In February, the Semel (Stories Lead to Success) empowerment program, developed by Mandel graduate Dr. Sarit Barzilai, held a graduation ceremony in Deir el-Asad for the 60 pupils in its first cohort in the Arab sector. The aim of the program in the Arab sector is to help and lead pupils in a process of individual and group empowerment in order to encourage them to succeed in school, boost their self-image, and create an optimal climate in school.

The head of the Deir el-Asad local council, pupils, teachers, parents, and inspectors from the Education Ministry took part in the ceremony. One of the school principals expressed satisfaction with the program and emphasized the change for the better among the children. Next year 400 Arab pupils in the north and in Jerusalem are expected to take part in the Semel empowerment program; the work is systemic, involving the schools, teachers, pupils, and parents.

In the wake of the Schmid Report (the National Plan for Children and Teenagers in Distress), resources were pooled to treat children and teens at risk, and Semel programs were started throughout the Israeli social spectrum: for Arabs and Jews, haredim and the nonreligious. As stated, the first cohort in the Arab sector is currently completing the program.

Dr. Sarit Barzilai, the founder of the Semel method, believes that “implementation of the Semel program reflects recognition that success stories are present in every society, and that we must discover them and let them be expressed.” According to Dr. Barzilai, “in order to improve academic achievements in the Arab sector, it is not enough to invest in class hours. We have to try to boost pupils’ self-image and strengthen their sense of efficacy. The program in the Arab sector is designed to make possible a process of empowerment for the pupils.”

During the graduation ceremony, one pupil summed it up excitedly, saying, “The program helped me be calmer, believe in myself and my abilities, and not give up on my dreams … and I was able to make progress in school, especially in English.”




The Semel method, developed in the course of Dr. Barzilai’s studies at the Mandel Leadership Institute, has been adopted by social and educational organizations. Recently, it has been introduced in the Arab and haredi sectors as part of the Schmid Program—the national plan for children and teenagers at risk and in distress. It is being implemented among Israeli adults—old and young—and schoolchildren. Through a dynamic process, the method acquaints participants with their abilities and personal successes and introduces them to people who have coped in the past with distressing situations, extricated themselves, and succeeded.

Dr. Sarit Barzilai is the developer of the Semel method, an innovative, unique method of counseling, empowerment, and narrative training. The method is being used with school principals, psychologists, social workers, parents, teachers, and pupils. Dr. Barzilai is a lecturer and expert on life stories as a therapeutic and research tool. According to her book The Secret of the Winning Story, entrepreneurship and success are related to how we perceive our lives and ourselves, even in the toughest circumstances. Barzilai is also the author of the book To Storm a Hundred Gates, on haredim who leave religion.