Theme: Facing challenges

We all face challenges in our lives. Challenges have many faces: societal, professional, personal, health-related challenges.
My aim is to host a TEDx event that focuses on how to successfully overcome challenges. We shall explore paths from failure to success, how to regain personal growth and optimism and even make the seemingly impossible possible.
We share moving stories, optimistic and happy stories that will amaze the local audience and of course the many viewers around the world.
Looking forward to seeing you at Savyon Community Center on 22.2.22

Community and Cultural Center of Savyon
2 Nativ Hayovel st.
Savyon, HaMerkaz, 5690500
Israel

Barak Cohen

Plant biologist and Tour leader

Barak is an international tour guide, leading groups of travelers for over 18 years, exploring versatile terrains and the intricate interactions between nature and local inhabitants. Barak holds A Master’s degree in molecular biology of plants. He has worked in the agritec industry, exploring water plants from the molecular level to the agricultural and industrial level, combining it with research in the Weizmann Institute, where he is currently working. This has enabled him to become familiar with a wide range of aspects effecting plants growth and gain insights to their impact on our daily lives. This exciting synergy of real life travels and plant research has awakened him to the realization of the strong connection between humanity and nature which he is anxious to share.

Daniel Wolfson

Business Lawyer, Legal Advisor, Public Speaker, Mountaineer Climber

Daniel is an ordinary woman - a mother, a lawyer and mountain climber. Daniel is an Israeli woman who stood on the summit of Everest. Daniel discovered her love of mountaineering only after the devastating fall during the ski vacation and has since then developed a fervor for climbing the highest and most challenging peaks on Earth. Daniel has a bachelor's degree in business administration and a LLB Bachelor and Master LLM degree of laws. Daniel combines her profession as a lawyer in the commercial and corporate field with the urge to discover new challenging places in the alpine climbing field. As a lawyer Daniel works with large companies and she finds for her clients brave and creative solutions. Daniel's story begins with a difficult childhood in Soviet times, the accident that happened a decade ago, the demanding profession and single mother. Daniel believes that anything is possible and if you dream you can make dreams come true and everyone can conquer their own Everest.

Dr. Ori Leshman

Director of “The Venture for Promoting Dialogue through Music” at Tel Aviv University, conductor, composer, musicologist and senior lecturer in the fields of music, education and communication.

Dr. Ori Leshman is a lifelong believer in the power of music to improve our world. He has directed music festivals and conducted orchestras and opera houses worldwide. As a conductor, composer, musicologist and senior lecturer in the fields of music, and education, he continually strives to advance the power of music, co-founding and running “The Venture for Promoting Dialogue through Music” at the School of Education, Tel Aviv University, and co-founding the "Music for Dialogue" social venture. The winner of numerous awards, Ori Leshman’s life mission is "To harness the power of music to improve society, education and culture worldwide".

Elie Shamir

Artist and Teacher

Shamir Elie (b. 1953, Israel) was born and works in Kfar Yehoshua. Shamir studied at Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem. Participated in many international group exhibitions including the 2008 and 2011 BP Portrait Award exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, London, in Vitoriano Museum, Rome and more in Israel, Europe and the U.S. Known for his large-scale landscape paintings and his compelling portraits. After years of living in Jerusalem and Boston, Shamir returned to Kfar Yehoshua village in 1999 and resettled there. Kfar Yehoshua is both a personal, specific case of an agricultural village in the valley of Jezre’el, and the story of a local ethos and starting point for fundamental questions about place. Shamir taught In the Art Institution in Oranim Academic College of Education and in Bezalel Academy, Jerusalem and in the MFA, Boston.

Henrique Cymerman

Journalist, filmmaker & lecturer

Henrique Cymerman is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker who has covered affairs in the Middle East for 30 years, working in 5 languages. Born in Portugal, he moved to Israel alone when he was 16. He has established relationships of trust with regional leaders across the Middle East. He is a lecturer at the Reichman University of government, diplomacy and strategy, as well as in international forums. He wrote 5 books translated to 7 languages about social and political processes in the Middle East. He received from Pope Francis the "Angel of Peace" recognition for enabling his Holiness' Pilgrimage to the Middle East, and assisting in the Prayer for Peace event in the Vatican. Cymerman is one of the founders and the president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Israel-Gulf Countries.

Michal Moldawsky

A researcher, lecturer and counselor in the educational field

Michal is a researcher (Doctoral student) at Tel Aviv University, studying empathy and teacher-student relationships. She is a lecturer in educational related topics and conducts workshops for education staff. Michal runs a clinic that provides counseling, guidance, coaching, and case management to parents. Her professional career started as an educational consultant. She established and ran the parent department at Nitzan NPO, the Israeli association for LD and ADHD, providing lectures, group counseling and coaching for parents, children, and teachers. Michal founded the Special Education Department of the Ganei Tikva Local Council, leading educational initiatives and chairing the special education statutorily committees. Her professional book about adapting schools to the current era is in the process of being published. Michal holds a B.A. in Psychology and a master's degree in Educational Consulting. She is married and a proud mother of four children.

Noam Gershony

Wheelchair tennis player, lecturer

Former Apache helicopter pilot, Paralympic gold medalist, wheelchair tennis player, lecturer Noam was serving as an Apache helicopter pilot in the Israeli air force. In July 2006 he was severely injured in a helicopter crash. During his rehabilitation process Noam started playing wheelchair tennis and began competing in the world tennis tour. 6 years after his injury Noam won the gold medal in the 2012 London Paralympics in singles and the bronze medal in doubles. Noam is a speaker, sharing his story in events worldwide, a consultant for companies involved in rehabilitation products and tennis startups, trains the Israeli Junior wheelchair Tennis team and volunteers with children with special needs.