Social Entrepreneur Yaffa Tabaja Joins Gadi Eizenkot's Yashar Party to Promote Social Equality

Yaffa Tabaja, the 35-year-old social entrepreneur and founder of the MTech Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center, has joined the Yashar party led by former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot. Tabaja, who was born and raised in Karmiel to Ethiopian immigrant parents from Operation Moses, has spent the last 13 years working in Ashkelon and southern Israel to advance peripheral communities, reduce social gaps, and integrate diverse populations into the economy and technology sectors.

Tabaja began her public career in 2017 as chair of the student union at Ashkelon Academic College and later served in the national student union representing public colleges. She established and managed MTech with the Ashkelon municipality, fostering partnerships with tech companies and promoting employment for adults and people with disabilities. She also built a community of hundreds of entrepreneurs and helped develop a startup ecosystem in the south. Her efforts earned her a spot on Globes magazine's list of 40 Promising Young Israelis.

In Yashar, Tabaja plans to focus on mental health, growth engines in the periphery, expanding higher education opportunities, social equality, and excellence among Ethiopian Israelis. She holds a bachelor's degree in criminology and government and a master's in communications.

Party chairman Gadi Eizenkot praised Tabaja's vision and leadership, highlighting her connection to the periphery, technology, and social leadership as vital for Israel's future. Tabaja emphasized the need for leadership that listens to all sectors of society and creates real opportunities for geographic and social peripheries. She expressed confidence in Eizenkot's unifying and responsible leadership as they prepare for the 2026 elections.