About Us - צופן תשביק

Introducing Tsofen-Tashbik

Tsofen-Tashbik is a pioneer nonprofit organization developing hi-tech in Arab society in Israel.

We are driven by a vision of a truly shared and equitable society for Arabs and Jews.

Our mission is to foster diversity and inclusion in the hi-tech industry, in order to allow Arabs – an under-represented minority – an equal share in this leading economic sector in Israel.

Since our foundation, over 15 years ago, we have led a strategy of creating cross-sector partnerships among businesses, national and local governments, and civil society actors, and harnessing their shared and complementary interests towards mutual benefits.

Introducing
Tsofen-Tashbik

Tsofen-Tashbik is a pioneer nonprofit organization developing hi-tech in Arab society in Israel.

We are driven by a vision of a truly shared and equitable society for Arabs and Jews.

Our mission is to foster diversity and inclusion in the hi-tech industry, in order to allow Arabs – an under-represented minority – an equal share in this leading economic sector in Israel.

Developing Hi-Tech in The Arab Community

Our Founders and Vision

Tsofen-Tashbik was founded in Nazareth in 2008 by three aspiring entrepreneurs: Smadar Nehab, a leading tech entrepreneur in the hi-tech industry; Sami Saadi, an independent accountant with extensive experience; and Yossi Kutan, a senior executive in the hi-tech industry. The founders recognized the significant exclusion and underrepresentation of the Arab community in the Israeli hi-tech industry and believed that integrating Arab engineers into hi-tech would serve as a lever for economic growth and contribute to the prosperity of the Arab community in particular and the Israeli economy in general.

Tsofen-Tashbik’s unique strategy focuses on preparing Arab graduates, undergraduates and professionals for employment in hi-tech, while focusing on building a wider community of Arab engineers. Tsofen-Tashbik aims to promote true assimilation and quality employment opportunities.

In 2024, as an expression of the foundational vision, the Arabic word “Tashbik”, translated as “connections”, was added to the organization’s name, highlighting the importance of connections at all levels, networking, Arab-Jewish partnership, and commitment to building a diverse and prosperous community. Tsofen-Tashbik continues to work towards the integration, empowerment, and advancement of the Arab community in the Israeli hi-tech industry, while creating connections between communities and developing new channels of growth.

Board Members

Dr Ramzi Halabi

Chairman of the Board

A lecturer at Tel Aviv University as well as a strategic consultant. served as Mayor of the Regional Council of Daliat-al-Carmel in the past.

Mr. Nabeel Sakran

Member of the Board

Nabeel is Silicon Engineering Director at Apple Israel. Prior to Apple, Nabeel served for more than 25 years as SOC Design Director at Intel Corporation, in Israel.

Ms. Noga Kap

Member of the Board

Noga works closely with SN2E, a technology transfer company funded by the Israeli government.

Ms. Yael Lipman

Member of the Board

Yael is an Israeli high-tech veteran who held senior IT management positions, she has BA in Computer Science & Economics from Bar Ilan University, and EMBA degree from Tel- Aviv University.

Dr. Gideon Kunda

Member of the Board

Gideon teaches at Tel Aviv University. He is an internationally recognized expert in the area of organizational culture. Gideon received his Ph.D. in Management and Organization Studies from the Sloan School of Management at MIT

Alon Bar-Shany

Member of the Board

Alon is the former GM of HP Indigo from 2004-2020. He serves today as Chairman of the Board in a few technology companies as well as a Director in non profit organizations.

Fadi Aboud

Member of the Board

Fadi with a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from the Technion, he is responsible for spearheading the development of advanced techniques and solutions in system and IP power and performance modeling in Intel.

Rola Bisharat

Member of the Board

Rola the Chief Procurement Officer and Make vs Buy Strategy Lead, she is responsible for shaping procurement strategies and overseeing the decision-making process for technological initiatives. Rola holds a B.A. in Business Administration from IDC Herzliya and L.L.B in Law from Reichman University.

Audit Committee Members

Bashar Kassem

Bashar is an accounting professional with a diverse educational and professional background. Bashar holds a B.A. in Accounting and Economics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and MBA from Ono Academic College – specializing in taxation.