Osnat Dvorkin

My name is Osnat, and I was born and raised in Jerusalem. I've been doing Jewish and Israeli education since the day that I was asked first by my synagogue to lead activities for young kids.  

I grew up in the NOAM youth movement and served in the army with a group from the movement in a Garin. The name of this group was "sheep", so maybe that was the first sign that I would be a Shlicha to NZ! In my military service I served as Liaison between Israel Defense Forces Education Unit and Department of Informal Education, instructing soldiers that educated in different communities around Israel. Afterwards I went as a Shlicha to the United Synagogue for Conservative Judaism, Seaboard region, Washington D.C., USA. When I got back to Israel I worked at NOAM as the National Director of Education  

My BA from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem is in Jewish Philosophy and Art History. 

Before we came to New Zealand, I spent three years working for the Jewish Agency’s Young Emissary Unit as a Communities Coordinator, and as the Europe, South Africa, Australia, and North America Unit preparatory course coordinator. As a part off my role I coordinated the Nitzanim course, a scholarship course for shlichim who come back from shlichut and who the Jewish Agency wants to develop as professionals in Jewish and Israeli education  

In coming to NZ my husband and I were looking for a place to contribute from ourselves, to experience new things and to learn about ourselves and from others.  In my Shlichut, as an Education and Community Shlicha I will be working with the Zionist Federation, Habo and Aliya.

Udi Dvorkin

My name is Udi, and I am from Jerusalem where I lived since birth as a 10th generation Jerusalemite. I was involved in Jewish Education and Israeli Education from the minute I started to work. 

During my Military Service I dealt, among other things, with writing different courses for the education core and functioned as a Guidance Skills Commander (NCO). After my service I went as a Young Shaliach to Amsterdam, Holland, with the Jewish Agency. There I worked mainly with the youth and students and experienced Jewish life outside of Israel. Afterwards, and after a big trip that covered Kenya, Madagascar, South and North America I started my B.A in Judaic Studies and European History, followed by a Masters in Contemporary Judaism as well as a teaching diploma mainly in Israel Studies. 

Before New Zealand I worked as a youth director in Mevaseret Tzion (a suburb of Jerusalem), as a teacher at the Hebrew University Secondary High School, as an instructor for a partnership program between Jewish schools in Israel and in NY and as a tour guide. I have also had the privilege to study at the Hartman institute Beit Midrash. 

As a keen hiker it seems that I won't be bored in NZ! 

In my Shlichut, as a Formal Education Shaliach I will be the Jewish-Studies/Hebrew teacher for Kadimah College and the Educator at Beth Shalom.

Contact Details

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