Twenty years on, Reichman University’s elite Argov Fellows program alumni reflect on a legacy of leadership
450 graduates of Reichman University’s flagship leadership and diplomacy program are shaping Israel’s future, from Berlin’s diplomatic corridors to the front lines of regional security
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Argov Fellows Program in Leadership and Diplomacy at Reichman University (RUNI), a milestone that finds its community of nearly 450 alumni scattered across the globe yet still, by their own account, deeply connected to one another and to the mission the program instilled in them.
The program’s origins trace back to one of the darkest chapters in Israeli diplomatic history. In June 1982, Shlomo Argov, then Israel’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, was shot outside London’s Dorchester Hotel by gunmen belonging to the Abu Nidal Organization. Argov never fully recovered from his injuries and passed away in 2003.
It was his son, Gideon Argov, who resolved to transform personal tragedy into a living legacy. Together with Reichman University’s Founding President, Prof. Uriel Reichman, Gideon Argov established the Argov Fellows Program in 2006, determined to ensure that his father’s decades of service to the State of Israel would continue to bear fruit through new generations of leaders.
“Israel and the world are at a critical juncture in history, when the world order we knew is crumbling and the future looks uncertain,” said Dr. Alisa Rubin, the program’s founding academic director. “I wish for all of the Argov graduates to find a way to help forge a better future for our country in the areas that mean the most to them. They have the skills, the knowledge and the passion to do so. We are counting on them now more than ever.”
A Defining Milestone
For many alumni, the 20th anniversary has become an occasion to look back on just how formative their year in the program was.
Lianne Pollak-David, a member of the program’s Class of 2008, is today an international strategist and co-founder of the Israeli Coalition for Regional Security. She recalled the program as the place where she first found her footing as a leader. “Argov was the place where I found inspiration, confidence, and a profound belief that, if I chose to pursue it, I could go as far as possible in my leadership journey,” she said.
Avi Jager, Ph.D, Class of 2015, now senior director of the severe-harms intelligence department (S.H.I.E.L.D.) at Alice (formerly ActiveFence), described a similar transformation. “It doesn’t just teach diplomacy or leadership — it expands your sense of what’s possible,” he said. “Its greatest impact is the hundreds of alumni who take that mindset into the world and use it to lead, serve, innovate, and create lasting positive change.”
Shai Rubanenko Shalgi, Class of 2016, called her fellowship year one of the most impactful of her life. “The content was truly inspiring and opened new intellectual worlds for me, the team’s support motivated me to shoot for the stars, and my peers became my best friends for life,” said Shalgi, now a senior operations and strategy consultant.
Opening Doors, Building Careers
Beyond the personal impact, alumni consistently point to the program as a launching pad for careers in diplomacy, public service and international affairs.
Daniel Aschheim, Class of 2013, now head of public diplomacy at the Israeli Embassy in Berlin, called the fellowship his “door opener to the diplomatic world.”
Shay Zavdi, Class of 2015 and associate director of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) in Jerusalem, credited the program’s hands-on approach with sharpening his skills early in his career. “The Argov Fellowship helped me sharpen my skills and expand my horizons into fields I never considered before,” Zavdi said. “The immersive nature of the program urges you to experiment and learn by doing, while interacting with senior Israeli, Jewish, and international figures, which helps you build a network in the early stages of your career, while developing yourself.”
Some alumni have taken that grounding directly into national politics. Israel Zari, a graduate of the program and Ramat Gan’s deputy mayor, recently joined former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party, becoming the latest in a line of Argov graduates to move from public service into the national political arena.
A Network That Endures
What sets the program apart, alumni say, is that its influence doesn’t end with graduation. The active Argov Alumni Association has kept the cohort tightly connected over the past two decades, creating a professional and personal network that continues to shape members’ lives long after their fellowship year.
“The Argov network has never ceased to be part of my life,” Pollak-David said. “To this day, it remains a home for meaningful connections, friendships, and collaborations. Once an Argov Fellow, always an Argov Fellow.”
A short video marking the program’s first 20 years is available online. As the Argov community celebrates two decades of impact, its members and faculty alike are already looking ahead to what the next 20 years will bring.