ELKA - Management Development in Israel's Public Sector

JDC-ELKA - The Association for the Development and Advancement of Manpower in the Social Services in Israel - was established in 1984 by JDC-Israel, the Israel arm of the American Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and the Government of Israel. JDC-ELKA was created in response to a need for a non-governmental, professional organization that would work exclusively and continuously to enhance the effictiveness of Israel's public services by developing the management and administrative capablities of the people who run them.

Senior Public Officials listening to a lecture

Our Goal

To strengthen the capacity of Israel's public service to meet the needs of its least fortunate citizens, by strengthening the abilities and the influence of its senior executives. JDC-ELKA operates on the premise that the senior officials in the public service play a major role in determining social policy and implementing it. Consequently, the quality of their preformance has a decisive impact upon the ability of the State to take care of its needy.

Our Target Audience

Central Government: Senior executives of government ministries and agencies responsible for policy and decision making on the national level - directors general, deputy directors general, division heads and others.
Local Government: Mayors, local municipality heads and senior executive staff of local authorities responsible for implementing national policy and coordinating service delivery at the local level.
Non-Profit Sector: Israel's non-profit sector has expanded rapidly in recent years. Many non-profit agencies now function as quasi-governmental organizations that provide social services, complementing the government's role. JDC-ELKA is developing tailored programs for senior executives in the non-profit sector.

What We Do

JDC-ELKA's programs help initiate changes at the individual, staff and organizational levels using an array of professional methodologies including:

Executive training and development programs
Organizational change and development programs
Developing knowledge and management tools for policymakers, decision makers and senior executives.

Learning teamwork at an Outdoor Training Seminar

What makes JDC-ELKA unique

A non-governmental organization that has the independence to identify shortcomings in public service functioning, yet also has the trust and access to the system necessary to address these effectively.
Expertise in high quality, professional activities the fields of executive training and organizational development in the public sector.
Professional flexibility - the ability to provide up-to-date and unique solutions, tailored to each organization according to needs.
Long-term partnerships with the Civil Service Commission, various government ministries, local authorities, and additional partners.
On-going relationships with program graduates to assist them in implementing changes in their organizations and in disseminating knowledge and principles acquired in JDC-ELKA programs. Contact with the graduates is maintained through "The Association of JDC-ELKA Graduates", through annual conventions for the public service, and by unique follow-up programs and individual assistance offered to graduates.

Our Partners

JDC-ELKA was established and is governed by JDC-Israel and the government of Israel. They are it's major partners in designing and implementing programs.

Ever since its establishment, JDC-ELKA has worked in close cooperation with the Civil Service Commission, various government ministries (such as the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, and others) , local authorities, the Mafaamim Network (Centers of Training and Development in Local Government), the Union of Local Authorities, and additional partners. All of JDC-ELKA's programs are carried out in cooperation with one or more of these agencies, that play a significant role in developing and funding the programs.

Mayors continue the discussion even
after the lecture has ended