Building Bridges

ESRA and Dale Carnegie Israel Join Forces to Empower Communities 

By Gilad Newman, CEO, Dale Carnegie Israel

In a world where connections and resilient relationships pave the way for progress, initiatives that nurture these skills are priceless. ESRA and Dale Carnegie Israel have embarked on an exciting journey together to equip students with the tools to make a real impact in their communities, especially in Israel's peripheral areas.

At the heart of this collaboration lies a shared vision: to empower young volunteers with essential communication skills, resilience, and empathy, enabling them to uplift junior school students in peripheral Israel.

Since our partnership began in May 2023, the synergy between Dale Carnegie Israel's expertise in personal development and ESRA's dedication to community service has flourished, culminating in a powerful half-day workshop on February 12th, where over 60 students and 20 volunteers met together for Dale Carnegie's Global Day of Giving.

It was an inspiring day, witnessing students and volunteers collaborate to enhance communication, relationship-building, and cultivate a positive mindset.

Throughout this journey there were two earlier workshops that really stood out for me. A session for ESRA's volunteers on zoom on the 10th of October 2023 on managing worry and stress and building resilience, just 3 days after the horrendous massacre of the 7th of October and then another one for students a few days later.

When I look back on those days, we were all still in shock and in trauma, yet already on the morning of the 8th of October, at 08:15, I received a WhatsApp from Sunny Marshansky, the CEO of ESRA, saying: "Do you have a workshop you can deliver for our team, volunteers and students to help deal and cope with this horrific situation?"

Not knowing yet what we would do, I immediately said yes. In many ways, it saved me, as it forced me and my team to be active and create practical sessions to deal with this horrendous situation. We started working and never stopped.

I was amazed to see that just days after the 7th of October, we had a large group of volunteers and then students join in looking for ways to regain control and manage life even at such a bleak hour and help others cope and function. Seeing at the end of the session, a glimmer of hope and a feeling that we are not alone, and we can make a difference, help ourselves and others.

These sessions spurred us to conduct over 30 more workshops for various organizations and the public on managing stress and worry in the following weeks. This is the power of collaboration with an organization like ESRA, which leads and shapes events.

But how do these workshops truly make an impact? They transcend traditional learning by focusing on practical skills that empower participants to tackle real-world challenges head-on. From mastering effective communication to handling stress, participants leave equipped with a toolkit for success.

What sets the Dale Carnegie approach apart is its emphasis on experiential learning, whether face to face or online. Through interactive exercises and real-life scenarios, participants not only understand theoretical concepts but also internalize them, ready to apply them in any situation. This hands-on approach ensures an engaging, memorable, and transformative learning experience.

The impact of our collaboration with ESRA goes beyond individual skill development. By empowering students and volunteers to become effective communicators and empathetic leaders, communities in peripheral Israel are witnessing positive transformations. Armed with newfound confidence and capabilities, these volunteers are bridging gaps, fostering inclusivity, and strengthening the social fabric of their neighborhoods.

At its core, this collaboration is a testament to the transformative power of partnership. By combining resources, expertise, and passion, Dale Carnegie Israel and ESRA are magnifying their impact, creating ripple effects of positive change throughout Israel's diverse landscape.

In a world often divided, initiatives like this remind us of the profound impact we can achieve when we unite for a common purpose: to empower individuals, strengthen communities, and build a brighter tomorrow.

Dale Carnegie today works with companies and organizations to empower employees and grow companies in the most needed areas of life: leadership, communication, public speaking and sales, and working with younger generations is part of building the next generation of leaders.

Through collaboration and compassion, Dale Carnegie Israel and ESRA on their own and together aren't just changing lives; they're shaping the future of Israel, one empowered community at a time.