Rabbi Ruti Baidatz - chair
Rabbi Baidatz has served as the Chair of the Executive Committee of Rabbis for Human Rights since 2022. Ruti, a resident of Yavnal and mother of three, teaches Israeli thought at Beit Yarah High School on the Kinneret. She holds a master’s degree in cultural studies from the Hebrew University and is certified as a secular humanist rabbi by Beit Midrash "Tamura - Israeli Judaism." Ruti also leads activities for the Shikha community (seekers of humanistic secular Judaism) in Yavnal and serves as chairperson of Rahab, the Council of Secular Rabbis in Israel. Additionally, she facilitates midrash programs for a wide range of audiences, including youth, KADZ preparatory schools, and adults, and conducts teacher training courses focused on interfaith religious traditions through Bindati learning.
Rabbi Dani Danieli
Dani Danieli is a secular humanist rabbi, organizational consultant, and mentor for managers. He was previously the founding director and deputy general manager of Beit Avi Chai, a Jewish-Israeli cultural center in Jerusalem. Throughout his career, Dani has been involved in cultural and Jewish identity initiatives, including dialogue programs like the "Reconciliation Decree," a curriculum tailored to secular pre-military and religious-secular preparatory courses. He is also an activist for human rights.
Dani is married to Liora, the father of three, and the grandfather of five.
Leadership
Rabbi Dalia Shaham
Dahlia Shaham was born and raised in the city of Haifa, and lives there today with her family. She holds an LLB in Law and Latin American studies from the Hebrew University (2003), an M.A. of Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University (2009). Before embarking on her Rabbinic path, Dahlia worked in policy research and advocacy NGOs working to promote sustainability and peace in Israel and the Middle East.
Dahlia received her Rabbinic Ordination from the Hebrew Union College (2019). Her rabbinate is guided by passion for peace and justice, faith in the healing power of prayer and music, and devotion to her homeland those who dwell in it.
Rabbi Michael Marmur, Ph.D
Michael Marmur is Associate Professor of Jewish Theology at HUC-JIR/Jerusalem. Until July 2018 he served as the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Provost at HUC-JIR, having previously been Dean of the Jerusalem campus.
Born and raised in England, Rabbi Marmur completed a B.A. Degree in Modern History at the University of Oxford before moving to Israel in 1984. While studying for an M.A. in Ancient Jewish History at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, he completed his studies in the Israel Rabbinic Program of HUC-JIR in Jerusalem, and was ordained in 1992. For six years following his ordination, he worked as rabbi and teacher at the Leo Baeck Education Center in Haifa. He has been an employee of HUC-JIR since 1997.
הוועד המנהל
Rabbi dubi avigur
Rabbi Dubi Avigur is a secular humanist rabbi living in Barkaft. He is married, a father of four, and a grandfather of six. Rabbi Avigur is deeply engaged in Jewish rituals, focusing on spiritual accompaniment. He serves on the board of the LILACH association, which advocates for living and dying with dignity by promoting the avoidance of suffering before death. He also participates in activities such as accompanying shepherds and harvesting, primarily with Arab citizens of Israel. Additionally, Rabbi Avigur is active in Marev, a volunteer group in Meshgav that supports the sick and those facing life-threatening conditions.
Rabbi David goodman
Rabbi David Goodman leads the Avraham Heritage community in Talpiot-Mizrah, Jerusalem, alongside his wife, Amirit Rosen, in a shared rabbinic model. He is involved in cultural initiatives in the U.S. and participates in projects that foster interfaith dialogue and mutual respect between religions and peoples. Rabbi Goodman focuses on studying theological transformations of the 21st century and the impact of 20th-century French philosophy on shaping these changes. He has studied at various midrash schools, including the Hartman Institute, Yeshiva Atniel, and Beit Midrash Harel, where he received rabbinic certification in 2019. Additionally, he was trained in interfaith dialogue through the fellowship program of KAICIID. Rabbi Goodman and Amirit are parents to two daughters, Orot and Kedem.
Rabbi Noa Mazor
Rabbi Noa Mazor has been a qualified rabbi since 2016. Her first rabbinic role was managing the interreligious department at Rabbis for Human Rights. Noa is an educator and activist committed to changing social perceptions by fostering connections and building bridges between women of different sects, denominations, and religions. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the "Ofakim" program for Jewish studies as a culture at Tel Aviv University and a master’s degree in pluralistic Jewish education from the Hebrew University and Hebrew Union College.
Rabbi Liora Cerchini Vard
Memory updated
Here’s the polished version for Rabbi Liora Cerchini Vard:
Rabbi Liora Cerchini Vard was born in Jerusalem and educated within the Reform movement. She holds both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in the history of the people of Israel. Her professional experience includes working as a teacher, volunteer coordinator, and head of Telam’s pre-military preparatory school in Jaffa, as well as managing Telam’s youth programs.
Ordained as a rabbi at Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem in 2017, she has been serving as a rabbi and spiritual leader in the Nigun Halab community in the Jezreel Valley. Rabbi Cerchini Vard is a dedicated social activist, musician, and cultural advocate, with a strong focus on interreligious dialogue and shared living.
She is married to Amit and is the mother of Eitan, Dan, and Ari.