“Project Elan” is me – Ira Elan (Raines).
I was born in Riga in 1983. I live in Jerusalem since 2001. This city gives me endless inspiration.
My family – my life partner and three adorable children have become a source of energy. I am grateful to them for their support.
You will find here a selection of materials I’ve created and discovered in several fields I am really interested in – art, poetry and poetic translations, informal education, the non-profit sector and more. My interests are very diverse, and I want to share my experience.
Art and learning for me are a way to discover and form my identity – to search for inner truth, my roots, the tools for improving the world.
My work is focused on the subject. That is what matters most to me. The choice of expressive means and tools is secondary and depends on the subject and on the resources available.
I discovered informal education at the age of 15 and ever since I’ve been working in this field. The methodic work, lesson plans, and supporting materials I create are mainly devoted to such topics as identity, multiculturalism, absorption, Judaism, Jewish art, and are usually addressed to a multilingual audience. Most of the knowledge and inspiration in informal education I learned from a wonderful teacher, teacher and dear friend – Dr. Dima Zicer, founder of the Institute of Informal Education INO. Thanks to him, I’ve met with the art of pedagogy and I am grateful to him from the bottom of my heart for this meeting.
In recent years, I began to create art- to write and translate poems, mostly for children, to photograph and to make collages. And it pleases me a lot.
Moreover, I have skills and experience in such areas as NGO management, marketing, building and supporting websites, fundraising.
At the moment I am immersed in the “third sector” world – I work with refugees at the Jerusalem African Community Center (JACC), helping to find funds for Yad Rachel – a network of centers for psychological and educational assistance for children at risk. In recent years, I also tried as much as I could to contribute to the development of the Russian-speaking community of Israel, mainly through the Tzabar Parents organization and IsraCampus – a creative democratic summer camp for children.
In my work, there were always amazing teachers and faithful, loving friends and partners.
I am always open to cooperation and partnership. Contact me and let’s talk!
- Education and skills
- Exhibitions and Awards
- Working Experience in Informal Education
- Working Experience in NGO
Higher education:
2014 – Master of Management of NGOs, Hebrew University in Jerusalem
2006 – Bachelor of Art History and Bachelor of Business Administration, Hebrew University in Jerusalem
Courses:
2014 – Guiding groups in the Botanical Garden of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Campus Givat Ram.
2006 – Informal Education Counsellor courses from the Jewish Agency Dry under the guidance of Dr. Dima Zicer (170 academic hours)
Languages:
Russian – native, Hebrew, English – fluent as native
Latvian – fluent (speaking, reading, writing)
French, German, Ukrainian – basic (reading with dictionary)
Digital:
Databases and CRM: Salesforce, ACCESS ו- SPSS.
OFFICE including Publisher.
Sites: building sites on WordPress and Wix, using ready-made templates and design, managing sites on all basic platforms.
Design and creating content: FOTOR, Storyline, Moviemaker, Mailchimp, Youtube
2017 Participation in the project and the final exhibition of the course for beginning artists, “Jerusalem Gallery – Art Refuge”
2004 Award in photography for students of non-art faculties from the Office of Student Affairs for the work “Who am I?”
2015 – 2018 The Botanical Garden of the Hebrew University at the Givat Ram campus, guiding tours for groups
2013 – 2018 Tzabar Parents, developing and creating teaching materials for the project” Holidays for Dummies “in 3 languages – Russian, Hebrew, English.
2006 – 2018 Institute for Informal Education (INO). development of teaching and learning aids, development and implementation of training programs, groups facilitation.
2009 – 2011 International Center for Non-Formal Jewish Education MELAMEDIA based on the Institute for the Study of Judaism under the leadership of Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, the development and creation of teaching materials for educational projects, groups facilitation
1998 – 2007 – The Jewish Agency “JAFI”, the development of teaching materials and manuals, the development and implementation of lesson plans, group facilitation.
2018 – 2019 Jerusalem African Community Center (JACC), Resource Development Coordinator (fundraising, media, public relations)
2015 – 2019 Yad Rachel, coordinator resource development department (fundraising, media, public relations)
2012 – 2014 Jewish Agency “JAFI”, content support for the website of the project Hamama and virtual community development and support.
2009 – 2011 International Center for Non-Formal Jewish Education MELAMEDIA based on the Institute for the Study of Judaism under the leadership of Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, content support for the website and virtual community development and support.
