing relationships.

In both Mosaica programs, she is a part of the team responsible for courses, training, workshops, writing materials, and documenting professional knowledge. She tracks the implementation of the programs and their success, leads forums on intake and education, and facilitates FGC (Family Group Conference) processes.

Daniel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Arabic and Political Science from Tel Aviv University. At Mosaica, he is responsible for research focusing on religious leaders that participate in the Insider Religious Mediation program, in addition to studies conducted in collaboration with Bar-Ilan University.

Moriah Zackai entered the world of mediation following a B.A. in Psychology and M.A. in Conflict Resolution.

She has been working in welfare and education for almost a decade.

In her job as the Intergenerational Mediation Program Coordinator, she deals with mediation and consensus-building processes in a wide array of conflicts that arise with old age.

Sheikh Dr. Eyad Amer received his Ph.D. in International Relations from the University of California in 2018. He earned a Master’s degree in Management and Educational Pedagogy from the Center of Academic Studies in 2010 and a Master’s Degree from Bar-Ilan University in Arabic and Islamic History in 2003. He received his BA from Bar-Ilan University in 2000 in Arabic.

In 2012, he became the principal of a high school in Kafr Qasim and has also 

served as the Imam of a central mosque in Kafr Qasim. He is a member of the Sulha council in Kafr Qasim and has served as a mediator on the Sharia court. He has over 35 years of experience in education, having served as the principal of the Alhuda high school in Ramle and also served as a lecturer and pedagogic advisor at Beit Brill College and Achva Academic College.

He is also one of the first religious singers to have founded an Islamic band. It is called “al-Srat” (the straight path).

Joni Orbach has a Bachelor’s degree in History and Education from Queens College, a Master’s degree in Education from Lander College of Arts & Sciences, and a second Master’s degree in Conflict Resolution, Management, and Negotiation at Bar-Ilan University. In 2003, she began working at Mosaica. In 2011, she was appointed Director of the Center for Mediation and Consensus Building in Jerusalem. She specializes in mediation and consensus building in communities, conflict resolution training, family, divorce, and intergenerational mediation and is also a “mahut” (Court-certified) mediator in conflict resolution cases.

She developed and adapted a conflict resolution training model and teaches it across the country. She is also certified by the Court systems as an instructor of the Mediation Practicum course, for individuals training to become mediators.

Limor Aton earned a Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences from The Open University and a Master’s in Conflict Resolution, Management and Negotiation from The Hebrew University.

She is also an experienced mediator who specializes in intergenerational mediation and organizational mediation. And is also an experienced facilitator of trainings, workshops and mediation courses and has gained expertise in content development.

She leads the department of Intergenerational Mediation at Mosaica and helped to develop the model for this type of mediation with the Mosaica team facilitating mediations as well as teaching the model nationwide. She also developed and teaches a model for training family caregivers dealing with disputes, fatigue, and overload. Additionally, she facilitates the Mosaica basic mediation course in which she trains new mediators.

Rabbi Matanya Yadid holds a BA and MA in Jewish Education from Herzog Teacher’s College and is a doctoral student in Education at Cordova University in Spain. His research focuses on the religious identity formation of teenagers.

In addition to his role at Mosaica, he is a lecturer at Bar-Ilan University’s Institute for Advanced Torah Studies and supervises the doctoral students’ program within the Institute. In addition, he is a lecturer at Orot Israel College and oversees the Educators’ track. He has over 15 years of experience engaging in social initiatives and community building. Between 2011-2018, he founded and directed the Bnei Akiva Youth Group’s Graduates Program. He helped to establish tens of student villages and young communities and advocated for governmental regulation on the matter. In addition, he has been part of various initiatives which deal with building bridges between the various sectors within Israeli society. In this context, between 2015 – 2018, he served as the head of MAKOM, the council of ‘mission-oriented’ groups and communities.

Michael Orovano earned a Bachelor’s degree in Education and Sociology/Anthropology from the Hebrew University. She is currently completing a Master’s in Conflict Resolution, Management, and Negotiation at Bar-Ilan University. She has completed courses in basic mediation, mediation practicum, family mediation, intergenerational mediation as well as conflict resolution training and group counseling training.

At Mosaica, she manages training and the development of programming about various topics connected to the network of Community Mediation and Dialogue Center throughout the country. Topics include education, activism for tolerance, and co-existence in mixed Arab-Jewish cities. She is also responsible for developing and managing specialized training for community mediators. She provides guidance to many centers that are in the process of being established, including on issues related to management, strategy building, and tools for initial activities.

One of her responsibilities is the management of Dibur Hadash: The Israeli Week of Mediation and Dialogue. Over 50 events are held across Israel during this week to promote the language of mediation and consensus building in the communities and to raise awareness among the public.

Naomi Levav-Yoran earned a Master’s degree in criminology from Haifa University. She is a Restorative Justice mediator, Olim LaDerech (Family Group Conferences) facilitator and instructor for mediation simulations.

In her first year working for Mosaica, she was a content coordinator for Olim LaDerech and managed a cultural competency program in the Lod Community Mediation and Dialogue Center (and have felt an emotional attachment to the city since that time). She also managed additional projects in that center and taught the Art of Hosting approach in CEF (Center for Emerging Futures), an organization dedicated to dialogue and cooperation among Israelis and Palestinians.

Moreover, she was a team member and group instructor in HUB TLV, a social activism incubator, and served as a content manager and presenter in Radio Salaam Shalom, a Muslim-Jewish online radio station in Bristol, England.

Noa Shalev earned a Bachelor’s degree in Community Social Work and a Master’s degree in Organization Consultation. She is a mediator with many years of experience facilitating family and community mediations as well as other types. Before becoming director of the Gishurim program, she served as the director of the Lod Community Mediation and Dialogue Center and worked at the municipal department, Community Access and Community Services. She is currently working with a team and partners to expand community mediation and dialogue services nationally.

Rachel Lieberman earned a Bachelor’s degree in both Psychology and Jewish Studies from Ohio State University. She is currently earning her Master’s degree in Conflict Resolution, Management, and Negotiation at Bar-Ilan University. A key part of her role is identifying relevant partners abroad, maintaining close ties with them, and creating strategic and productive avenues for cooperation that benefit Mosaica and Mosaica’s partners alike.

She grew up in Ohio, USA. In 2016, after completing her bachelor’s degree, she participated in the Yahel Social Change Fellowship Program. She taught children English and volunteered at Tebeka, an NGO in Rishon LeTsiyon.

Shulamit Efrati earned a Bachelor and Masters’ degree in Law and a Master’s degree in Nonprofit Management and Leadership. She has worked for 12 years as an attorney in the public sector and has 10 years of experience in third-sector positions, working with at-risk populations, social entrepreneurship initiatives, and volunteer management. She joined Mosaica in 2021 as intake and community coordinator at the Jerusalem Center for Mediation and Consensus Building.

Susan Nirens earned a bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the Hebrew University. For the past three decades, she has been developing programs for disabled youth. She is also one of the founders and managers of the organizations, Kishorit, House of Wheels-Galilee and Kivunim. Each of these organizations has found a way to create a new reality for people with disabilities in Israel.

Sheikh Taisser Mamed earned a Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Eastern Mediterranean University in Northern Cyprus and a Master’s degree in Conflict Resolution and Management from Ben Gurion University. He is an educator and education system manager with 25 years of experience.

He is responsible for developing the field of mediation and dialogue in Arab communities with the goal of improving the quality of life in Arab society and disseminating the mediation language as a key-value and way of life.

Vicki Strum earned a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Criminology from Ashkelon Academic College. Over the last decade, she has been an active partner in various social programs and organizations. She is a facilitator of Family Group Conferences (FGC) for youth protection and a lecturer and teaching assistant in Ashkelon Academic College.