Partnership 2000 Beit Shemesh - Mateh Yehuda - Washington - South Africa of the Jewish Agency welcomes the arrival of Gideon Vennor, the new director, following the departure of Aviv Klein.

Gideon Vennor served as Community Shaliach in Columbus Ohio for the past three years. During this period he oversaw Columbus' P2K connection with Kfar Saba, developed the partnership's teen leadership program, and established a new volunteer shaliach position for the community. Prior to that Gideon worked for ten years in Israeli education at the Branco Weiss Institute for the Development of Thinking. In this capacity Gideon developed and implemented educational programs in Israeli schools, coordinated a Ministry of Education committee that developed an entrepreneurial matriculation program, and directed the institute's teacher training center.  

Gideon holds a master's degree in Physics from Tel Aviv University and a bachelor's degree in Physics and Math from the Hebrew University. Gideon and his wife Ruth live in Ora. In their spare time, they enjoy raising three children, hiking, swimming, and pondering the role of the Jewish People in our time. "This Partnership has impressive achievements and great potential" said Gideon. "I have met in Beit Shemesh and in Mateh Yehuda enthusiastic volunteers with a strong commitment to deepening the ties with the communities of Washington and South Africa. I am confident that with their vision and passion we can engage new people and develop new ideas that will add yet another tier to the growing Partnership family".