When a butterfly flaps its wings down in Brazil, so the theory goes, the whisper of air sets off a chain reaction that can cause a tornado in Texas. This concept in the chaos theory highlights how even a tiny change sets up unpredictable outcomes; foretelling the future with any certainty is, therefore, simply impossible.
Call it the butterfly effect, call it part of a bigger plan, but when Hodel Yeheskel’s face was punctured by shrapnel during his army service, it was not immediately apparent that losing his sight in one eye and having his dream of becoming a career officer smashed would set in motion a series of daily miracles that improved the lives of thousands.
A rehabilitation stint plunged him into volunteering with young adults on the autism spectrum. Yeheskel piggybacked his strengths in physical fitness and training, joined forces with Yaniv Banyan as co-founder and co-CEO of a dream, and soon the NGO Eitan – Everybody Can hit the road running. Literally.
Today, the unique nonprofit organization harnesses the power of athletics to empower people with special needs (or, as they like to say, special abilities) to transcend boundaries, achieve personal growth, and reach their full, confident potential.
In the last eight years, the organization has grown from a partnership of two to a staff of 14, plus 100 trainers (paid and volunteers) throughout Israel. A warm and welcoming Eitan Wohl House and fitness center has been established at Kfar Maccabiah, and thousands of individuals with and without disabilities train and sweat and jog together, sprinting side by side toward a better future.
There are close to 50,000 registered nonprofits (amutot) here, of which some 40% are active, meaning Israel has the highest per capita ratio of nonprofits in the world.
Often, however, those leading these wonderful initiatives are idealistic, enthusiastic, highly motivated young adults who have never attended a single management course or taken Economics 101. Strategic thinking, pivoting in a crisis, working with a board, and fundraising are concepts that these social start-up organizations have possibly never encountered before. This can pose pretty insurmountable barriers to success.
Enter Michael Weil
Michael Weil, a quintessential British gentleman, lives in Jerusalem. An economist with experience in urban planning and more, he made aliyah as a youngster, served in the army, and spent 11 years in the United States as Jewish Federation CEO in New Orleans, where he was recruited to lead the rebuilding of the Jewish community after Hurricane Katrina.
“I was amazed by the caliber of my fellow Federation CEO colleagues in North America,” he recalls. “Their managerial skills, how they fund-raised, their diplomatic dexterity, and how they could pop out a passuk (verse) from the weekly Torah portion whenever necessary.”
Federation heads often join an old boys’/girls’ club when they retire; catch-up Zooms typically feature some 50 engaged, energetic, empowered faces smiling out of screens. “I looked at this composite picture of remarkable leaders,” says Weil, “and I thought: ‘What a brilliant untapped resource. How can we put it to work for the Jewish people?’”
The answer was Amitim (“colleagues” in Hebrew) – a partnership between American former Jewish communal execs, the Israel Association for Civic Leadership, and Mentor/Ogen – which matches retired Federation CEOs with practicing nonprofit CEOs in Israel to pool experience and skills.
“It’s unusual for an Israeli manager to say, ‘I don’t know. Help me,’” smiles Weil, who founded Amitim in 2023 with the participation of eight Israeli nonprofits. “Then Oct. 7 happened, with the obvious call for immediate help on any possible front.”
The benefits of collaboration were immediate and powerful. Experienced American executives could assist with practical advice about questions such as: How should I prepare for a fundraising trip abroad? Can I balance my army reserve duty with running my organization and not break down? Do you have advice to give my daughter, who is studying at Columbia University?
But the Israelis were not the only ones who felt blessed by the collaboration. Committed Diaspora Jewish professionals, used to hopping on a plane in times of crisis and helping out, found themselves at a loss after retiring from office.
Amitim provides a meaningful platform for continuing involvement in astonishing ways: assisting communities, increasing social justice, and supporting vulnerable minorities in Israel. Dualis, for example, is a nonprofit integrating at-risk youth into the workplace; Haredim Le Ketsev provides physical and mental assistance for floundering young haredim (ultra-Orthodox).
Successful collaborations
Elliot Gershenson, the American mentor of Kav Le’Oved – which protects the rights of disadvantaged workers by providing information, advice, and legal representation for migrants, Palestinian workers, and Israeli low-wage earners – declares that his association with CEO Ohad Amar was “incredibly fulfilling.”
He had been outside of the Jewish Federation and communal world for more than 15 years and welcomed the opportunity to use his coaching background to help Amar find his way.
“Ohad was a sponge,” he says, “and together, we navigated the key roles of a CEO, with emphasis on philanthropy. Ohad had never raised money and was a bit fearful, but soon he became a maven. This association brought me back to my professional roots and gave me new insights into the Israeli enterprise. I am more than fortunate and grateful to Amitim for this.”
Another successful collaboration is One in Nine, which embraces the one in nine women who, at some point, feel the dreaded node in their breast and discover they have cancer. This nonprofit supports patients from diagnosis to dealing with the challenges of coping and treatment, and helps with easing them back into their regular routine at the end of the journey.
Free online support for patients and families – pairing survivors with those undergoing therapy – sexual counseling, free legal assistance, and emotional case management are only some of the services provided.
“We save lives by targeting healthy women and raising awareness about early detection,” notes Tali Rosin, CEO of the nonprofit. “And we have a rich toolbox of resources for women dealing with the disease.”
Rosin is grateful for the mentorship of Carin Savel, former CEO at the Greater Fairfield County Federation, whose “clarity, generosity, and warmth gave me the confidence to take bold steps in my leadership journey,” she says.
Apart from the immediate chemistry they shared, Savel assisted on a practical level, helping to facilitate a summer intern and advise on a detailed work plan, a schedule that was unfortunately slashed by the war with Iran.
Interested Israeli nonprofits submit meticulously vetted Requests for Proposals, and the pairing of Israelis and Americans is carefully matched. The success of the initial eight collaborations encouraged Amitim to expand; another 14 pairs were added to the mix in January 2025.
Eitan – Everybody Can was assigned American Elliot Karp as its mentor; Yeheskel and Avi Pinku, a board member involved with the nonprofit since its inception, work closely with the former Las Vegas Federation CEO, whom they call a “real mensch.” Karp took time out from his busy schedule to pick them up in New York and facilitated meetings with JCC Maccabi Games officials, who now plan to visit Israel to learn the Eitan methodology.
In these troubled times, Weil is still convinced that Israel is a modern-day miracle. “We need to get out of the rut that our ineffective government is stuck in and recalibrate,” he declares.
The nonprofit and volunteer sector here is much more efficient than our political leaders. Together with a strong partnership with the Diaspora, we will be okay.
That’s a cheerful thought.
The writer lectures at Reichman University. peledpam@gmail.com