A new generation of Bedouin leaders building a shared future
by Menucha Saitowitz
At Desert Stars, we are building a new generation of Bedouin leaders – young people with the skills, vision and courage to shape not only the future of their own communities, but of Israeli society as a whole.
Our vision is simple yet transformative: a shared society in which every citizen, regardless of background, has the opportunity and responsibility to lead. The Negev’s 320,000 Bedouin citizens – about one-third of the regional population —must not only be included in Israel’s story, but be among its authors.
For too long, Bedouin communities have been on the margins: underserved by the education system, excluded from decision-making, and represented only in terms of needs or gaps. We are working to change the narrative, by investing in the leadership capacity of promising young Bedouin men and women, and preparing them to take their place as leaders and changemakers.
Desert Stars guides young people from adolescence into young adulthood, offering a developmental sequence designed to hone their leadership skills. At each stage, we provide not just services, but a clear message: You are not here to wait for change. You are here to lead it.
Our unique Youth Village and High School provides students aged between 14 and 18 with a rigorous academic foundation, social and emotional support, and intensive leadership training. Importantly, it brings together young people from diverse Bedouin backgrounds and tribal lines who would not otherwise meet, creating a microcosm of what a more inclusive society can look like. These students are trained not only to succeed individually, but to return to their communities as catalysts for change and bridge-builders across Israeli society.
Following high school, young people aged 18 and 19 join a structured gap year programme of volunteering, civic engagement, and personal development. These programmes, which are separately tailored for young men and women, allow participants to deepen their understanding of public service and explore their role as active citizens in a democratic state. For many, it’s also where they acquire Hebrew, which they unfortunately did not learn in school.
Through our alumni programme – which caters to those aged between 20 and 30 – we support those who have participated in Desert Stars’ programmes through higher education, employment and public involvement. Our goal is not simply to help individuals “succeed”, but to ensure they rise into positions where they can shape policy, discourse, and opportunity for others, while exuding the values of excellence, altruism, cross-tribal cooperation and building a truly shared society. Through scholarships, mentoring, career support and civic programming, we are nurturing a generation of leaders who feel responsible and capable of changing the Negev and the country.
Desert Stars now works with over 500 young people each year, and we are proud to witness the deep, lasting impact of our model:
First, our alumni are driving change and stepping into roles of real influence: launching grassroots initiatives, pursuing higher education in record numbers (78 percent of our alumni, vs. 14 percent in mainstream Bedouin society), and becoming role models within their communities.
Second, they are putting the vision of a shared future into practice. We invest in partnerships and dialogue between Jewish and Bedouin citizens; not through symbolic gestures, but through daily collaboration. For example, our Jewish volunteer programme brings young Jewish Israelis into our high school, where they live and work alongside Bedouin teens. These relationships foster mutual respect, language skills, and a more nuanced understanding of one another’s identities. They are also a model of the kind of shared future we believe is possible: based on equality, respect and common purpose.
Third, we are working to empower women leaders. Against a backdrop where many young women face limited opportunities, our women’s gap year programme is both a lifeline and a launchpad. These young women are not only advancing in their personal lives, they are also reshaping gender roles in Bedouin society.
Fourth, we seek holistic development. Many of our participants come from homes where resources – educational, financial and emotional – are scarce. We provide wraparound support: academic tutoring, mentoring, psychological care, and financial aid. But more than that, we offer a framework for purpose. We help young people envision themselves as public servants, changemakers, and thought leaders. This sense of meaning is a powerful engine for growth.
To those in the UK who share our hopes for Israel – a democratic, inclusive and morally courageous state – we offer an invitation and a promise.
In an era when polarisation and disillusionment dominate headlines, Desert Stars is planting seeds of connection, dignity and leadership. These seeds are already bearing fruit – in students who are choosing higher education over early arranged marriage, in alumni who are stepping into the public sphere, and in communities that are beginning to believe a different future is possible.
The promise is this: change is happening. Not abstract change, but tangible, daily, courageous action. We are building a new generation that believes there is room for all of Israel’s citizens in its promise, and that true leadership means lifting others up alongside oneself.
Your partnership makes this work possible. Whether through philanthropy, storytelling, or solidarity, you help ensure that the voices of young Bedouin citizens are not just heard but heeded.
Let us build a future in which the question is not “How can we include the Bedouin?” but “What role will Bedouin citizens play in shaping the destiny we share?” At Desert Stars, we believe the answer is already unfolding. And it is beautiful.
Menucha Saitowitz is the director of development at Desert Stars. This article is part of LFI’s Voices for Change series.
