A fond farewell to Shmuli Bing and a warm welcome to Boaz Schwartz!
Our Yemin Orde community said farewell to Shmuli Bing who served as Director of Yemin Orde Youth Village since April, 2014. Prior to his position as Director, Shmuli served as principal of Yemin Orde High School for four years.
We are pleased to welcome the Village’s new director, Boaz Schwartz, who joins the Village Way family after serving as Principal of Maayanot High School since 2014.
Under Shmuli’s leadership, from 2010-2020, the Village faced two major challenging situations (2010 wildfire and the coronavirus pandemic) as well as exciting milestones, which includes recognition as a top high school in Israel, strengthening the Village’s technology and science programs and enhancing the Eco-Farm to its current highly productive and verdant environment, among other exemplary academic programs and activities.
Shumli leaves an educational legacy
Colleagues and friends gathered outside at Yemin Orde to offer messages of good luck and strength to Shmuli.
Boaz Edan, who serves as Chair of the Yemin Orde Youth Village Board of Directors, reflected on the academic excellence that Shmuli helped to foster at the Village.
"Yemin Orde is a place with strong educational legacy and you, Shmuli, with your own way, made it even stronger. You brought the spirit of dreams, of pluralism, of hope and yes-the spirit of excellence. You never gave up on the kids,” Boaz said. “Not many directors leave after making sure that there is a strong staff left to keep the mission going. I think in every department there are staff members who are very strong, professional, dedicated and most importantly, work together. "
Shmuli traveled to the United States on many occasions over the years to meet with donors, community groups and to attend ImpactIsrael special events. His enthusiasm and dedication to helping the Village’s at-risk youth thrive and believe in themselves was an inspiration to all.
"Everyday at Yemin Orde was a day of dreams and prayers, every handshake, every meeting 
with kids, every military ceremony of graduates was filled with prayers," Shmuli said. “In my years at the Village I've worked with a team of believers: people who believe in the power of people, who believe in the power to make a change , people who believe that the past doesn't determine the present and the future, but believe that the past is a gate to a new present and future and that is what we've tried to do every day. "
It was a privilege to have you all as my partners for the mission and know that nothing could've been possible without you. I will forever appreciate the partnership. "
Shmuli will serve on the board of Yemin Orde Youth Village and remain in contact with youth, educators and staff at the Village.
We welcome Boaz Schwartz to our Village Way family
Boaz Schwartz is an experienced educator and communicator having served as a high school teacher in Tiberias and a Shaliach (liaison) for the Jewish Agency for Israel, stationed in Belgium. He is a charismatic leader, capable of providing inspiration, loves working with people and shows great passion for wanting to lead the Village.
Boaz has a B.A. in economics and business, M.A. in Israel history and is currently finishing his studies for a M.B.A. He serves in the Israel Defense Force’s active reserves as a Lt. Colonel Brigade tank force officer.
"After a long process of screening many good candidates, we've all agreed that Boaz Schwartz is the right person. He has educational background, he loves education, loves people and I'm certain that he will lead Yemin Orde to new peaks, to make Yemin Orde a place of example to what Israel society is all about". Said Yakkov Shvot, an official from Israel’s Ministry of Education.
Chaim Peri, Director-Emeritus, Yemin Orde Youth Village, and Founder, Village Way Educational Initiatives, also met with Boaz several times.
"His zest to lead Yemin Orde to new heights is unmistaken. He perfectly resonates with the Village Way's mission and is resolute to make Yemin Orde its proud focal point, as the keeper of the flame," Chaim said. "When I asked him what are his career plans looking into the future, his answer was - "this is my mission until retirement." Bearing in mind that he's in his 40's, I find this most reassuring and uplifting in terms of commitment to our cause and a most welcome continuity."
Boaz trained alongside Shmuli for several months before officially taking his new leadership position.
"Every educational, therapeutic deed that is done here touches in the deep Israeli Jewish essence we all live and dream about,” Boaz said. "when I came to the Village, I asked myself: how can you live "regular" life in a place that is filled with so much meaning and that everything has a deeper, holy like meaning to it. Slowly I started listening and hear the answer in different languages:
In Amharic it's called: BanDlay
In French it's called: Ensemble
In Russian: все вместе
In Portuguese it's called: juntos
In Hebrew it's called: Be-ya-chad
In English it's called: Together
"Only together we can hold on to our hopes, aspirations and dreams, while bearing the challenges and daily crisis.
"In the Yemin Orde language, it's called: It takes a Village.
"Today, I take responsibility for a village with a team of people who are coming from many different backgrounds but who speak the same educational language and who understand that they are major part of a bigger and important picture.”