Our Team

Linda Pardes Friedburg

The Director and Founder

made aliyah in 1990, after completing degrees in Economics and International Business. She is a Russian-speaking informal Jewish educator with over 30 years of experience managing philanthropic projects and high-level missions in Israel and abroad, including positions in the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, and the Pratt Foundation of Melbourne. Shishi Shabbat Yisraeli is the realization of her dream to make Israel more welcoming and supportive for young Russian-speaking olim and ensure their personal and professional success, to Israel’s great benefit.

Ilya Lipetsker

Director of Operations and Jerusalem Director

Made aliyah from St. Petersburg in 1999 on the Naaleh program and received his B.A. in Sociology from Hebrew University.
Ilya is inspired by the challenge of Jewish community-building and has been creating and running programs for new olim in Jerusalem and nationally since the inception of Shishi Shabbat Yisraeli in 2010. Ilya is credited with the Russian-language social media, PR and ongoing successful recruitment of new participants to our expanding young community of Russian-speaking Olim.

Natalia Dobjanskaia

Marketing Communications Manager

Made Aliyah in 2011 from Moldova after completing a BA in Economics and International Management and Masa’s Ariel University program. Since 1999 she was active the Jewish community of Kishinev and in 2012, joined Shishi Shabbat Yisraeli as an enthusiastic member and volunteer. She works in international marketing and business development and believes that we can make our world better by helping each other! Big journeys begin with small steps!

Lidia Shtelmach

Haifa Area Director

made aliya in 2015 from Moscow, after receiving degrees in International Economics and completing the Masa program. The more she lives in Haifa, the more she loves this city and the interesting people that she meets there everyday. She is inspired by our new olim in the North, and collaborates with them to create great programs, help them find friends, learn new things, study our history and culture, and solve problems to make their absorption meaningful and successful!

Yana Slinko

Beersheva Area Director

Yana Slinko made aliyah from Moscow in 2013 after receiving degrees in Economics and Statistics, and completed a degree in media design at the Be'er Sheva College of Technology. She enjoys photography, travel, and sports. She is inspired by the new olim and events she helps create in Beersheva, as Coordinator for both Shishi Shabbat Yisraeli and Masa, and is in love with her “desert oasis city. She helps other discover their Jewish roots and Israel, which she loves with all her heart!

Natalia Podolskaya

Bat Yam Director

Made aliya in 2015, together with her husband after participating in a Masa program, and she is very happy to be here! Most of her work experience is in Jewish Education, event management and Logistics. She loves travelling around the world, hiking in Israel and meeting new people. She is grateful that the amazing people she works with every day, fuel her energy and self- development!

Maria Borozdina

Tel Aviv & Central Area Director

Maria made aliya in 2017 from Saint Petersburg with her daughter and has never regretted it! She holds two higher education degrees in the fields of culture and pedagogy and always applies both to her work. Maria loves traveling around Israel and Europe, crocheting, baking culinary masterpieces, and organizing various events, projects, and fun happenings for her fellow Olim!

Victoria Purits

Northern Area & Volunteer Co-Director

Made Alyah from Donetsk (Ukraine) in 2021. She holds a BA degree in Economics & Marketing, and right after the MASA program in Israel, Victoria joined our team. She loves traveling and hiking around Israel, studying Hebrew, and playing ukulele. Vika has helped hundreds of new immigrants integrate successfully into Israel and overcome the bureaucratic challenges of the Aliyah process.

Sasha Lisovskiy

Technical support & Development

Sasha made aliyah to Israel in 2003. Most of the time in Israel lived in Jerusalem. Engaged in the development of websites, and in his spare time - photography. He travels a lot and often, and in between trips he brings up 2 wonderful daughters. He has been cooperating with the Shishi Shabbat organization since 2015.

MARGARITA HEDVA AGAPOVA

Olim Volunteer Director

Hedva-Rita made Aliya from Siberia in 2017 after completing degrees in Sociology, and began attending Shishi Shabbat Yisraeli events from her first days as a new Olah! She worked as Marketing Director, loves running, studying design and art. In 2022, she assumed responsibility for SSY’s national Volunteer Olim network, matching the personal needs of thousands of new Russian-speaking Olim with our Volunteers to help them navigate their new lives here and feel welcome and connected to Israel.

Polina Disman

Ella Lipetsker

Asya Fix