Jamal Alkirnawi is the founder and executive director of A New Dawn in the Negev. A passionate visionary, the organization is a manifestation of his desire to raise the level of education for the Bedouin community in Israel’s Negev region.

Jamal’s deep experience in the field sources from his bachelor’s degree in public health administration and two graduate degrees:  a master’s of social work from McGill University (Canada) with a specialization in peacebuilding and civil society, and a Mandel MBA in social leadership from his alma mater, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

A social activist since youth, Jamal is a son of Rahat who rose up through the university system, integrating his own experiences and successes to become a the academic counselor for Arab students at Ben-Gurion University, where he worked for 7 years.

Jamal believes that the key to Rahat’s development is through superior education. A high quality of education will prevent the city’s high drop-out rate and the risky behaviors practiced by Bedouin youth; teaching them to become responsible, ethical, and committed citizens. This process must begin in infancy, he asserts, combatting the gaps between Arabs and Jews that begin at birth and continue on through the lifecycle. A New Dawn is committed to this ideal through all of its programs and believes that it should be the highest public priority.

For his innovative work in the community, Jamal was recognized in 2014 by the Recanati-Kop-Chais-Rashi Award for Entrepreneurship in Social Work (Honorable Mention).

Jamal is fluent in Arabic, Hebrew, and English.

Connect with Jamal on LinkedIn here.