Watch below for an important discussion on trends from the most recent Knesset session and how progressive Israelis are organizing to defend democracy in the days ahead.

Libby Lenkinski is the Vice President for Public Engagement at the New Israel Fund, where she leads all aspects of NIF’s public efforts in the United States – including communications, digital, programs, events, leadership, community partnerships and engagement, New Generations and our fellowships. Prior to joining NIF, Libby lived and worked in the Israeli non-profit field for almost a decade. There she worked as Director of International Relations at the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) and as a strategy consultant for human rights organizations like Yesh Din and Physicians for Human Rights.

Daniel Sokatch is the Chief Executive Officer of the New Israel Fund (NIF), the leading organization committed to equality and democracy for all Israelis. Before joining NIF, Sokatch served as the Executive Director of the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties. Prior to his tenure at Federation, he served as the founding Executive Director of the Los Angeles based Progressive Jewish Alliance. In recognition of his leadership, Sokatch has been named to the Forward newspaper’s “Forward 50,” an annual list of the fifty leading Jewish decision-makers and opinion-shapers, in 2002, 2005 and 2008 and 2010. Daniel has an MA from the Fletcher School at Tufts University, a JD from Boston College Law School, and a BA from Brandeis University. He is married with two daughters and resides in San Francisco.

Mickey Gitzin is the  Director of the New Israel Fund in Israel. Mickey also serves as a city council member in Tel Aviv-Jaffa, where he chairs committees for diversity and public housing. He is also the Mayor’s advisor for global development and innovation. Prior to joining NIF, Mickey was the founding director of “Israel Hofsheet” (Be Free Israel), a leading grassroots organization fighting for separation of religion and state in Israel. Previously, Mickey was the spokesperson for MK Ilan Gilon (Meretz) and the Associate Director of “Festival BeShekel,” an organization advancing arts and culture in Israel’s geographic and socioeconomic periphery. After completing his military service as an intelligence officer, he served as a shaliach (emissary) in South Bend, Indiana for the Jewish Agency for Israel. Mickey holds a Master’s in Public Policy from University College-London, for which he received a Chevening Scholarship from the British Foreign Office and the British Council. In 2013, Mickey received NIF UK’s Human Rights Award, and in 2015, NIF’s Gallanter Prize for Emerging Israeli Social Justice Leaders.

Attorney Debbie Gild-Hayo joined ACRI in 2006 and has since overseen ACRI’s advocacy work in the Knesset committees and before leading decision makers and government officials.  She received a bachelor’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies from the Hebrew University, followed by an LL.B. from Tel Aviv University. She has a master’s degree in Public Interest Law at Tel Aviv University.  Ms. Gild-Hayo completed her legal internship in the law division of the Defense Ministry, and went on to work as an attorney in private practice in the field of commercial law, before joining ACRI in 2006.