The Building Business Bridges Program Cultivating multicultural ...

THECEDARGROUP
BUILDINGBUSINESSBRIDGES
The philosophy underlying
the BBB program
is that the business
community can
serve as a bridge
between Arabs and
Jews, Israelis and
Palestinians, and as a
force for change in
building understanding
and bringing
about a peaceful
resolution to the
current conflict.
The Building Business Bridges Program
Cultivating multicultural innovation.
Businesspeople from
Israel and the Palestinian
Authority are often unable to
read one another's political
and cultural codes, or understand
each other's markets and
potential for economic growth.
Thus, connections between
businesspeople in the region
are often impeded by the lack
of understanding that currently
exists.
As a response, the Center
for Jewish-Arab Economic Development
(CJAED) and the
Palestinian Media and Development
Institute (PMDI)
jointly initiated the Building
Business Bridges (BBB) program,
an innovative program
that combines academic study
with a broad enrichment program
designed to encourage
dialogue and understanding
between a group of Israeli
(Jewish and Arab) and Palestinian
professionals.
The philosophy underlying
the BBB program is that the
business community can serve
as a bridge between Arabs and
Jews, Israelis and Palestinians,
and as a force for change in
building understanding and
bringing about a peaceful resolution
to the current conflict.
Most of the students on
the BBB program come from
experienced business backgrounds
and participate in the
program to expand their
knowledge and skills. The program
consists of an academic
component leading to a Master
in Business Administration at
the Graduate School of Business
at the University of Haifa,
combined with an enrichment
curriculum designed to provide
the participants with the ap-
propriate tools, knowledge,
understanding and vision to
enable cross-cultural business
cooperation.
The BBB group studies
and works together over the
course of 18 months, at the
end of which they build business
plans for joint Jewish-
Arab and Israeli-Palestinian
ventures. The idea of the
group study is for the participants,
who come from conflicting
communities, to learn to
respect one another through a
range of personal, cultural,
professional and business related
activities. It also enables
us to create a network of
alumni and encourage joint
Jewish-Arab entrepreneurship,
which we hope will lead to a
restoration of economic and
social relations between the
two communities.

BUILDINGBUSINESSBRIDGES: THECEDARGROUP
Kareem Assad
education
Nazareth, Age 45
Education: Practical Electrical
Engineer from Technion's Israel Institute
of Technology, Haifa. B.Tech.Ed
in Technology instruction from ORT
Institution for teachers, Jerusalem. M.A
in Education from Haifa University.
M.B.A from the University of Haifa.
Professional experience: Mr.
Kareem Assad currently is the Coordinator
of the Ort Ronson College of
Technology and a lecturer at the college
for the past three years. He has been
working in Electronics Engineering and
Technology Instruction since 1982.
Having grown up in Rama Village and
in Nazareth, Mr. Assad understands
Jewish and Arab culture and believes
this will benefit his work in an integrated
business world.
Special Business Interests/
Future Goals: Mr. Assad hopes to
establish socially responsible business
initiatives for the Arab community in
Israel. He also hopes to promote a series
of joint Israeli-Palestinian ventures.
email: kassad@netvision.net.il
Ron Jager
mental health
Shaare Tiqva, Age 48
Education: B.A. in Psychology
from Baruch College (City University of
New York), M.S.W. from Yeshiva Universtiy
of New York, currently completed
the Executive MBA program in
English at Haifa University within the
Building Business Bridges program.
Professional experience: Ron
has worked in the field of mental heath
for the past 20 years within the Israel
Defense Forces. He is currently a consultant
to the Israel Trauma Coalition
(ITC) and is involved in the initiation of
community-based resiliency programs
in the north of Israel in the aftermath
of the second Lebanon War. Ron has
used his participation in the BBB program
to assist him in working with representatives
of the Muslim, Christian,
and Druze communities of northern
Israel.
Special Business Interests/
Future Goals: Ron is currently involved
with an associate from the BBB
program in the development of a Tele-
Medicine Radiological service called
"Saving Lives Through Early Detection".
This service was initiated as a
result of the security fence built in East
Jerusalem which has caused mobility
and access related problems in the
availability of medical services for residents
of East Jerusalem. This initiative
"Saving Lives Through Early Detection"
can make a difference in the wellbeing
of thousands of East Jerusalem
residents.
email: medconf@netvision.net.il
Adam Isaacs
occupational therapy
Tel Aviv, Age 35
Education: A graduate of the
School of Health Professions at Tel
Aviv University. MBA from the University
of Haifa.
Professional experience: Mr
Adam Isaacs is an Occupational
Therapist working for Maccabi Health
Services. He is about to become a
member of the board of directors of his
family’s real estate firm which is based
in the UK.
Susan Barhoum
fund raising
Raineh, Age 38
Education: Susan has a Bachelors
degree (BS) in Biology with minors in
Chemistry and Christian Studies from
Aurora University in Aurora, Illinois
USA, a Masters degree in Theology
(Christian Ministry) from Faith Seminary
in Tacoma, Washington USA, and
an MBA from the University of Haifa.
Professional experience: Susan
has worked for the past 10 years in
fundraising and program development
for Arab NGOs in Israel. Susan currently
has an independent consultancy
firm called Alpha Omega Consultations
and she provides independent consultancy
in resource development for several
Arab organizations.
email: sbarhoum@hotmail.com
Yohai Einav
online fraud prevention
Rehovot, Age 31
Education: MA in Contemporary
Middle Eastern Studies from the Hebrew
University, Jerusalem, and an
MBA from the University of Haifa.
Professional experience: Yohai
Einav is one of the top security analysts
at RSA Security where he leads the
fraud intelligence unit. Yohai was a researcher
at several Israeli research institutions
including at the Menachem Begin
Heritage Center where he led a
research project focusing on Prime Minister
Begin’s behavior at the 1978
Camp-David summit. Yohai recently
gave an interview to a Dutch magazine,
Elsevier.
email: yeinav@gmail.com
Tamer Sowaed
banking
Shfar-am, Age 32
Education: BA in Economics and
Business Administration from Ben
Gurion University in the Negev (1994-
1997) and recently (2006) an MBA from
the University of Haifa. Investment
Advisor from Israel Securities Authority.
Professional experience: Tamer
is an economist. For the past ten years,
he is the Credit Officer and Investment
Adviser at Bank Leumi. He is in charge
of managing the business credit section.
The role focuses on accompanying and
analyzing medium-sized businesses.
Tamer believes in business/financial
projects that can bring financial benefits
to all.
email: tsbanker@gmail.com
Maisam Musallam
attorney of law
Ibillin
Education: Maisam holds an
L.L.B and L.L.M in law from the Hebrew
University, Jerusalem. She recently
completed her MBA studies in English
at the University of Haifa.

BUILDINGBUSINESSBRIDGES: THECEDARGROUP
Professional experience: Maisam
began her professional experience
as an associate in a private law firm in
Haifa. In the past two years she worked
for Adalah (“Justice” in Arabic), a human
rights organization that provides
legal consultation and advocates for
litigation to protect human rights in
general, and the rights of the Arab minority
in Israel in particular. Maisam is
interested in working for an organization,
in which she can combine her
business studies with her legal background.
In addition, she is interested in
projects aiming to promote the economic
and social rights of the Arab
minority in Israel.
Tony Rantissi
project management
Jaffa, Age 33
Education: Tony has a Bachelors
degree in Business Management and
has recently concluded his MBA at the
University of Haifa.
Professional experience: Mr.
Tony Rantissi has around 14 years of
senior management level experience in
public agencies during which he served
eight years in the American Embassy as
the Deputy Chief of Section for Consular
Affairs, and in the past 6 years serves
in the development and management of
multi-million dollar projects in the West
Bank and Gaza, specializing in development
strategy, project management
programs, humanitarian assistance efforts,
and emergency relief initiatives at
the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Additionally, Tony recently
concluded a duty assignment under the
Director of the Global Development
Alliance Secretariat in Washington,
D.C. to mobilize parallel financing from
a variety of private institutional partners
in order to secure additional resources
for development assistance initiatives.
Itamar Feigenbaum
high tech
Tiv’on, Age 34
Professional experience: Itamar
has eight years of experience working
in Research & Development (R&D)
in the high-tech field, specializing in
communications and signal processing.
Now at the age of 34 he is spending
some time with his family planning his
next career move, utilizing the knowledge
he gained in his MBA studies at
the Haifa University. Itamar founded
and is co-directing the Ein-Bustan
Arab-Jewish kindergarten, where his
daughter is learning. He lives in Kiryat
Tivon in northern Israel with his partner
and two children.
email: itamar@feigenbaum.biz
Liora R. Asa
resource development
Har Halutz, Age 40
Education: B.A U.C. Berkeley
(Middle Eastern Studies), M.A George
Washington University (International
Relations), MBA from the University of
Haifa
Professional experience: Since
moving to Israel in 1996, Liora has
worked as a fundraising consultant for
several non-profit organizations and for
Shatil as a Resource Development
Consultant providing support to over 40
NGOs in the North and facilitating
training on a broad array of resource
development topics. She began her career
in the U.S., in the Washington, DC
office of the New Israel Fund, and then
was responsible for writing large multiyear
grants to the United States Agency
for International Development
(USAID) and for a US government contractor,
Chemonics International.
Abdallah Salameh
telecommunications
Jerusalem
Education: BS in Management of
Information Technology Systems from
Jerusalem University, Jerusalem and an
MBA from Haifa University.
Professional experience: Mr
Salameh is the VP of Marketing &
Business Development at Dominion
after serving as Executive Manager of
Business Technology Machines, a software
development house in Jerusalem
and Acting Managing Director with
Mustasharoun, a Management Consulting
firm in Jerusalem since 2003. In
addition, his term with ASAL Technologies
of Ramallah (2000-2003) as
Business Development Manager
equipped him with project management
experience in the field of software development
and outsourcing locally, regionally
and the Gulf area. Mr. Salameh
holds a Microsoft certified system
engineer MSCE certification.
Bashar Maddah
advertising
Tel Aviv
Education: Engineering degree
from Bezeq College, focusing on telecommunications.
Bezeq Management
Training program from Bar-Ilan University,
Tel Aviv and MBA from the
University of Haifa.
Professional experience: Mr.
Maddah has 9 years experience in the
Telecommunications industry working
with Bezeq of Israel. He is VP of Technical
and Business Operations at Bezeq.
Mr. Maddeh began his association with
Bezeq as a member of their Technical
Staff, having completed an engineering
degree from Bezeq College, focused on
Telecommunications. His work with
Bezeq took a turn toward Management
and Business Development. In 2003,
on graduation from the Bezeq Management
Training program through
Bar-Ilan University he took a position
as Manager of Marketing and Business
Development for the IP (Internet Protocol)
Business Unit, which includes the
following services IP-VPN, ADSL, prepaid
Internet service as well as content
and customer care for each service.
Ibrahim Agha
business development
Jerusalem, Age 36
Education : BS in Business Administration
from the Louisiana Tech
University , USA and an MBA from the
University of Haifa. Mr Agha was also
sponsored by USAID/AMIDEAST on
a business internship in the US.
Professional experience: Mr
Agha is currently the General Manager
at Haifa Express Ltd based in Jerusalem.
Prior to that he was on senior
management in several companies in
the Jerusalem & the West Bank in the
fields of sales and business development.
Mr Agha is one of the founding
members of Young Entrepreneurs Palestine
(YEP) and a member of the Arab
Forum of Young Entrepreneurs. Future

BUILDINGBUSINESSBRIDGES: THECEDARGROUP
goals are to work as an international
business specialist.
email: ibrahim_agha@yahoo.com
Nidal Neiroukh
Accounting
Jerusalem, Age 38
Education: BA in Finance and
Banking from Yarmouk University, Jordan.
Master of Accounting from Al-
Quds University, Jerusalem and an
MBA from the University of Haifa.
Professional experience: Mr.
Neiroukh is a CPA and works as an
Audit Partner at Neiroukh & Co. In
parallel to this he was the Financial
Manager at Nasser Investments in Bethlehem
and was also Senior Auditor at
Saadi Farrage, Orfaly (a representative
firm of PriceWaterhouseCoopers). Nidal
also lectures at the Accounting and
Finance Department at Al Quds University.
Eyal Barad
online advertising
Caesarea, Age 41
Education: BA in Economics and
International Relations from the Hebrew
University, Jerusalem and MBA
from the University of Haifa.
Professional experience: Mr
Barad is the founder and managing
partner of Netposition Ltd, a leading
Israeli internet marketing company.
Netposition works with established
companies and start-ups to analyze
their positioning and develop and implement
their online marketing strategy.
Eyal is also the founder and partner in
Travelmania.com, a website selling
tours to Israel, with tours to Egypt and
Jordan. Eyal is the VP of the Israel-
Canada Chamber of Commerce and is
a founder and board member of Green
Action, an environmental NGO.
Zevi Gal-Sarai
computer services
Kibbutz Degania, Age 43
Education : BA in Liberal Studies
from California State University-
Northridge (1989). MBA from the University
of Haifa.
Professional experience: Mr.
Gal-Sarai is currently managing computer
services for the Toolgal Group
that produces cutting tools for stone and
construction with offices in Israel, England,
Norway and the USA. Zevi plans
on expanding on the base of the MBA
and progress in logistics for small businesses.
Other Activities: Mr. Gal-Sarai
currently heads the mutual assistance
fund set up by the kibbutz to aid it's
members in times of great need. He
recently retired from the burial society
that he actively participated in.
Kher Albaz
social services
Tel-Sheva, Age 44
Education: BA in Social work
from Ben Gurion University (1987),
MA in Social Planning and Policy from
WLU in Ontario, Canada (1990) and
an MBA from the University of Haifa
(2006), and several certifications in senior
management.
B Professional experience: Mr.
Albaz is currently the Director of Social
Services for the Negev Bedouin community
(Segev Shalom) and involved in
many development projects for this
community.
Mr. Albaz has a rich experience in
both the public and NGO sectors. Mr.
Albaz is a board member of several
national and local organizations including
the Abraham Fund, the Community
Advocacy Fund and Social Workers For
Peace. Mr. Albaz was appointed as a
member in several government policy
development committees.
The Bedouin community is central
in Mr. Albaz's life, and he is very well
known in his professional ability in his
community.
Osama Sora
banking
Age 42
Education : BA Computers and
Education from the Hebrew University
– Jerusalem – 1995. MBA from the
University of Haifa – 2006.
Professional experience: Mr
Sora is currently the Marketing Manager
for Masad Bank (Education Sector).
Mr Sora is an entrepreneur in his
soul. He pushed for technological
schools in the arab sector and advances
graduates into the industrial sector. Mr
Sora see his work as a mission with the
goal of putting more people into the job
force, the advancement of education,
and developing a feeling of self worth
among graduates. Mr Sora is well
known for his qualities of leadership
and interest in coexistence between
peoples. He participates in many forums
for coexistence. Currently, he is
part of the forum for principals (of the
education ministry) in the general forum
for education for the respect of
man, peace and coexistence.
Mustafa Abu Raia
pharmacology/politics
Sachnin, Age 55
Education : Degree in Pharmacology
from the Hebrew University,
Business Degree from the University
Northwood, Michigan, and MBA from
the University of Haifa.
Professional experience: Mr
Abu Raia is the former mayor of
Sachnin and has served his community
in many capacities. He has recently
returned to serving his community as a
pharmacist.
Roy Klein
attorney of law
Tel Aviv, Age 32
Education : Roy obtained his
LL.B. in 2001 from Haifa University.
He has been a member of the Israel
Bar Association since 2002 and was
admitted to the New York State Bar in
2002. Roy has recently obtained his
MBA from the University of Haifa.
Professional experience: Mr.
Klein practices corporate and commercial
law along with a wide range of extra
curricular activities.
Barakat Abu Hussein
accounting
Roma Village, Age 42
Education : BA in Economics and
Accounting from Ben Gurion University,
MA in Internal and Public Auditing
from the University of Haifa, and an
MBA from the University of Haifa.
Professional experience: Mr
Abu Hussein has 12 years of experience
in auditing of industrial companies.
Presently, he works for the local government
responsible of income.
email: Md.barakat@gmail.com