The Shnat Sherut 50 Plus team consists of the founding leadership team of five and a small project team.
Rina Cohen
As a 57-year-old woman nearing the end of a long career in education, I thought, “What now?” People of my age and older have so much experience and knowledge to offer, why not harness all of this expertise and offer it on a voluntary basis to those sections of society most in need?
Here in Israel, young people often do a service year (Shnat Sherut), before or after the army, prior to starting university and their adult lives. My idea is to create an organisation where people over 50 from professional backgrounds can also volunteer for a year, taking a break from their normal lives and dedicating their time and knowledge to help rebuild Israeli society and make a difference.
With the help of 4 other dedicated individuals, we have made this happen. We have already gained funding, identified communities next to Gaza and now have 60 volunteers in the field who, like me, have left their homes, families and lives for a year to help rebuild those communities on the front line of the massacre of October 7th.
Dr Tamar Oged
My name is Tamar Oged. I have dedicated my professional life to education, hold a PhD in Education, and am a wife, mother of three, and grandmother to four grandchildren. I have lived for many years in Kamon, near Karmiel in the Galilee.
Throughout my career in education, I have held various roles—teacher, coordinator in different capacities, and school principal. In recent years, I have been guiding and mentoring school principals and supervisors. I am also a graduate of the Mandel School for Educational Leadership.
My professional path has always been guided by a clear educational vision that centers on the growth and development of the individual—both young and adult—and their role in society. This vision encompasses involvement, influence, commitment, and responsibility. This is how I was raised and what I firmly believe in, both in word and deed.
The past year has dealt us all a severe blow, and from the pain and sorrow, great forces have emerged within Israeli society, showcasing involvement, commitment, a strong desire to take responsibility, and a need to take action—to lend a hand, support, assist, and help mend our wounded society. Tens of thousands of citizens have volunteered for various missions, and I was among them. I volunteered in agriculture, packing supplies, preparing food for soldiers, supporting education centers in evacuation hotels, and more.
The moment I heard from my friend Rina Cohen about the idea of establishing a service year for adults, I immediately joined in developing the concept, recruiting friends to the founding team, and leading the idea forward to implementation.
I see this as a tremendous privilege, and I feel as though I am holding a “baby” taking its first steps. Together with my fellow founders, the staff members we have recruited to assist, and the volunteers who knew they were participating in a “pilot,” we are nurturing this program with great dedication and love.
Establishing the program involves a significant amount of work, all done on a volunteer basis. I am proud and delighted that the program has been launched, and I am confident in its necessity for Israeli society. I am involved in every stage and nearly every aspect of establishing and managing the program and am full of admiration for the generous and wholehearted dedication of my fellow founders and the volunteers—without whom none of this would be possible.
Our current focus is on the Gaza Envelope, where we intend to continue in the coming years. Simultaneously, we will grow groups to operate in northern Israel when the war ends, and address the many and varied missions that exist in Israel. As the program expands and strengthens, we will be able to write in any dictionary next to the term WIN-WIN, the explanation—Service Year for Adults.
Eran Baruch
My name is Eran Baruch, I am a secular Israeli. I grew up on a kibbutz and did a year of service at the age of 18 before serving in the military for five years.
Today, I live in the community of Srigim in the Elah Valley. I have three children and two granddaughters. I worked in the field of Jewish education for many years.
Two days after the war broke out, I was called to help manage a pre-military academy, as most of its instructors had been drafted under an emergency call-up order (Tzav 8). It was there that I received a call from Rina about this strange yet logical idea (why had no one thought of it before?)—a service year for adults.
Together with five friends, we began developing the idea, and by March 2024, I was even asked to coordinate the initiative. The concept gained traction after we sent out a message on the eve of Passover and received hundreds of enthusiastic responses. With a great deal of groundwork, two volunteer groups were launched in September, and another will begin in the coming month.
Today, I manage “Elifelet,” an organization that works with refugee children in South Tel Aviv, and I am still part of the founding team. It looks like this is just the beginning of an incredible national project.
Guy Gardi
I was born in Kibbutz Ein Harod to one of the founding families and have lived in Jerusalem for the past 35 years. I’m one of the founders of Beit Israel, a unique community that lives and works in the Gilo neighborhood of Jerusalem, where I continue to live and work today.
Since 2019, I’ve had the privilege of serving as the Executive Director of Elul, an organization dedicated to deepening Jewish learning, community, and dialogue across different sectors of Israeli society. In 2022, I became chairman of the Executive Committee of Rashut HaRabim, a network of 40 Jewish-Israeli organizations committed to promoting a public space in Jerusalem that is open, tolerant, and respectful of difference.
Over the years, I’ve led educational initiatives that focus on dialogue and inclusion, including managing the Morasha – Kol Israel Haverim program, which trained students and educators to facilitate meaningful dialogue circles in schools. I’m a graduate of the Mandel School for Educational Leadership, and I hold a master’s degree in Pluralistic Jewish Education from the Hebrew University and Hebrew Union College.
At Elul, we are proud to be the organizational home of Shnat Sherut 50 Plus, a groundbreaking initiative that brings experienced professionals aged 50 and over into Israel’s most vulnerable communities to volunteer for a year of meaningful service. We believe that Jewish learning and community engagement don’t end at retirement—they deepen. Shnat Sherut 50 Plus is a natural extension of Elul’s values: intergenerational responsibility, connection to place, and the power of service.
I believe in this project with all my heart. It proves that later life can be a time of purpose, impact, and solidarity. It connects people to communities in need, and to each other, in ways that are transformative for everyone involved. It’s not just a project—it’s a vision of what society can be when experience, compassion, and commitment come together.
Boaz Shalit
With a background in business strategy, entrepreneurship, and organizational leadership, I’ve spent much of my career helping companies and nonprofits grow, lead through change, and build lasting impact. I’ve held CEO and other senior leadership roles across sectors, bringing both vision and execution to complex challenges.
But what has always driven me is working closely with communities—building trust, identifying real needs, and helping turn ideas into action on the ground. In 2023, I co-founded Shnat Sherut 50 Plus, an initiative that channels the skills and life experience of older adults into communities that need them most—starting with towns near the Gaza border rebuilding in the wake of October 7th.
To me, this project is about more than volunteering. It’s about creating a model of sustainable, high-impact service that leverages human capital in a way that benefits everyone: the volunteers, the communities, and Israeli society as a whole. We’ve approached Shnat Sherut 50 Plus not just as a social initiative, but as a carefully designed framework—with measurable outcomes, strong partnerships, and a vision for scale.
I believe that meaningful change happens when passion meets structure. That’s what we are building here.
The Support Team
Gonen Reicher – Program Director, Shnat Sherut 50 Plus
I was born on Kibbutz Shoval in the days of communal education and shared living. That experience shaped the way I see the world—community, contribution, and collective purpose have always felt essential to me. For many years, I remained on the kibbutz, and around 30 years ago, I moved to Midreshet Ben-Gurion (then still called Sde Boker), where I lived for nearly two decades. Those were rich and formative years, during which I devoted myself to education—first managing the Environmental High School, a remarkable boarding school in the heart of the desert, and later founding the Negev Pre-Military Academy, where I served as its first director.
Today, I live in Yeruham and continue to work in various educational and community-based roles. My love for the Negev and the desert has only grown over the years, as has my gratitude for my family and the life we’ve built together.
The idea of an adult service year feels like a natural extension of everything I believe in. For me, contributing to the community isn’t a phase—it’s a lifelong value. The traditional Shnat Sherut has long offered young people a space to give, grow, and reflect. But why should that journey of meaning and identity be limited to the young? The poet Zelda wrote, “Each person has a name,” and I believe she meant that identity is shaped over a lifetime. If she were alive today, I’m certain she would have embraced the idea of an adult service year as part of that long, unfolding process.
As Program Director of Shnat Sherut 50 Plus, I’m honored to be part of this pioneering initiative. We are moving from a successful pilot to a growing, sustainable program—with new groups being formed in the South and soon in the North. Our focus now is on strengthening the experience of group life, ensuring deep integration in the host communities, and building a framework that supports real impact. It’s not without challenges—but it’s the kind of work that feels absolutely worth doing.
Shir Nativ – Manager of Logistics and HR, Shnat Sherut 50 Plus
I live in Bat Ayin in Gush Etzion, a region that has shaped my strong commitment to community, resilience, and practical action. My background spans logistics, public service, visual communication, and education—and I bring that diverse experience to my role at Shnat Sherut 50 Plus.
Over the years, I’ve worked in both governmental and nonprofit settings, including as logistics coordinator for the Yesodot organization and as director of the CEO’s office at the Gush Etzion Regional Council. I currently serve on the Board of Directors of the Gush Etzion Development Company and am pursuing a BA in Communication at the Open University. I’m also a certified art instructor and graphic artist, with training in political public speaking.
At Shnat Sherut 50 Plus, I support the operational and human infrastructure that allows our volunteers to live and serve in communities across Israel. I’m proud to be part of a project that brings people together across generations and regions, working toward a shared goal of renewal and connection.
Jane Levy – Head of Fundraising and Resource Development
I was born just outside London, grew up in South Africa, and first came to Israel in 1992—a journey that reflects the international lens I’ve brought to every chapter of my career. With a background spanning advertising at Saatchi & Saatchi, copywriting in Tel Aviv, business consultancy in Wales, and a senior academic leadership role in UK higher education, I’ve always been driven by the desire to connect people, ideas, and purpose.
Before joining Shnat Sherut 50 Plus, I served as Principal Lecturer and Director of International Programmes at Cardiff Metropolitan University, overseeing the delivery of UK postgraduate and undergraduate programs across five countries. I’ve developed sustainable global partnerships, trained educators to uphold academic standards across continents, and mentored students through their most transformative educational experiences.
Now, as Head of Fundraising and Resource Development for Shnat Sherut 50 Plus, I’m proud to channel my professional expertise into something deeply personal: helping build a project that gives back to the country I call home. I believe in the power of second acts—of experienced professionals stepping up to serve, support, and stand with communities in need. My role is to help this project grow: by raising awareness, securing funding, and crafting the story of how these remarkable volunteers are changing lives—not just their own, but those of entire communities.
Whether writing grant proposals, speaking with donors, or strategizing the next stage of development, I bring with me everything I’ve learned—from boardrooms and classrooms, lecture halls and late-night brainstorms. And above all, I bring my belief in people, in resilience, and in the quiet power of showing up when it matters most.