Itamar Avin

A student of Political Science and Communication at Tel Aviv University. Itamar is an activist in the fields of LGBTQ+ and autism. They founded and facilitated the group “On Both Spectrums,” held the position of LGBTQ+ Brotherhood Coordinator in Tel Aviv, and are alumni of Link 20, and more. Itamar speaks and lectures on autism and LGBTQ+ topics to various organizations and companies and is involved in organizing accessible events for autistic individuals in the LGBTQ+ community. Itamar also has experience working with autistic individuals, having worked at Beit Fishman and Camp Ramapo in the U.S.

Rotem Ben David

A medical student. Autistic and activist in the autistic, queer, and fat communities.

Adv. Ofra Ben Meir

The Director of the Haruv Children’s Campus, which accommodates eight organizations offering services to children at risk and their families. The campus operates in academic partnership with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Ben Meir holds LL.B. and LL.M. degrees from Bar-Ilan University and a joint Master’s in Public Law from Tel Aviv University and Northwestern University in Chicago. She gained admission to the Israeli Bar in 2004. Previously, she served as Deputy Legal Advisor to the National Council for the Child and was manager of the legal support program for child victims of crime. She was also a lecturer at the child rights clinic at Reichman University and at Sha’arei Mishpat College. Currently, she lectures at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Nava Ben-Or (Committee Chair)

Chairperson of the Board of Directors at the Haruv Institute. A retired judge of the Jerusalem District Court and former Deputy State Attorney for Criminal Matters. She chaired the first wave of “The Public Committee for Policy Change on Child Sexual Abuse” (2021) and the “Committee for Examining Sexual Abuse in the LGBTQ+ Community, with Emphasis on Social Organizations” (2022). She is also a founding member of “Project Dina,” created in response to the sexual assaults carried out by Hamas terrorists during the October 7 attack on Israel, to gain recognition and justice for victims of sexual violence in conflict zones.

Tamar Charka

A speech-language pathologist and training program coordinator at the Haruv Institute, specializing in health professions and early childhood. Tamar has extensive clinical experience in diagnosing and treating children, with a focus on child development and autism. She also develops expertise in language and communication therapies as part of multi-disciplinary interventions for children who have experienced abuse and neglect.

Gal Friedman-Hauser (Committee Coordinator)

A social worker and PhD student at the School of Social Work at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She also serves as a Knowledge Development Coordinator at the Haruv Institute. Gal has extensive experience in therapeutic interventions for children with disabilities and currently focuses on research related to child abuse and neglect, with a particular focus on children with disabilities.

Prof. Carmit Katz (Committee Director)

A social worker and full professor at the Paul Baerwald School of Social Work and Social Welfare at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and CEO of the Haruv Institute. Her expertise centers on child abuse and neglect, driven by a strong dedication to child protection and harm prevention. Prof. Katz advocates for an interdisciplinary approach and stresses direct engagement with children in all areas of their lives, which forms the foundation of her professional philosophy. She serves as a senior advisor to ISPCAN (International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect) and established and led an international task force on child protection during global crises, which was acknowledged by ISPCAN for its outstanding contribution during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also established and led the “Public Committee for Policy Change on Child Sexual Abuse” and served as its director during both its first and current waves.

Dr. Yael Karni-Weisel

Lecturer and researcher at the School of Social Work at Bar-Ilan University, specializing in family coping with children who have neurodevelopmental disabilities and children at risk. She has extensive clinical and managerial experience in the field of child development. Her research focuses on the interface between health and welfare, particularly on the experiences of parents, children, and professionals.

Itay Kender, MSW

Holds a BA in Social Work and a graduate degree in Public Policy. Itay teaches and advocates for the Open Dialogue approach and co-founded Open Dialogue Israel, aimed at adapting the model to the local context. He was also part of the founding team of “Soteria Israel” and contributed to drafting Ministry of Health regulations for both Soteria homes and in-home crisis support. In 2015, he authored the “Alternative to Hospitalization Report” and established a project documenting such alternatives in Israel: the “Index of Hospitalization Alternatives.” He served for three years as Chair of the Israeli Association for the Advancement of Psychological and Social Approaches to Psychosis.  Itay also hosts a podcast exploring the work of R.D. Laing, titled “Why and How Do People Go Mad?”, and draws on lived experience of depression, psychosis, and addiction.

Dr. Nadia Maswareh

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Reshef Porat

An autistic, queer, and trans individual. Holds a degree in Sociology, Communication, and Digital Media. Delivers lectures on disability, science fiction and fantasy, gender studies, and fashion. Activist in CFS/ME Israel for the rights of people with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and manager of the Facebook community “Shinui Edaret” – an inclusive space for joyful fashion.