Our History
The Democratic Institute has created operational partnerships with academic institutions both in Israel and abroad in order to develop unique learning and research tracks.
Our Mission
The Democratic Institute’s main objective is to advance and develope a Democratic Culture together with creating a more equal society in which a Cross-Sector Dialogue takes place, in which room is held for diverse opinions and approaches and holds no tolerance of discrimination.
The Democratic Institute seeks to implement a Democratic Culture within all communities within the public sphere and bring high-quality and Innovative Education to sectors that had historically lacked it.
Our Vision
The community’s part, within a democratic culture, is one that hold responsibility for expressing each person’s uniqueness,together with the advancement of cooperation between parties, it enhances reciprocal relations between the Individual, the Community and its surroundings. The Democratical community seeks to create a Society of Equals, one which is fair, growing and sustainable.
Co-Management at the Democratic Institute
Amit Gal Osem and Guy Van Raalte are joint CEOs of the Democratic Institute.
They both bring to their role integrative skills, experience in educational entrepreneurship, systemic and strategic thinking together with high managemental skills. They also apply their way of thinking to the daily management of the Institute, in a way that demonstrates the uniqueness of the organization, which is managed and run in a democratic manner, while functioning responsibly for the sake of its financial existence and independence.
Guy Van Raalte
Joint CEO of the Democratic Institute
After two decades of a distinguished career in public service, including senior management positions at the Prime Minister’s Office, Guy made a deliberate transition to the field of education, guided by a deep conviction that developing a high-quality public education system is essential to Israel’s future and represents one of the most significant challenges of our time.
Guy holds a Master’s degree in Education Administration and Leadership from Tel Aviv University and is a graduate of the Mandel School for Educational Leadership. Until recently, he served as principal of an elementary school, a role he greatly valued and embraced, yet he felt a strong desire to expand his sphere of influence, which led him to join the Democratic Institute.
He is a firm proponent of a humanistic approach to education, placing the individual at the center, and advocates for meaningful human dialogue that encourages choice in both content and methods of learning as the most effective path to education. He believes that this process of “learning how to learn” cultivates motivation, fosters a sense of meaning, and contributes to the formation of personal identity.
Guy is married to Sharon and is the father of a daughter and two sons, all of whom are graduates of humanistic educational frameworks.
Guy Van Raalte – guy@democratic.co.il
Amit Gal Osem
Joint CEO of the Democratic Institute
Amit has a Bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Sciences and a Master’s degree in Counseling and Human Development, including a thesis (on a fascinating topic—single women).
Amit has 25 years of managerial experience in the educational field, both in the private sector and in the third sector. Additionally, for the past decade, she has been a lecturer in education and psychology at the Kinneret Academic College in the Jordan Valley.
For the last three years, she has managed the partnerships of the Democratic Institute in northern Israel.
She has a strong belief in the human capacity—particularly the feminine quality, which is a defining trait of the Democratic Institute—to build relationships that foster meaningful change. The past year has demonstrated this power, even in the face of destruction and hardship. She finds great fulfillment in witnessing the impact our facilitators create.
She is a mother of three boys (a profession in itself), from Kibbutz Afikim.
Amit Gal Osem – amit.g@democratic.co.il
The Democratic Institute’s Board of Directors
Rafael Youdelevitch
Chairman of the board
Rafael is an educational psychologist and works as an organizational and strategic consultant in various companies.
He holds an M.A. degree in social psychology and clinical psychology from Tel-Aviv university. He had worked with the educational system at Ra’anana municipality, where he had learned about the different needs of all educational sides: team, parents and children.
Rafael believes that Education is the key to reduce social gaps and enable equal opportunities.
He is married + 3, Lives at Giv’at-Ada and a retired Lieutenant-Colonel of the field forces of the I.D.F.
Dr. Miriam Druks
Board member
Dr. Druks is a music therapist and psychotherapist, director of the “Amcha” Tel Aviv and Gush Dan branch.
Previously managed the certificate program for music and movement therapists at the Levinsky College of Education, and founded and managed the master’s degree program in music therapy at the College.
Mother of two sons (who previously attended the Democratic Open School in Jaffa) and was chairwoman of the school’s parent-teacher association.
Married to author Shimon Zimmer.
Eyal Meluban
Board member
Until recently Eyal was a member of the board at the Israeli 2nd authority for Television and Radio. Nowadays, Eyal is a member of management of the Academy of Film and Television.
Eyal is a senior media person with vast experience in production, management and regulative activity. He has been leading and managing organizations in the field of culture for many years.
Prof. Yuli Tamir
Board member
Prof. Yuli Tamir is the President of Beit Berl Academic College, Professor of Political Philosophy and Philosophy of Education. She previously served as a Member of Knesset, Minister of Immigration Absorption (1999-2001), Minister of Education (2006-2009), and President of Shenkar College.
Her doctoral dissertation on “Liberal Nationalism,” supervised by Prof. Isaiah Berlin, was published as a book titled “Liberal Nationalism” by Princeton University Press. In addition, she has published dozens of articles and chapters in professional books and edited collections of articles on education and moral theory.
She taught in the Department of Philosophy and Education at Tel Aviv University and was a research fellow at the Hartman Institute in Jerusalem, Princeton University, Harvard University, New York University, and the European University in Budapest and Florence.
Prof. Tamir has won many awards. The most notable of these are: the Gilad Prize for an original master’s thesis for her work on the economic relations between Israel and Egypt and their impact on the peace process, as well as a scholarship from the University of Oxford for doctoral studies, a Balliol College House Scholarship, a Montefiore Scholarship, a Fulbright Scholarship, and a Vallon Scholarship.
Prof. Tamir is one of the founders of the “Peace Now” movement and was a co-author of the “Kinneret Charter,” which formulated basic inter-sectoral understandings for the existence of Israel as a democratic Jewish state.
Yaniv Cackon
Board member
Yaniv is an educator who works in the field of informal education, interested in education for active citizenship while connecting diverse groups in Israeli society in the community and political fields.
As part of his work as the director of the youth movements department in Ashdod, he conceived the “Together Building a Society” model for operating informal education throughout the country, established the community department at the institute and was one of the founders of the “Paths” academic program for pioneering educators at Kaye College. In addition, he managed the department of local politics and community organization at the Shaharit Institute.
Currently – Director of the achievement program at the Aluma Association for the accessibility of higher education in the social and geographic periphery of Israel on behalf of the National Council of Higher Education.
Yaniv holds a BA degree in Education, History and Literature and a teaching certificate from the Kibbutzim Seminar College, and a MA degree in Educational Policy and Democratic Education from Tel Aviv University.
Married to Nurit and father to Noga and Ella. Among his hobbies: kayaking and writing poetry. His first book, ‘Neighborhood’, won the Ramat Gan Prize.
Yaniv is one of the founders of the Ashdodim movement, lives in Ashdod and serves as a member of the city council.
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