About Us

Athena, the Center for Promoting Women’s Sports in Israel, was founded in 2007 following a decision of the Minister for Education, Culture, and Sport - Ms. Limor Livnat - due to a recommendation by the Public Committee for Promoting Women’s Sports to create a multiyear program for this purpose. In 2018, with the coming into force of the law, the Wingate Institute transformed Athena into a national program for promoting women’s sports in Israel and into an integral part of the Wingate Institute. Athena acts according to a strategic multiyear plan of the Ministry of Culture and Sports and follows the standards set

Athena operates professional multiyear programs intended to create opportunities for girls, young women, and women in sports, with dedicated programs at sports associations and bodies (defined by standards), programs at authorities, and sports clubs and federations...

Athena’s professional activities are intended for girls, young women, and women. Athena acts to recruit, retain, and promote girls, young women, and women in the various sports. Athena’s programs are oriented for all ages from elementary school to elite competitive levels as part of the elite competitive sports programs in all sports bodies.

Athena promotes discourse on women’s issues in sports and placing this content on the agenda through conferences, forums, and meetings. Athena also offers a broad portfolio of enrichment tools via such projects as Athena Plus and Athena Ambassadors.
All these and many more help expand and build on the sporting activities for girls, young women, and women at all levels; create a foundation for and train female management in sports; and achieve impressive heights in competitive endeavors.

Athena’s diverse professional programs help expand and build on athletic enrichment for girls, young women, and women at all levels. Creating a foundation for and training female managers in sports. Athena’s programs foster awareness of the sporting lifestyle as a link between cultures and as a versatile cultural and educational tool which should be accessible to every girl, young woman, and woman in Israel.

The Structure of the Professional Unit

Moran Messica Eidelman
Director of the Center for the Advancement of Women in Israel, Athena
Ofri Yakir
Head of the Women’s Leadership Department and Director of Professional Activities in Ballgames
Rut Magen Hochman
Head of the Sports Entities Department and Director of the Athena Plus program
Yuval Gome
Head of marketing and social media
Hadar Levy
Head of the department of personal sports, research and DATA
Rinat Staruti
Office Manager and Administrator
Athena Coordinators
Athena Coordinators work at sports associations and federations as well as at local authorities to promote and implement Athena programs, in partnership with the various groups.