ELKA – Institute for Leadership and Governance

About the Institute JDC Institute for Leadership and Governance Aspiring Towards a New Level of Service Forming Partnerships to Create Change The State of Israel has leaped from being a developing country to a leader in many fields, but it still struggles with a number of significant problems, such as widening socio-economic gaps and the marginalization of immigrants. Israel's future and its ability to address these problems depend on the quality of its leaders and senior civil servants, and their ability to work in partnerships and networks. The JDC Institute for Leadership and Governance focuses on the top leaders of Israel - philanthropists, lay leaders, senior government officials, mayors and municipal leaders. Its vision is to bring leaders together to achieve wide, measurable, and sustainable social impact in Israel. This includes improving the quality of life of the most vulnerable populations, and closing social gaps. The Institute has three main strategies: • Offer learning programs for senior leaders from the government, municipal, and nonprofit sectors, which present a multi-tiered perspective of the social challenges facing Israel • Create networks of leaders, and support collaborative cross-sector initiatives • Identify, support and enable transformative leaders to create system wide impact which is measurable and sustainable. The Institute is based on JDC's 25 years of experience working with, and training, top leaders in Israel. Thousands of top level national and local government officials – including many directors-general of ministries, mayors, and other high level officials – have successfully completed JDC's leadership programs, which have enhanced their ability to operate in a complex environment. The Institute aims to have 1,000 senior leaders as Institute fellows within 5 years, shaping reality in Israel. Of them, 800 will work in partnerships and networks to achieve a measurable quality of life enhancement for the residents of Israel, with a focus on the vulnerable populations. Building Active and Engaged Leaders The Institute has responded to the need for partnerships between sectors through various programs, including its Regional Development Program. Local municipal leaders were struggling to raise capital, navigate through rigid bureaucracy, and communicate their ideas to a larger audience. The Institute responded by developing forums where municipal leaders, government officials, non-profit and business leaders could meet to discuss and collaborate on sustainable development projects. These forums have resulted in concrete business initiatives and effective investment strategies. Institute Structure The Institute is divided into three components: The Center for Public Leadership and Management, The Center for Mayors and Regional Development, and The Center for Lay Leadership and Civil Society. These Centers work in conjunction with one another to provide networking opportunities and services to senior leaders throughout Israel. The Myers-Brookdale-JDC Institute accompanies the JDC Institute for Leadership and Governance, assisting in the development of its eva luation and measurement strategies. For more information, please contact: Michal Ben Dov - Director, Strategic Partnerships and Board Relations E-mail: MichalBe@jdc.org Telephone: +972-2-655-7529