Email Ellen

Ellen, who joined the New Israel Fund UK in February 2007, was formerly Associate Director of New Israel Fund, Israel.

Ellen was responsible for Resource Development and International Relations in Israel, and directed several field programs in active citizenship education, the environment, and social entrepreneurship. She brings with her a wealth of experience and understanding of both the Israeli and UK scenes, having acted as a key contact with our grantees and colleagues in Israel over the years.

She has been with New Israel Fund family since 2001, and prior to that has held senior positions with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee in Israel. She has worked in government in both Israel and the US, and holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University.

Sarah Chesler
Head of Marketing & Communications

Email Sarah

Sarah graduated from the University of Cape Town in 1994 majoring in both Economics and Accountancy. She then joined the AAA School of Advertising and completed her postgraduate diploma specialising in Client Service.

Sarah has 10 years experience in the communications & advertising industry and over the years has worked in both the UK and South Africa in Global Advertising Agencies. Her experience has been across a wide range of industries including Charity. 

She has extensive Marketing knowledge and always strives to work with both passion and integrity. 

“I felt the time had come for me to combine my expertise with something that I really believed in. New Israel Fund has given me the opportunity to contribute to a cause that I believe is important and I am excited to be part of getting its message across. “

Amit Handelsman
Programme Director

Born in Jerusalem, Amit grew up in Israel and served in the army. In 1996 Amit went to London for two years to be a Shaliach (Israeli Emissary) for the Liberal Judaism movement. On his return to Israel he started his BA in Middle East Studies and Politics at the Hebrew University and worked for the Reform movement in Israel.  In 2003 Amit commenced his MSc in Voluntary Sector Organisations at the London School of Economics, graduating in December 2005. Whilst studying for his MSc, he was appointed Director of Education at Finchley Reform Synagogue, and continued there until joining NIF in mid-2008. Amit has a good knowledge and understanding of the voluntary sector and has vast experience in education, programming and project management.

“ I have been fascinated and inspired by the voluntary sector since my BA courses in politics and public policy. The importance of the sector for protecting the weak and those in need becomes even greater in times when governments and institutions have different priorities. I believe that civil society and social change organisations can change lives, but can also change government policies. NIF is a one-of-a-kind organisation, as it is the voice for thousands of Israelis who are not heard. I am privileged to work for NIF and have already enjoyed every minute of it.”

Shai Sheli

Accounts Database and IT manager

Shai Sheli was born and raised in Rehovot, Israel. After completing his military service in the Air force he went on to work as the Database Manager in the development team of an IT company in Israel before a change in direction led him to pursue a more holistic career for a few years as a Meditation teacher in India.

Upon returning to the Western world he completed a degree in Computer Programming and moved to London to marry his English belle and start a new life and career.

Here he happened upon the NIF which would provide him with the perfect opportunity to work with and develop his technical skills in a role that keeps him never far from his homeland.

"Although I'm trained in Computers I didn't just want to work for a normal IT company. I wanted to find a job that I considered more worthwhile and gave me more human contact and one where maybe I could make a difference. As you can imagine I was very pleased to find the NIF which on top of all this kept me tied to my home, Israel"

Cherry Torrance
Consultant

Email Cherry

Graduating from Oxford a while ago in modern languages, Cherry indulged in a very belated gap year in France. Back in the UK, she felt keen to work again for Israel.

Her fundraising experience ranges from J.I.A where she was the first Director of the Women's Division, to the Tel Aviv University Trust and Friends of Bar Ilan University. Her principal interest lay in major project development and creating scholarship funds.

"New Israel Fund is the challenge I had hoped for with its progressive solutions to many of Israel's problems. It tackles poverty, injustice and discrimination with courage and in line with Israel's enduring values, both democratic and Jewish."