Dr. Ruth Calderon

Graduate of Cohort 1, Mandel School for Educational Leadership

Director and Founder of Alma – Home for Hebrew Culture

Dr. Ruth Calderon holds a BA degree and teaching certificate from Oranim College and Haifa University, and MA and Ph.D. degrees in Talmud from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Prior to joining the first cohort of the Mandel School for Educational Leadership, she was Director and Founder of the "Elul Beit Midrash" program for pluralistic Jewish learning.

While studying at the Mandel Leadership Institute she developed the idea of a learning center that will promote "Hebrew Culture" as a meaningful, living element of the identity of Jews in Israel and in the Diaspora. This idea was realized, and in 1996 she founded ALMA – Home for Hebrew Culture.

Through its different programs, projects and public events, ALMA promotes the renewal of Hebrew culture in Israel and aims to serve as an educational institution for adults in every area of Hebrew culture. Since its founding, it operates in major Jewish communities in Israel and throughout the world.

As director, Dr. Calderon's main areas of responsibility are operating cultural centers in Tel Aviv and New York, as well as the new School for Applied Jewish Culture and other creative institutions of learning. She is also responsible for developing new programs.