Druze Leadership Program A’alam to Welcome Fourth Cohort

The fourth cycle of the A’alam program, a leadership initiative aimed at integrating young Druze men and women into key national decision-making positions, is about to open. “The A’alam Leadership Program (أعلام, ‘Flags’) is one of the first initiatives developed by the Menomadin Foundation,” says Dr. Merav Galili, the foundation’s CEO. The foundation specializes in developing and implementing national roadmaps and leading processes that drive socio-economic impact at the national level. The program was developed in collaboration with the Druze community leadership and Ma’ase Center. The program recently also partnered with the Ministry of the Negev, Galilee and National Resilience, transforming it into a national initiative.

Recently, Menomadin Foundation awarded scholarships to Druze students serving in reserve duty. The event was dedicated to the memory of the Druze heroes who fell defending the homeland and was held in Rameh, attended by proud families, fellow soldiers—some of whom were wounded in battles—and bereaved families. The scholarships, granted by the Menomadin Foundation and Israel’s leading Zionist institutions—such as the World Zionist Organization, the Jewish National Fund, the Zionist Council in Israel, and the Israeli Congress—are part of a comprehensive program run by Menomadin in cooperation with Druze community leaders and institutions to empower the younger generation.

Bridging the gap

A decades-long bond of brotherhood, sealed in blood, has formed between the Druze community and Israeli society. This partnership, which began even before the establishment of Israel, has withstood numerous tests over the years and proven its strength. However, the brotherhood forged on the battlefield has not translated into other areas of life well enough.

“More than five years ago, the Menomadin Foundation management and Druze community leaders met to come up with a project focused on this cherished community,” says the president of the Menomadin Foundation, Haim Taib. “We realized that there is a substantial disparity between the Druze community’s deep commitment to the state of Israel and its representation in high-level decision-making positions. We learned how important it is for the Druze community to cultivate civic leadership alongside its spiritual leadership and how crucial it is to strengthen local Druze authorities to encourage young people to stay in their villages and influence their future. That is the only way for the Druze community to thrive and evolve while preserving its heritage and culture for generations to come.”

“The potential contribution is not being fully realized”

The Aalam program was tailored to address the unique identity, goals, and challenges of the Druze community, a traditional society undergoing rapid modernization. The program’s mission is to integrate and promote talented young Druze into public service – at the local, regional, and national levels. Public service provides motivated men and women with many opportunities to advance to key positions and impact their community and Israeli society at large. Dozens of promising young Druze from the program were recognized for their exceptional abilities and strong desire to advance the Druze community.

The program runs six months, and features workshops, tours and meetings with prominent figures in Israeli civic life. Fellows are exposed to the public service and its potential to drive change. Approximately 50% of the program’s participants now hold public positions in NGOs, or local and national authorities. Some have even joined prestigious public service career tracks, such as the Cadets for Local Government program.

“Following these successful cohorts, we have achieved a significant milestone: the government has adopted the Aalam program, and the Ministry of the Negev, Galilee, and National Resilience has become our partner and supports the program in many ways, including financially. It enables us to expand the program and its impact across government authorities. The joining of a government ministry transforms our roadmap into a truly national program, which means it will only continue to grow,” she says. “The expected impact is two-sided – it will strengthen the Druze community, but also Israeli society as a whole, as the Druze community is without a doubt a national resource whose potential contribution is not being fully realized.”

A national resource

Some information about the Druze community, as revealed through a research and impact measurement process conducted by the Menomadin Foundation and its partners: High school graduate rates in the Druze community are significantly higher than the national average, 82.2% compared to 69.9% in 2017–2018, respectively; approximately 40% of Druze high school graduates continue to pursue a bachelor’s degree within eight years. However, their average salary is lower compared to Jewish society: 26% lower for male employees and by 46% for women.

Focusing on the public service, according to the Knesset Research and Information Center’s document issued in April 2024, the percentage of Druze men serving in the IDF in 2020–2021 was 68.2%, and the percentage of Druze women volunteering for national civilian service was 46.8%, among the highest in the country, second only to the state-religious Jewish women. Young Druze reach senior command positions in the military, and their presence is also prominent in health services and education. However, despite proven ability to lead and manage, the percentage of Druze men and women in middle and senior levels in the civil service is significantly lower than their proportion in the population.

Long-term social and economic impact

We have all been consistently aware of the extent to which local government influences citizens and society, particularly since October 7th. A month later, in November 2023, Bahaa Kablan assumed the role of Aalam’s program director. Bahaa (33, married, residing in Beit Jann), arrives at this role with 11 years of public service experience. In his previous role, he established and managed the Assets and Contracts Department at Maghar Municipality, initiated a digitalization project within the municipality, and oversaw budget and activities totaling NIS 30–40 million annually.

Bahaa, in collaboration with the Menomadin Foundation, recently led in-depth and accelerated research, strategic thinking, and development processes. “We found that local government, especially in the Israeli periphery, has the most influence on citizen life. The municipal system is the first point of contact for citizens in times of distress, and those in key public service roles can have a lasting, and sometimes even decisive, impact on citizens’ lives,” he explains. “Therefore, we decided that Aalam will focus on talented young men and women already working in Druze local authorities, provide them with the tools to deliver better services to citizens, and promote initiatives that will lead to long-term social and economic development.

“On top of that, in follow-up research, we found that each of our participants influences an average of 3-4 colleagues within the authority,” notes Bahaa, “We completed the third class in the summer or 2024 with 17 graduates. The math is simple.”

Leadership development

Aalam’s fourth class is about to begin, with handpicked young men and women working in Druze authorities who have been personally recommended by their managers. The program will include 18 intensive full-day sessions at the Ma’ase Center in Acre. Participants will also go on tours of local councils and regional clusters, meet with public servants in Druze and non-Druze authorities and pivotal figures in Israeli public life, and visit the Knesset.

Targeted seminars will train participants in skills such as time management and interpersonal communication; leadership development; budget and people management; digitization and continuous information gathering; issues in law and local economic development; promoting entrepreneurship and innovation; creating partnerships between local, regional, and national government, and more.

“Committed to improving public service and leading positive change”

Nura Kheir (36, married +3) was recommended by Peki’in’s local council management, where she manages the Early Childhood center. Nura leads a diverse team of paramedical professionals, speech therapists, occupational therapists, enrichment instructors, and other professionals. Nura and her team are responsible for identifying and treating children with developmental delays in motor and language skills from birth to age nine, in addition to their enrichment.

“My role is very challenging, and the Aalam program came at just the right time,” she says. “I received comprehensive support in all aspects of human resources management, learned data-driven decision-making and achievements, and most importantly – I feel that I have received the tools to mobilize support and resources for new initiatives. As a mother of a teenager and two infants, working full-time and having a lot of responsibilities, it wasn’t easy for me to attend these weekly meetings, but the tools, the support of the group, and the bonds that I developed, even with the program’s lecturers, have given me a lot. The program strengthened my motivation to continue to advance in public service. It showed me how much influence our work can have on the lives of citizens and how leadership with the right values can change reality. Thanks to the program, I feel committed to improving public service and leading positive change.”

From crisis to opportunity

The Swords of Iron War has taken a heavy toll on the small Druze community, comprising approximately 149,000 men, women, and children. Many Druze soldiers and commanders have fallen in battle, and, in a tragedy that tore out the entire nation’s heart, 12 Druze children were massacred while playing soccer in Majdal Shams. The painful events have brought the story of the Druze community back to the public eye.

“It seems that the future of our country depends on our ability to rise above our differences and build unity that showcases the individual uniqueness of each party,” concludes Taib. “Through Aalam and other national programs promoted by the Menomadin Foundation, we are building a better future for the State of Israel. An Israeli society where everyone is a partner in setting the social and national agenda is a resilient society where all individuals feel committed to its future.”