Bonot Alternativa and Brothers and Sisters in Arms
Meet Ronen Koehler of Brothers and Sisters in Arms and Lee Hoffman Agiv from Bonot Alternativa. Both these organizations have been at the forefront of the pro-democracy movement that became the engine of the civil society’s response on October 7 and beyond.
The Israel at 76 series is generously sponsored by Helena Diamant Glass, in cherished memory of her beloved parents, Regina Landwirth Diamant and Karl Diamant, and in honor of Yom Ha’atzma-ut 5784.
Ronen Koehler is a distinguished executive consultant with a robust 25-year career in the IT sector, having served as the global head of business operations and human resources at Check Point Software Technologies and Outbrain.com. He is a graduate of organizational development at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
Complementing his business acumen, Ronen has dedicated over 40 years to the Israeli Navy. His service includes 17 years on active duty, during which he held roles as a naval officer, missile boat captain, and submarine commander, followed by 25 years in reserve duty focusing on leadership training and internal auditing. Ronen is a navy captain in the Israeli Navy Reserve Service. His affinity for the sea extends into his personal life as an avid ocean sailor and father of three, based in Tel Aviv.
Beyond his professional and military endeavors, Ronen is committed to social activism. He is a prominent figure in Brothers in Arms, a grassroots movement dedicated to safeguarding Israeli democracy. This initiative gained momentum following October 7, 2023, evolving into the nation’s largest civic aid volunteer organization. Ronen is a founding board member of the Israeli Naval Academy alumni group, he is the head of the Tel Aviv Sea Scouts group and the chairperson of Beit Tefila Israeli in Tel Aviv.
Lee Hoffmann Agiv is the Field Operations Manager at Bonot Alternativa—the foremost liberal women’s movement in Israel. In this capacity, she demonstrates exceptional leadership by overseeing all operational facets of the organization, which includes managing a network of 80 sites and serving a community of 100,000 women.
In addition to her dedicated volunteer work at Bonot Alternativa, Lee is an entrepreneur with a small business exclusively owned and operated by women. Her commitment to supporting and empowering women extends beyond her professional endeavors.
Lee lives in Hod-HaSharon, is married to Guy, and is a mother of two young daughters. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Tel Aviv University.