Questionnaire: Taking a risk

Talal Dolev is responsible for more than 50,000 children and youth considered at risk.

By RUTH EGLASH
Talal Dolev 520 (photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem)
Talal Dolev 520
(photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem)
■ What gets you out of bed in the morning?
As a night person, getting out of bed in the morning is always a challenge. However, what eventually gets me up is knowing that my day will always be interesting and challenging. My best mornings are those when I get to travel to one of the 72 local authorities in which the program is operating. For example, last week I visited Acre, where five youth centers have been set up in different neighborhoods. I always look forward to meeting the youths and the staff who are dedicated to taking care of them.
■ What keeps you up at night?
Many things. As a director of a new program that is constantly developing, dilemmas come up on a daily basis. One issue that is a focus of concern is that we remain successful in making a difference in the lives of the children and their parents and in the way the services for children work. We have thus far succeeded in expanding the opportunity to get support to an additional 50,000 children and 25,000 parents in some of the country’s poorest and most disadvantaged populations.
■ What was your most difficult professional moment?
I think one of the most challenging moments in my professional life was the decision to leave my position as director of the Engelberg Center for Children and Youth at Myers-JDCBrookdale to assume a government position in the Welfare and Social Services Ministry. I have been a researcher most of my professional life and the opportunity to actually take part in implementing policy – rather than studying it – was both exciting and frightening.
■ How do you celebrate your achievements?
Celebrating achievements – even small ones – is one of the most important things in this program that is developing. In our program the most important way of celebrating is within the communities. Showing the communities their own success with seminars, meetings and events is one of my favorite ways to celebrate success. For example, a few weeks ago I was in Safed – where they opened a very special program for haredi girls from difficult families. The mayor, local rabbis, community leadership and professionals were all there to celebrate with us.
■ If you were prime minister, what’s the first thing you would do?
Luckily, I’m not the prime minister, and thus do not have to prioritize among many pressing issues. However, being one of the policy-makers addressing the needs of children, I think the first thing I would do is create policies to ensure that all children get an equal chance to overcome the very big social, cultural and economic differences in their environments and circumstances.
One of the measures would be to expand this program to include all children. Another important item would be to expand interministerial collaboration to establish more effective and integrated government policies for disadvantaged populations.
■ Which Israeli would you make a movie about?
Many Israelis merit a movie; however, I would like to use movies in order for others to learn about the lives, experiences, challenges and efforts of children and parents we consider at risk.
■ What would you change in Israelis if you could?
I’d like to change the way people perceive the government.
One way to do this is to provide more personal attention to each child and parent and to include more citizens in making policy and decisions.
■ BlackBerry or pen and paper?
BlackBerry without doubt. The mobile phones, Internet and social networks allow many people in many places to join discussions and decision-making. Moreover, they are much more fun!
■ Advertisement for tourists?
Come to Israel to meet all kinds of people who care.
■ The most serious problem facing the country is:
As I said before, Israel has many issues it needs to address and it is very difficult to pick one. As a social services professional, I think one of the major issues is overcoming the social and economic gaps that are growing in our society.
■ In 20 years, the country will be:
A better place for people to live in and a much better place for children to grow up in. At least that is what we hope.