Bnei Brak Sephardic Communities Launch Senior Management Course for Community Leaders
The Association of Sephardic Communities in Bnei Brak has introduced a pioneering leadership and senior management program specifically designed for synagogue wardens (gabbaim) and community leaders in the city. The initiative, launched this week with support from the Ministry of Labor and the city's Employment Guidance Center, aims to equip gabbaim with advanced professional knowledge and management tools to better serve their communities. The program recognizes the evolving role of gabbaim beyond routine synagogue management, emphasizing their central role in community leadership, fostering belonging, and addressing changing public needs.
The curriculum consists of eight evening sessions combining academic content recognized by Bar-Ilan University with practical training tailored to the gabbaim's responsibilities. Topics include defining managerial roles, decision-making, team leadership, organizational communication, personal leadership, change management, motivation, community impact, and developing personalized action plans. The program was unveiled at an event attended by Bnei Brak city council members from the Shas party, where the course content and objectives were presented.
Deputy Mayor and Shas faction leader Rabbi Shlomi Elharar highlighted the broad responsibilities of gabbaim, noting their volunteer work, family support, initiative leadership, and role as community anchors. He described the program as a direct investment in community resilience and a means to cultivate a new generation of community leadership in Bnei Brak. The Ministry of Labor’s CEO, Robi Shemesh, also spoke about the importance of developing community leadership and the gabbaim’s influence on social cohesion and quality of life.
Registration for the first limited cohort of up to twenty selected gabbaim will open soon, focusing on those with leadership potential and a desire to expand their management skills to strengthen their communities. The program is managed by the city’s Employment Guidance Center under the leadership of Aharon Gafni and David Schechter, which specializes in professional training adapted to the needs of the Haredi public. Deputy Mayor Rabbi Eliyahu Shushan praised the initiative, emphasizing that professional tools adapted to today’s realities will benefit the entire community through empowered gabbaim.
