“Every time I come to Jerusalem, I feel that it was all worth it, because of the parents, families, staff members, and graduates of the Mandel School for Educational Leadership. I impatiently anticipate these opportunities, because they make me very proud.” Thus spoke Mr. Morton Mandel, chair of the Mandel Foundation, at the graduation ceremony for the Mandel programs, which took place at the Bible Lands Museum in Jerusalem.

This year, 41 graduates completed their studies at the Mandel Leadership Institute (MLI), after a long period of individual and group learning and research. Morton Mandel noted that MLI has seen 28 cohorts of the Jerusalem Fellows program; 19 cohorts of the School for Educational Leadership; five cohorts of the IDF Educational Leadership Development program; and now the first cohort of the Scholars in Education program. Mandel added, “I look forward for more than one reason; so I can shake the hands of the new graduates and also because they are now an integral part of the Mandel vision of changing the world. … Two mothers came up to me, with such a glow on their face, to thank me—and I told them it’s clear that the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.”

Mr. Mandel talked about the 18 million dollar gift for the construction of a new School for Advanced Studies in the Humanities at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and the renewable grant of 2.5 million dollars for the programs that will be conducted there. “The contribution to the humanities makes us proud, as a family, to be partners with and support scholars who study our ancestors’ intellectual activities.”

The chair of the Planning and Budgeting Committee of the Israel Council of Higher Education, Prof. Manuel Trajtenberg, thanked Morton and Barbara Mandel for their gift: “We owe you so much for your initiatives in Israel and for your many donations to Israeli institutions and to Israeli society in general. You focus your efforts on supporting our values as a society. We salute you …"

Prof. Trajtenberg added that while the humanities, such as Jewish philosophy, never lose their relevancy to us, they do need continual nurturing. "These treasures require constant, active study in order to preserve them; otherwise they could vanish. When a gift is received that makes the School for Humanities a more prestigious place, it attracts many students; this, in turn, strengthens and cultivates the study of humanities for the future generations." Turning to the graduates, Trajtenberg concluded, “Israeli society is sorely lacking in spiritual and moral leadership. … I hope that this leadership will develop from among you.”
Vision versus Action

Prof. Shlomo Avineri, Israel Prize laureate and professor of political science at the Hebrew University, spoke about solidarity and pluralism in Israeli society, with reference to Herzl’s ideas. Herzl’s utopian work, Altneuland, raises complex issues that are still relevant today and provides a vision of a successfully multi-cultural Jewish society. Avineri proposed that one of the outstanding achievements of the Zionist movement has been its ability to contain radically different voices and beliefs, and that we should strive to maintain Israel as a beacon of pluralism. He offered the graduates his best wishes: “May Herzl’s merit help you, as educators, continue in your complex work of maintaining the proper balance in Israeli society and in the State of Israel as a whole." 

President of the Mandel Foundation Israel, Dr. Varda Shiffer, remarked that this was an exceptional year and noted that the Mandel Foundation has now completed 20 years of activity in Israel. “This year is special because of the many contributions that have been made, but it is also a sad one because, unfortunately, we lost one of our founding fathers—Jack Mandel.” Shiffer feels that she is a partner  in the process of building the future, in which Mr. Mandel is preparing his legacy in a structured and organized fashion, which, she says, is laudable: “This legacy is being passed down in a unique fashion—one of a vision guided by values. Here we connect our heritage with a pedagogical approach to education.”

The IDF Chief Education Officer, Brig. Gen. Eli Sherameister, also addressed Mr. Morton Mandel about the foundation’s future activities in Israel: “I hope that we will continue our ongoing activities to educate Israel’s future leaders.” He added that in order to keep developing the Zionist enterprise, much effort must be invested in education, primarily of teenagers.

Dr. Eli Gottlieb, of the Mandel School for Educational Leadership, said that Mr. Mandel gives of himself and contributes his strategic thinking, his leadership, and his perseverance. He added that the foundation’s leadership offers MLI abundant guidance and support. Gottlieb thanked the staff. “I have been fortunate to have first-rate colleagues and to work with the foundation’s highly professional administrative staff.” He concluded by addressing the graduates. “Visionary leadership and a constant search for what is true and good will survive and prosper.”

Representatives of the several Mandel programs spoke about their experiences during their studies, about insights they gained and conclusions they drew, and about their desire to dream—to have the courage to change the world.

Kareem Nassar, a graduate of the School for Educational Leadership speaking on behalf of its 18th cohort, summed up his learning experience: “We discovered that MLI is not a small orchard, but a large island with  many different plants, including both roses and thorns, and that the motto of ‘pick as much as you can’ is not appropriate. The Mandel approach, instead, is to stop and reflect. Our studies afforded us the opportunity to embark on a personal journey and strengthened our commitment to making the world a better place.”

Rabbi Daniel Greyber, representing the Jerusalem Fellows program, talked about his personal experience as a rabbi and educator who is returning to his community with mixed feelings. While he is pleased with his studies at Mandel this year, he also feels sad that Israeli society does not sufficiently know or understand the Jewish community in the United States and the rest of the Diaspora. “For many Israelis, American Jews are stereotyped as tourists. Too many Israelis see the Diaspora only as a source of donations and immigration and believe that my community’s job starts and ends with its participation in the AIPAC Jewish lobby that ensures that two billion dollars go to the State of Israel every year. We aren’t stereotypes. We are your sisters and brothers, and as a member of the family I urge   you to get to know us—not as stereotypes, but as real communities.”

Oren Ergas, the representative of the Mandel Scholars in Education program, spoke about the sense of family and intimacy in the program. “We aren’t the same people who came here a year ago. We have changed for the better.”

The representative of the IDF Educational Leadership Development program, Tsipi Mazor, said that commanders’ primary obligation is to keep learning, because what works today will not be sufficient tomorrow. She explained that the IDF is a learning-oriented organization in which the commander’s image is improving —which gives military personnel a formidable mission and obligates them to work together: “The educational system needs talented people with a young spirit who will lead the next generation and tomorrow’s society. It is incumbent upon us to promote the vision of the educator and to help the military and the nation move ahead. I call on all of us to dare to dream.”

The speakers at the Mandel Leadership Institute graduation ceremony presented different thoughts about the concepts of leadership and vision and shared their interpretations of these concepts. Now, as they embark upon new journeys, the 41 graduates will use their personal visions, together with the tools that they acquired during their studies at Mandel, to change the world.