President

Asher Afriat

Asher Afriat is the founder and President of Israel Seminar Group, and the driving force behind it. An avid storyteller, he is considered one of Israel’s most prominent guides, informal educators and advocates, integrating in-depth experience with a strong sense of service. His talent lies in his ability to make the beauty and complexity of Israel accessible to any visitor who wants to experience it first-hand. Asher is highly dedicated to his clients and committed to the vision that stands at the base of Israel Seminar – creating life changing experiences.

CEO

Moran Horwitz

Moran was born and raised in the southern city of Sderot. After her army service, Moran moved to Beer Sheva to earn her degree in economics and accounting from Ben Gurion University of the Negev. She relocated to Tel Aviv to start her professional career as an intern at PWC and has been living in Tel Aviv for the past eight years. Prior to working at Israel Seminar, Moran was a Manager of Financial Systems for one of the biggest supermarket chains in Israel. At Israel Seminar, Moran is accountable for managing the company.

SENIOR TRAVEL ARCHITECT

Shilgit Miara

A true Israeli, Shilgit was born and raised in this country, and would rather live nowhere else. Tourism has always been her passion, and her unique name and charming personality make her unforgettable. Implementing her extraordinary social skills and vast experience, Shilgit is a true multi-tasker ensuring that each and every client is 100% satisfied and as passionate about Israel as she is. Shilgit speaks fluent French, Spanish and English and enjoys peaceful evenings at her moshav home with her husband and three children.

Director of Content

Shani Marciano Sade

Shani is a born and raised Israeli from Holon (a city located 5 minutes from Tel Aviv). After completing her 3.5 years of military service as an education officer she felt like she wanted to contribute more to her country, so she joined the Jewish Agency and instructed in American summer camps for 2 consecutive years. She continued to complete a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and East Asia studies in Hebrew university in Jerusalem. After that she wanted to reconnect with Israel and the best way to do that is to join a special training program sponsored by Israeli Ministry of Tourism and Birthright for tour guides so she could literally feel every rock, walk every path, and climb every mountain. For the past 9 years she has been helping tourists to get the best experience in Israel by planning and executing countless visits using her unique perspective and vast experience. She currently holds the position of Director of content, meaning she is the mind behind all the experiences you will go through with us, experiences that are unique, the kind that stays with you long after the trip is over. In this period of time, she is also a devoted mother to 8-year-old Ella 5 year old Assif and 1 year old Ivri David.

Senior Tour Operator

Miriam Stetson

Miriam, was born and raised in London, UK, and has been in Israel since 2005. Miriam studied Business Management and after making Aliyah, Miriam studied Interior Design and Architecture before stepping into the world of tourism. 

With over 10 years of experience, Miriam is now the Director of Operations of Israel Seminar.

Finance & Admin. Manager

Sol Polonsky

Sol was born and raised in Kibbutz Or HaNer, located within the Gaza envelope. Her parents hailed from Argentina and moved to Israel due to their Zionistic values and intended to pass on their love for the country on to their children. Sol enlisted in the IDF as a medic in a classified Air Force unit, where she served for 6 years. When the opportunity to work at Israel Seminar presented itself to Sol, she knew this was the company that aligned with her values and ideology. Her love for Israel and the Negev where she grew up drives her mission at Israel Seminar every day. In her spare time, Sol loves to attend the theater, listen to live music and spend quality time with her family.

Bookkeeper

Yula Falko

Client Success Manager

Rena Arbel Haviv

Rena was born in Toronto, Canada and grew up in Jerusalem. She has worked in the tourism industry for the past ten years, handling diverse clients.
Rena holds an MA in nonprofit management, and worked in the non profit sector for a couple of years before getting into tourism.
She lives in a small town with her husband and 2 boys.

Client Success Manager

Noa Diamant

Noa was born and raised in Tel Aviv and has promised to never leave it. After graduating from Thelma Yellin School of the Arts, she served as a Psychotechnic Evaluator for the IDF. Continuing with this line, she proceeded to Psychology BA studies in Herzliya’s Interdisciplinary Center (IDC, now known as Reichman University). Currently she is pursuing a Neuroscience Masters degree in Bar Ilan University. Prior to working in Israel Seminar, you could find Noa behind the bar in Tel Aviv’s chef restaurants and nightlife scene. At Israel Seminar, Noa is a Client Success Manager, but also contributing her strong verbal skills in content-writing.

Client Success Manager

Mali Vergara

Mali was born and raised in Quito, Ecuador. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality and Tourism Management, Mali moved to Thailand to earn her MBA degree at Prince of Songkla University. Over the course of her career she has held a variety of positions, including Front Office Manager in one of Thailand’s biggest hotel chains, and Audit Manager in Israel. Her career in hospitality spanned more than a decade before she moved into the travel industry. Over the past five years she has planned and executed trips for VIP tourists using her experience and skills. Currently, she is working at Israel Seminar as a Client Success Manager. One of her latest projects includes managing the visit to Israel of the Ecuadorian President’s delegation, Guillermo Lasso.

Client Success Manager

Noga Ivgi

Noga was born and raised in Jerusalem but recently moved to Tel Aviv. With a background in tourism and hospitality, she is dedicated to creating personalized travel experiences for her clients. Noga is a passionate traveler who takes pleasure in meeting new people and experiencing different cultures. She is currently pursuing a degree in behavioral sciences and aspires to travel throughout the world.

Client Success Manager

Amit Tamir

Amit was born in San Diego, California. Her family returned to Israel shortly after and has lived ever since in a small moshav called Magshimim. As soon as she set foot in the country, she fell in love with it. As part of her military service her job was director of an operations room in the Air Force. Over the course of two years, she was responsible for overseeing the air and ground fields of the Nevatim air base (the F-35 planes). For the past year, Amit has worked at the Israeli seminary as a client success manager and has a true passion and love for the profession. Her goal is to convey to all customers her enthusiasm for Israel and the beauty and history that is found there.

Client Success Manager

Keren Sagi

Keren was born in the US, and was raised in Israel. After her military service she relocated to NY to work and study. During that time she earned her B.A. from Hunter College and worked for the UN Procurement Department. After a decade in NY she returned to Israel and has been living in Tel Aviv for the past 7 years.
Keren is an experienced client success manager who demonstrates commitment to excellence and ethical principle in the workplace. With a proven ability for working under pressure, she uses her strong leadership and multitasking skills to promote efficiency and teamwork.

Client Success Manager

Sarah Klein

Sarah was born and raised in the Big Apple (New York). After graduating from the University of Connecticut and traveling the world, she relocated to Israel. Having gained ample experience in the field of Human Rights, International Law, and Social Impact during her Master’s in Law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, she began her career as a Client Success Manager to continue her passion of making people happy. Sarah enjoys traveling, hiking with her dog, and continuing to discover all of the hidden gems that Israel has to offer.

Content Manager

Tal Ben Simhon

Tal spent her early childhood playing make believe in Kibbutz Gan Shmuel. Born in Montreal, her family land-hopped between Israel and Canada until settling in -40 C, Ottawa. She maintained Labour Zionist ideals during her summers at Habonim Dror’s Camp Gesher, where she found an oasis for community, original thought, and magic. At McGill University she attained a degree in Neuroscience and spent subsequent years drinking up the charm of her birth city and working in a dopamine lab at the Montreal Neurological Institute. Searching for ways to give form to curiosity, Tal made Aaliyah, studied pattern drafting for fashion design and became a teacher. She practices Movement, dance and acting and believes that scratching neurons to create new pathways through movement is key to evoking originality across fields. She hopes this will be reflected in her role as a content manager.

CLIENT SUCCESS MANAGER

Sapir Yaron

Sapir was born in the sunny city of Eilat, in Israel’s southernmost tip, and raised in Kfar-Saba. For the past six years, Tel Aviv has been her home. The city’s cultural diversity, culinary landscape, and beautiful beaches make her absolutely love living here.
‏Her professional journey began in the IDF, where she served as a Security Clearance Interviewer in the Intelligence Corps. She holds a B.A. degree in business management and marketing and brings experience as a marketer and account manager to our team.
‏Sapir’s dedication lies in building strong client relationships and ensuring exceptional experiences for our clients.

CLIENT SUCCESS MANAGER

Valeria Dobrovetzky

Valeria was born in Russia and immigrated to Israel at a young age of 3. Starting their educational journey in a private school, she excelled in chemistry and physics, culminating in a successful completion of the French Baccalaureate program. Dedicated to making a positive impact on people’s lives, she served as a compassionate nurse and proficient clinic manager. Never one to shy away from academic challenges, she earned a B.Sc. in Medicinal Chemistry from Ariel University, further solidifying her expertise in the field of healthcare and ventured into roles within Quality Assurance and Research and Development. Driven by a passion for providing top-notch customer experiences, Valeria transitioned to a Reservation Center Representative position at Aero VIP, a leading VIP agent provider at BNG Airport. Valeria is a new Client Success Manager with a rich and varied background, a commitment to excellence, and a deep understanding of client needs. Their unique blend of skills and experiences positions them as an ideal candidate to drive success and build strong, lasting partnerships with clients.

Bookkeeper

Vardit Arieli

Vardit was born and raised in the city of Ramat Gan, right in the center of the country.
Upon her release from her mandatory service in the Intelligence Corps of the IDF, Vardit decided to give space for her passions. She studied to be a beauty makeup artist and loved every minute. In recent years, she looked for a change of direction and found interest in accounting.
She continues to develop her skills and knowledge, enjoying the journey along the way.
Vardit enjoys spending her leisure time with family and friends.