Meet the Jewish Federation’s 2024-2025 Community Shlichim

Avi Eisen

Beth Sholom Congregation
Avi is the eldest of four boys and was raised in the largely Anglo-Saxon community of “Nofei Aviv” in Beit Shemesh. Throughout his childhood, Avi would visit his grandparents in Baltimore over the summer. As a teenager, he was a counselor in B’nei Akiva and active in “Acharai” youth movement. Avi was interested in exploring the area outside of Beit Shemesh and attended high school in Jerusalem while also pursuing an education at Bar Ilan University, where he received a BA in Middle Eastern Studies. After graduation, Avi attended Yeshivat Ma’ale Gilboa for almost two years. Avi Married Avia and they moved to the Negev (southern Israel). He worked as a security and operations team lead on Israel’s most prominent strategic asset, Karish FPSO. In his free time, Avi engages in startup entrepreneurships, organizing activities for his community, long-distance running, and studying Daf Yomi. Avi speaks Hebrew, English, and Arabic, and is passionate about Jewish thought and connecting people through ideas.

Avia Halevi

The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington’s Educational Engagement Shlicha
Avia was born in Rosh Ha-Ayin to a traditional Yemenite family, as the middle child of five children. Growing up, she was a counselor at B’nei Akiva and a tour guide in “Shelcah,” a hiking and nature youth movement. After graduation, Avia spent a year as a Shin-Shinit (service volunteer) in an absorption center in Tzfat, working with Olim (immigrants) of all ages and backgrounds. A few years ago, Avia moved to Ethiopia to live with the Jewish community in Gondar for several months. She continued to travel throughout Africa, North and South America, and India, where she joined the staff of “HaChava Shel Adam,” a unique retreat intended for Israeli travelers. During COVID, Avia married Avi and they moved to the Negev (southern Israel), as she always felt  that the desert was home. Avia is an artist. She enjoys exploring ancient crafts such as weaving and woodworking, and believes that mutual creation is a great way to connect between individuals of different cultures. In her pottery studio Tenn’e, Avia hosts art workshops inspired by the desert. In her free time, Avia enjoys traveling around the world and is especially interested in ideas and cultural exchange.
Learn more about Avia

Dean Bagdadi

Pozez JCC of Northern Virginia
Dean is married with two cats and has lived in Be’er Sheva in the south of Israel his whole life. He comes from a mixed background of both secular and traditional Jewish families with roots across the globe. Before embarking to be a part of the shlichut (a group of Israeli cultural emissaries), he was part of “The movement for quality government in Israel,” which is a non–profit NGO that combats corruption and works for a better, more efficient and more qualified administration in Israel. He has experience in the civil society field, community engagement, and public affairs. Dean loves cooking and baking, camping, and is a big video and board game geek. Dean has a bachelor’s in political science and business management from Ben Gurion University (BGU). During his undergraduate years, he was the chairperson of the board for the student’s union of BGU, part of an ADL leadership delegation, an intern for the national student’s union foreign relations and government office, part of four political campaigns, a formal and informal education instructor, and a social media manager for Jusidman academic youth center.

Laila Akselrad

Mo’Ed & Ohr Kodesh Congregation
Laila was born in La Plata, Argentina. At the age of one, she moved with her family to Spain, where they lived for 10 years. When she was 12 years old, her family made Aliya (immigration to Israel) and lived in Kfar Saba, a small town in central Israel. In middle school, she began her journey in the world of education as part of the Mashatzim program — a program that teaches children about the land of Israel and Israeli culture through nature and field trips. Laila worked throughout the years in different positions all relating to teaching and instilling Israeli values and culture to different age groups. Since the age of four, Laila has enjoyed dancing and participating in dance competitions. Laila is passionate about education, dance, and exploring the world and the different cultures in it. She is excited to learn, grow, and bring her fields of knowledge to this wonderful community.

Maya Ezra

Makom
Maya was born in Jerusalem and raised in Mevaseret Zion as the middle child of three sisters. She attended the Academy of Music & Dance high school, where she focused on singing and participated in exchange programs in Germany and Japan. Her passion for social engagement began during high school when she served as a counselor for three years with Krembo Wings, a youth movement for children with special needs.

After graduating, Maya spent a year in Mechina (Rabin) in northern Israel and joined a Birthright trip. Following this, she volunteered with Project Ten in Uganda, where she taught art to children in schools in a small village for several months, until October 7^th. Maya later attended a pre-university program for art, but ultimately decided to postpone her university studies to embark on a Shlichut (emissary) role. Last summer, she served as a Shlicha at Tamark Camp, specializing in art.

In her free time, Maya enjoys practicing yoga, creating art, and spending time at the beach with her friends. She is passionate about meeting people from diverse cultures and is especially focused on fostering meaningful connections and building relationships.

Snir Holtzman

Temple Emanuel
Snir was born in Tel-Aviv and raised in Holon. Before becoming a shaliach (Israeli emissary), Snir volunteered in his neighborhood’s community center as a youth counselor, where he led and mentored youth groups of different ages. Later on, Snir worked at Olin Sang Ruby Union Institute, a summer camp in Oconomowoc, WI for two summers. He was a counselor in the  chalutzim (Pioneers in the building of the State of Israel) program, a Hebrew immersive program for rising sophomores and juniors, and as  Sgan  (second in command) in Avodah, the camp’s Counselor in Training program. He also worked at Alexander Muss High School in Israel, a boarding school in Hod Hasharon and was a counselor of a group of seniors (class of 2022) from Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Maryland during their semester in Israel, teaching them about Israel, Judaism, and their Jewish identities. Snir enjoys working out, hiking, cooking, and reading. He’s also very into film, television, and filmmaking. He wanted to become a  shaliach  to create meaningful and deep relationships with Jewish youth and young adults in the Greater Washington Jewish community and help them navigate growing up and shaping their Jewish identity and relationship to Israel.

Tamar Bar Dov

Agudas Achim
Tamar is from a small community near Jerusalem called Givon Ha’Hadasha. She is a recent graduate from Ben Gurion University of the Negev with a degree in Management and European-African Studies. Her mother is an Olah (immigrant) from Brazil, and her father is native Israeli. She has two older brothers. Tamar’s involvement in community engagement began as an instructor in the Scouts youth movement (Tsofim). Before starting her studies, Tamar worked as a youth coordinator where she worked to create diverse and appropriate activities for each age group, such as military preparation activities, community contribution activities, and trips throughout Israel. It was a significant job that taught her the value of guidance. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, baking, traveling around Israel and the world, going out with friends, spending time with family, and meeting new people from diverse cultures.

Yuval Ifrah

Bnai Israel Congregation
Yuval was born and raised in Rishon Lezion, located in the heart of Israel, and is the oldest of three children in a loving extended family spread out across Israel.

She began her journey in the world of education as part of the Tzofim and the Mashatzim program (two Israeli youth movements) — programs that teach children about the land of Israel and Israeli culture through nature.

Before coming to the Shlicut, Yuval was a youth event and social media coordinator in Ra’anana (another town in the center of Israel), organizing various events for teenagers including small gatherings, theme nights, comedy and musical shows, Independence Day performances, and Memorial Day ceremonies.

Yuval has developed valuable experience in formal and informal education, having worked with teenagers in youth centers, teaching English to 5^th and 6^th graders, and leading after-school activities for younger children.

In her personal life, Yuval enjoys singing, drawing, sculpting, meeting new people, and exploring new places. Yuval lives with her partner Yoel, who is also a new Shaliach at Beth El Congregation, and their two cats, Grace and Doja. Both are thrilled about this new chapter in their lives.