About Our Guides
We're looking forward to getting to know the helpful and knowledgeable guides who will lead each track of the 2017 New Orleans Community Mega Mission to Israel.
Shai Goren - Art/Architecture/Music
Shai Goren is a licensed tour guide, who has primarily worked with TAGLIT: Birthright Israel and college group tours of Israel. He's also led several private celebrity tours of Israel, including one with comedian Jeff Dunham. He studied History at Tel-Hai college, and loves hiking, traveling, and guitar. Shai served in the IDF from 2005-2008. He is fluent in English and Hebrew, and also speaks Spanish.
Issy Hertzog - Adventure
Israeli Hertzog - Issy - is a certified tour guide and former member of the Israeli National Windsurfing Team. Issy served in the IDF from 1990-1993, and is certified to lead wine-tasting and swimming/lifeguarding needs for tour groups. Issy is fluent in English and Hebrew, and has been a tour guide since 2002. In school, Issy studied math and geography. He has led missions for our community in past years, and we're excited he's joining us in 2017.
Yoram Preminger - High Tech and Medical
Yoram Preminger is an Israel Certified Tour Guide. Born in the United States, Yoram speaks fluent English and Hebrew. He has served as a "summer shaliach" in Jewish summer camps overseas and as a Youth counselor on UJA/JFNA family missions. Since completing the Ministry of Tourism's guiding course in 1988, Yoram has been working full-time as a tour guide in Israel. Yoram studied Film & Television at Tel Aviv University. He has led 3 past Leadership Development missions (2 for Lemann-Stern, and 1 for Katz-Phillips).
Zalman Spivak - Family
Zalman is originally from Baltimore, and made aliyah with his family at the age of 7. He grew up in Jerusalem and Efrat, and joined the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), where he served in the Nachel Infantry Brigade for three years, completing his services as a staff-sergeant. Since 2001 Zalman has been working with people from all over the world, in Israel and abroad. Today Zalman is a freelance educator and tour guide. He is married to Bracha and they live with their 3 children in Nofei Prat, a mixed Jewish community in the foothills of the Judean Desert, between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea.