IGY’s youth activities can be a relevant and interesting socio-educational space for LGBTQ+ and hetero-cis youth alike. The activity will create alternative and liberating spaces for the youth, which will lead to engagement both together and individually in the LGBTQ+ community as well as in Israeli society, in local spaces and within the organization.
The spaces provide a sense of home, belonging and meaning through informal meetings with a group of peers, meaningful guidance and facilitation, and being part of a country-wide organization.
The activities in groups are safe spaces for every LGBTQ+ youth built on the values of equality, liberation and peace, as well as on the the goals and the organizational work plan.

IGY’s youth activities (ages 12-18) have been expanding in recent years. There are currently more than 80 groups and 15 youth clubs spread across the country. In groups and clubs, youth may meet IGY facilitators, participate in activities, go to seminars, camps and trips together, or just meet and make LGBTQ+ friends their own age.

IGY’s educational concept is multicultural. That is, our goal is to produce meaningful educational processes for as wide a range of youth and young people as possible, coming with different identities and backgrounds. Recognizing the power relations that exist in both Israeli society and the LGBT community, the various target groups will strive to establish safe and enabling spaces, tailored to the needs and reality of the facilitators and the youth from the target group, which will provide educational and social responses to LGBTQ+ youth and young people that do not exist elsewhere. These spaces will allow exploration of the “self” and free and open expression of the various identities and experiences. Additionally, the target team activities will create and connect the content of the various target groups thus providing appropriate solutions and information for their own activities as well as for the variety of youth participants in the existing general groups.

For the purpose of mutual and multicultural design of the general activities, the tagrte group teams will also work to promote awareness of the relevant issues concerning their target population groups.

Today, Iggy operates groups for trans youth, LGBTQ+ Arab youth, ultra-Orthodox and religious youth, hearing-impaired and deaf youth, and for Ethiopian LGBTQ+ youth.

The young communities (18-23) in IGY continue to be a relevant and interesting socio-educational space for young adults across the country. A space that continues to serve as a socio-cultural center for young people from the LGBTQ+ community for meaningful personal experiences and encounters, alongside the creation, engagement and leading of processes in the organization, the LGBTQ+ community in particular, and Israeli society in general.
Group members perceive themselves as designers and shapers of realities in their own lives and in organizational activities. They seem themselves as creators and members of their own community.

Young communities also serve as an individual space for each young person in the process of forming their LGBTQ+ identity and as a space to take a more active and significant role in their local or national community.

During the 1970s, the LGBTQ+ community in Israel began to wake up. This was the beginning of the struggle for self-determination, rights and change in the public perception of lesbians, gays, transgender, bisexual and queer people (LGBTQ+). The establishment of the Aguda – Israel’s LGBT Task Force, better known as the Association for the Protection of Individual Rights, was the beginning of the founding of community rights activities.

From early on, community organizations recognized the need for activities for LGBTQ+ youth, as youth from all over Israel would flock to Tel Aviv, spending their time on the street often ending up homeless and/or working in prostitution. In the 1980s, the Aguda began working with and for youth, against the backdrop of a legal ban on homosexuals relationships. The ban was lifted in 1988. 

The Israeli LGBTQ+ Youth Organization was founded in 2001 by Yaniv Weizman and Gal Ohovsky. By that time, several youth groups had been established, operating in various places with the help of the Aguda. Yaniv and Gal started an independent national organization. Ohovsky collected donations totaling NIS 80,000 from over one hundred and fifty community members. An interview with Weizman published in Yedioth Ahronoth rallied a large group of volunteers and the organization began its work. The name “IGY” was born on the way. The organization was established as a “Proud Youth Organization”, but the abbreviation for the name in English, Israel Gay Youth (IGY), became popular. Initially, Ohovsky and Weizman chose to continue to operate within the framework of the Aguda. After two years, “Like Me, Like You” was formed, which allowed the organization to raise funds independently and in 2004, IGY split from the Aguda and became an independent organization. In 2005, “Like Me, Like You” changed its name to that of the organization today, IGY.  

The organization’s first office was in a small room at the Dan Hotel, which was made possible with the help of Leon Avigad, who was working at the hotel. Later, with the kind help of Uri Selai, offices were established on Yavneh Street.

Over the years, we have encountered quite a few opposing reactions from parents and local authorities to our activities. In the early years, there were many cases of parents phoning facilitators and threatening them lawsuits. Municipal authorities who did not want us to operate in their area would harrass and take over our activities: From non-allocation of space and budget to actual harassment by council members who, in effect, brought about the end and the closure of certain groups, despite the real need of LGBTQ+ youth in their cities. Fortunately, many municipal authorities have supported us throughout, understanding the importance of our activities, headed by the municipalities of Herzliya and Tel Aviv-Yafo.

In 2008, the Tel Aviv municipality decided to take an unusual step and established the LGBTQ+ center in the Meir Garden. The only urban center of its kind in the country, which serves as a cultural and activity center for the LGBTQ+ community. The center soon became a cornerstone for the LGBTQ+ community and the organization relocated. Following the move, possibilities for new activities were created: Youth clubs and leadership groups. The organization began to operate out of the LGBTQ+ Center once it opened.

In 2008, after long and hard work with the Ministry of Education, and with the support of Education Ministers Limor Livnat and Yuli Tamir, IGY received formal recognition from the ministry, which was accompanied by significant financial support. Education Ministers since 2015, Gideon Sa’ar and Shay Piron, have continued the ministry support and have been true members of the community and organization.

In August 2009, an armed man entered the Bar-Noar Youth Club, operated by the Aguda, and fired indiscriminately at both youth and volunteers. Two people were killed that night: Nir Katz, one of the facilitators, and Liz Trubishi, a 16-year-old girl. Many others were injured. The murder sent shock waves through the LGBTQ+ community as well as the Israeli public. It lead to a huge amount of youth coming out to their families and friends. We, at IGY, prepared ourselves to meet the enormous demand and need for youth at the time to be together, to share, to cry. After the initial shock, we realized us that one of the key needs of our youth is to feel a connection to engagement in civil society and volunteering for others. As a result, we decided to strengthen our leadership programs and channel teens into volunteering. 

A year later, Ran Leibel established the Nir program, in the name of the same Nir Katz who was murdered in the horrific attack. The program, the first of its kind in the country, operated in formal spaces in Israel (schools) and also addressed heterosexual and cisgender youth. 

In recent years, the organization has tripled in size. As a result, new positions were created such as Regional Activity Coordinators for the different geographical areas (South, North and Central), in order to strengthen activity in the periphery and to create strong and significant centers of activity outside Tel Aviv. In 2010, for the first time, IGY started its own Year of Service group, which operated in Tel Aviv-Jaffa, together with the Working and Studying Youth. In 2015, IGY’s first national service apartment was established in Beersheba. Three years later, IGY was recognized as a “sending body” and to this day, IGY continues to send out Year of Service and National Service groups. Some participants even continue to Nahal (Army) and to IGY’s continuation scheme. In 2018, the first group released by the army and from National Service chose to settle in Afula and to take up key positions in the organization . 

In 2015, the organization decided to establish the Magnus Hirschfeld Research Institute. The Institute continues to produce sexuality and gender studies every year, with an emphasis on LGBTQ+ youth, and is currently leading research on these topics worldwide. 

That year, IGY’s target group teams began to form. To this end, economic resources were invested in the hiring of facilitators on the trans spectrum and Arab facilitators, and in significantly expanding activity for ultra-Orthodox youth and religious youth. Today, trans youth activities exist throughout the country, and the number of volunteers on the trans spectrum has increased significantly.

That year, “Alwan” was established, the first group for Arab youth in Tel Aviv. Since then, it has also expanded to Haifa and other areas of activity. 

Digital activity has also evolved significantly from the traditional forums. IGY was the first to produce youth activity through and on WhatsApp, called dIGY, to reach more youth who could not physically reach the groups and clubs. 

In 2017, working with the Aguda’s Executive Committee, with in mind the goal of bringing together all LGBTQ+ youth activities, the process of transitioning the “Bar-Noar” to be solely under IGY’s operation and management began, a process that took an entire year. Since then, another 14 youth clubs have been opened across the country. At the same time, youth activity continued to expand into 5 geographic regions: South, Shfela-Jerusalem, Central, Sharon and North. 

As part of IGY’s expansion, the Training Center was established. The training center was borne out of IGY’s the vision to create a complete and holistic response for LGBTQ+ youth in Israel. The aim of the center is to continue our educational activities with emphasis on informal areas of action in Israel. The training center continues the educational value line of IGY’s activities and underscores the connection between homophobia and racism, with the aim of creating a broader discourse on Israeli society through LGBTQ+ lenses. 

In recent years, in light of the fact that IGY’s activity creates continuity for our youth, there have been more and more youth participants who want to take an active part and have a direct influence on the organization. To this end, the Agenda groups were created – groups that allow youth to become involved in facilitation and advocacy roles in the organization. 

In 2018, FOI, Friends of IGY, was formed to recruit partners and donors to the organization and to involve them in its activities.

Gal Ohovsky currently serves as President of IGY and Yaniv Weizman as chairman.

Board Members

Gal Ohowski, Founder and President of IGY

Born in 1958. A journalist, music critic, screenwriter, film producer and television director – active in the community since the 1980s and one of the founders of the LGBTQ+ revolution in Israel.

He was one of the first journalists to come out of the closet and write about themselves first-hand in “HaIr”, “Chadashot”, and “Maariv”. His appointment in 1990 as editor of HaIr spawned graffiti throughout Tel Aviv: “HaIr – Absolutely Queer.”

He was one of the earliest LGBTQ+ hosts on Channel 2, on television on shows like “HaMa’agal HaKatan” and as a judge on “Kochav Nolad”.

As a screenwriter, he invented the character “Iggy”, played by Uri Banai, in the TV show “Florentine”, and which served as inspiration for the organization’s name. Gal produced the film by his partner, Eitan Fox, “Yossi and Jagger”, which became one of the precursors of the change in perception of the LGBTQ+ communitu in Israeli culture. He also wrote the films “The Bubble” and “Walk on Water” as well as the show “Bar Mitzvah” together with Ilan Peled .

Gal Ohowski lives in the heart of Tel Aviv, with his partner since 1998, Eytan Fox.

Yaniv Benishu Weizman, founder and chairman of IGY

Born in 1974. Married to Kfir Benishu and father to Shay. Served as a company commander in the IDF. After his release from the army, he came out of he closet and began facilitating the LGBTQ+ youth group operated by the Aguda in Tel Aviv and IGY’s first group in Kfar Saba. Yaniv served as the organization’s first CEO, and since that time has served as chairman. He serves as a city council member in Tel Aviv. Weizman is the owner and CEO of the advertising and marketing company that specializes in youth, TeenK. Started role in: 2004

Mandy Michaeli

Born in Rishon Lezion, alternative medicine therapist. Active in IGY since 2008. Started as an LGBTQ+ youth facilitator, continued to mentor young people aged 18+, coordinated youth leadership programand the Nir program in the organization, and from 2013 to 2017 served as co-CEO, alongside Ran Leabel. Started role in: 2017

Aviad Kisos, Member of the Board of Directors

Born in 1979. Radio broadcaster, TV presenter and journalist. Served as deputy editor of Rating magazine for three years and was one of its founders. Hosted and participated in a number of TV shows, including “Mo’adon Lila”, “Y Be’Eser”, “HaShir Shelanu” and “Gav HaUma”. Prominent activist in the struggle for LGBTQ+ rights.

Elliott Ben Ezer

Musician and DJ, lead singer of the band Polyana Frank. Dedicated and devoted to queer culture since the eighties. She has written and performed songs that have critically touched on issues of sex, gender,chauvinism andfeminism has openly criticizednationalism andmilitarism. On the 40th anniversary of theAgudashe was included among the 40 most influential people in the history of the LGBTQ+ community in Israel. Mother to a son who happily comes to IGY every week.

Bell Agam

Born in 1983. Actor, TV host/presenter, social network celebrity, prominent social activist on the trans issues in Israel. In 2016, she founded the first trans groups in IGY and over the years they have expanded into a whole division that operates 12 groups with dozens of facilitators and hundreds of youth participants. For this activity she was awarded the title of “Educator of the Year of Israel” and was honored by the President and the Knesset of Israel. Agam has participated in many reality shows, including “Project Y”, “Goldstaria” and more, and has become a representative and spokesperson for the trans community, as well as the LGBTQ+ community on major cultural stages in Israel. She was included in the list of the 40 most influential people in Israel by “Globes”. Bell is the first transgender actor in Israel to star in a show for teens. She also played the role of a lawyer in the show “HaTachana”.

Ran Leibel

was born in 1985 in Be’er Sheva. Ren has been a facilitator, a Year of Service volunteer and a group coordinator in the Scout movement. At the beginning of his career at IGY, he founded the “Nir” program and was the organization’s training and education coordinator, over the years he became the director of educational activities and was eventually made CEO. He served as co-CEO for six consecutive years and led IGY to become the largest LGBTQ+ organization in the country. Ran is the owner of the largest LGBTQ+ bar in Tel Aviv “Shpagat” and one of the founders of FOI, Friends of IGY. Since ending his tenure as CEO, he has served as a member of IGY’s Board of Directors

To contact the Board of Directors: [email protected]

List of founders:

Gal Ochowski
Tzipora Kempinski
Zvi Fishel
Itzhak Levi
Meir Menachem
Batya Pinchasi
Yishai Blank
Yaniv Weizmann

Members of the General Assembly:

Tamir Chiprot
Daniel Shemtov
Meitar Porat
Reut Inbar
Dorit Zellner
Batya Pinchasi
Mandy Michaeli
Aviad Kisos
Elliott Ben Ezer
Bell Agam
Ran Leabel

The Audit Committee
IGY’s Audit Committee, just like everything else, is a little different and special. Beyond the permanent positions in the Associations Law (audit of the proper conduct of the association), the members of the audit committee examine wide-ranging organizational issues every six months and produce a report on the matters. Additionally, the Audit Committee seeks to identify organizational difficulties and failures related to the activity itself, which arise and are brought to their attention by members of the organization To this end, the activity schedule provides for quarterly meetings with a varying composition of facilitators, activists and coordinators with the committee members, and the committee members are also available at any time for personal inquiries.

The Audit Committee is basically used as an additional address for critique and having voices be heard, a kind of “Public Inquiries Commission” for systemic issues, which aims to produce another body that can detect large-scale problems and failures and point them out in order to continue to improve and upgrade all the time.

Audit Committee Members:

Ronit Inbar
Dorit Zellner
Management Team

Ofer Neumann, CEO

Ofer Newman was born in 1989 in Kibbutz Ein Hashofet, where he was raised. He was a long time member of Hashomer Hatzair’s movement. Ofer had volunteered in IGY in various roles for over 10 years.
Before he became CEO of IGY (2019) he served as a political and media advisor to the Kibbutizim movement, spokesperson to the Labor party and the Zionist union party and a senior advisor to the president of Israel, former head of opposition Mr Issac Herzog, Ofer also served as the chief of staff of MK Stav Shaffir.

Liana Merom Asif, Vice President, Resource Development and External Relations

Liana was born in 1985 in Jerusalem and grew up in the Musrara neighborhood of Jerusalem, a place that shaped who she is today. She holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Beit Berl College and has a long history of working with youth. Since 2006, she has been involved in various positions in the Hashomer Hatzair organization. She served as a combat soldier in the Karakal Regiment in the IDF.

Noa Refaeli, director of the youth organization

She was born and educated on Kibbutz Beit Oren near Haifa. Graduate of the Negev Preparatory School for Social Leadership. Holds a bachelor’s degree in community social education and a teaching certificate in civics from Oranim College. She currently manages IGY’s youth organization after volunteering for three years in the organization and establishing IGY’s activities in the north and the periphery. During her years of volunteering, she served as a mentor for all the facilitators in the northern region and facilitated groups for 18-23 year olds. At the same time as volunteering in the organization, she worked as a director in the Scout movement, as a group coordinator and later as an education coordinator. In addition, she taught at the Arava Preparatory School in Moshav Hatzeva and at the Rabin Preparatory School in Haifa. She performed her military service as an IDF education officer.

Liron Bendor, director of the alumni organization

Director of IGY’s alumni organization. Lives in Afula together with a community of artists and educators from the Tarbut Movement. One of the founders of the Tarbut Movement For the past eight years, she has been part of the group within IGY responsible for creating new educational processes in the organization, she was the Northern Region Activity Coordinator, Organizational training coordinator, Derekh Hemshekh coordinator, and currently the coordinator of the alumni organization. In the past, she served in the IDF in the Education Corps. She holds a degree in Education and Art from HaMidrasha School of Art.

Ariel Ben Sha’anan, director of the Young People Organization

He grew up in Nahariya, and for the past 7 years has lived with his partner Lior on Kibbutz Evron in the Western Galilee. He has been active in IGY for six years. For the first two years, he started and facilitated the Mate Asher’s youth group, which helped him understand the importance and magnitude of IGY’s work. He then coordinated the youth activities in the North and Sharon regions, as well as and the nation-wide activities for young people aged 18+. And in recent months, he has taken over the position of coordinator of activities for young people aged 18-23.

Rom Ohayon, Director of Derekh Hemshekh

Coordinates Year of Service and National Service within IGY. Lives in Haifa and studies law and gender at Tel Aviv University. For the past 6 years she has held a variety of positions at IGY: Coordinator of the “Barnoar” Club in Tel Aviv, Coordinator of IGY’s Digital Activities and Coordinator of the Tel Aviv Year of Service. She served in the IDF in the Intelligence Corps and worked in the field of visualization at a high-tech company.

Hadas Bloemendal Kerem, Director of the Psychosocial Division

A proud Jerusalemite from a religious home, married to Noa, with two dogs and a cat. A social worker who specializes in LGBTQ+ care, mental health and family therapy. she holds a bachelor’s degree in social work and history. She works as an instructor at Yad Vashem, and has been involved in education and training for over a decade. She has been volunteering at IGY since 2011. She also worked at the Open House for Pride and Tolerance in Jerusalem for 3 years. She mentored the group in Modi’in and later took on the role of Education Coordinator in the organization. She plays rugby and managed the women’s team and the Jerusalem club. Active in the Kruvit project.

IGY’s alumni organization is home to those who have volunteered, worked or taken part in IGY’s past and present activities.
The organization consists of groups of activists who live together in the periphery and volunteers in the community.