Beginning a New Journey: WSLP Class 1 Graduation

Last Thursday evening, the 25th of June, 2015, in Caesarea, 39 senior leaders from across the Israeli civil service were awarded two certificates – one from The Wexner Foundation and the other from the Harvard Kennedy School for Executive Education. The certificates will serve as an eternal reminder of an unforgettable and meaningful experience. As we look back at the amazing process that we have been a part of, culminating three months ago in the remarkable one-month course at Harvard, we are only now starting to comprehend the immense impact that this unique program has had on our professional and personal lives.

Emily Dickinson said: “The soul should always stand ajar, ready to embrace the ecstatic experience!”

And, indeed the ecstatic experience is what we were given. From topnotch professors to cutting-edge materials, having all of our needs catered to so we were free to embrace the intellectual challenge and stimuli (including unprecedented amounts of snow) and equipped with a special cohort of colleagues and newfound friends – We shall be ever grateful.

“WSLP the First” (Class 1) has become a close-knit family of 39 senior leaders, whom will hopefully continue to work together on deep-rooted national projects, and national wicked problems, with the tool kit we have taken from HKS. All of this in the hopes of promoting excellence and innovation in public service in Israel.

Osnat Luxembourg is the Director of Medical Technology Administration of the Health Ministry. Prior to her current position she was the Director, Division of Medical Technology Policy. Osnat also lectures in the Recanati Business School.  Osnat holds an MBA from Bar Ilan University and a Masters in Public Health from the Hebrew University. She received her MD from the Technion Medical School. Osnat lives in Tel Aviv.

Michal Anderson Leventhal is a Senior Deputy Legal Advisor of the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption. She has worked in the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption since 2001. She has a BA and MA in Political Science from the Hebrew University, and LLB from Interdisciplinary Center. She lives in Har Adar, near Jerusalem.