The Daily Israeli: Ran Melamed, "Ladies' Man"

So today brings the introduction of a new feature that I'll run periodically on the blog, "The Daily Israeli," in which I'll chat with some of the interesting folks I've encountered here in Israel. First up is Ran Melamed, Deputy Director for Communication and Social Policy at YEDID. Suffice it say that Ran has made a career out of advocating for social change, and you can check out a brief bio of him here. On a more personal note, Ran is an all around awesome guy who has been instrumental to me in my quest to learn more about this fascinating country and its people. Ran was also the person who suggested that I start this blog, when I had absolutely zero intention of doing so. So he is someone who I owe a great deal of thanks.

When I approached Ran about an interview for the blog last week, he volunteered himself, and proposed that we talk about what it's like for him working in a female dominated environment. That angle surprised me somewhat, as I hadn't really considered the range of issues he might face in such a position. But what I quickly found out, much to my delight, is that Mr. Melamed loves the ladies. Our interview after the jump...

YEDID center visit in Tel Aviv Part 2

You've already heard me go on about the fantastic job being done by the employees and volunteers at the YEDID citizen rights center in Tel Aviv, so this week I wanted to share a couple stories of the clients they serve.

YEDID center visit in Tel Aviv Part 1

Last Wednesday I had the pleasure of spending a few hours at the YEDID citizen rights center in Tel Aviv. In short, this is a place whose doors are open to any Israeli seeking help with a broad array of financial, legal, and other social problems who have been unsuccessful solving their issue through the regular bureaucratic channels. YEDID translates to 'friend' in English, and that's precisely what people find here; someone to listen and care enough to work until there is a resolution, not just until the clock hits 5 and it's time to go home for the day. Needless to say, it's super busy. Maya and Sarah were my very gracious hosts, and I had a great time talking with them about their roles, and also chatting with a couple clients who were nice enough to share their stories with me. I knew immediately after leaving the center that I would need to write two installments on this visit, because I saw and learned way too much to pack into one post. Furthermore, I experienced both sides of the aisle at the center, first talking to Maya and Sarah who work there, and then meeting with some of the clients who they work for. So today I'll talk about the work that these ladies and the others put into the center.