Robert Bank is President and CEO of American Jewish World Service (AJWS), which works at the intersection of Jewish values and global issues to build a more equitable world by supporting community-driven change in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and by advocating in the U.S. for foreign policies that prioritize human rights and democratic norms. Prior to his work at AJWS, Robert served as COO at Gay Men’s Health Crisis and as an attorney litigating on behalf of vulnerable populations with the New York City Department of Law. With Robert at the helm, AJWS is leading a $50 million ten-year initiative to advance gender equity and support organizations that help young women make informed choices about all aspects of their lives and develop the skills to advocate for their rights. Reflecting Robert’s life-long commitment to racial equity, he is focused on increasing AJWS’s efforts in the area of diversity, equity, inclusion & racial justice, collaborating with staff from diverse backgrounds at every level of the organization as well as AJWS Trustees. He serves on the advisory board of the Safety Respect Equity Network, on the board of Leading Edge, and on the leadership team for the Jewish Social Justice Roundtable.
Dr. Guila Benchimol (she/her/hers) is the Senior Advisor on Research and Learning with the SRE Network and was one of the key advisors who guided its launch in early 2018. As a researcher and public educator on sexual violence, she has crafted standards and policies for Jewish workplaces, institutions, and communal spaces and has been invited to address Jewish professionals and clergy across Canada and the US, as well as other faith communities. Guila is also trained in restorative and transformative justice facilitation.
Guila holds a PhD in Sociological Criminology and an MA in Criminology and Criminal Justice Policy from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. Her doctoral dissertation examined how victims of sexual violence become advocates and activists against sexual violence, and explored the processes that survivors experience, including victimization and disclosures, which lead them to advocate. Her MA thesis examined the 2011 murder of Leiby Kletzky (z”l) in Brooklyn, NY and its impact on the orthodox Jewish community as they discussed addressing communal concerns that arose from the crime and its aftermath.
Guila serves as a Research Associate at the Centre for the Study of Social and Legal Responses to Violence, where she works on projects related to homicide and domestic violence deaths, and sits on the board of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP). Her first career as a Jewish educator informed her understanding of the need to address victimization of all kinds in Jewish communities. She was the Director of Judaic Studies at Tiferes Bais Yaakov where she also taught grades 9 through 12. She was also the Managing Director for the National Conference of Synagogue Youth in Canada, where she founded and directed an international camp for high school girls. Guila lives in Toronto and was raised in the Spanish Moroccan Jewish community there which was built by the families who fled Tangiers.
Dr. Shira Berkovits is President and CEO of Sacred Spaces. A behavioral psychologist with a research background in creating large-scale organizational change, and a background in criminal law, Shira has spent more than a decade studying the intersection of psychology and law as related to sexual offending in faith communities. Bringing a uniquely Jewish lens, Shira partners with Jewish leaders to build healthy and accountable institutions, whose culture and daily operations foster sacredness and reduce the risk of harassment, abuse, and other forms of interpersonal harm. In her role as CEO of Sacred Spaces, she has worked with Jewish communities across five continents to prevent, handle, and heal from institutional abuse. Named to The Jewish Week’s 36 Under 36 for her pioneering work on abuse prevention, and awarded the JPro 2022 Young Professionals Award, Shira sits on the board of the Academy on Violence and Abuse, is a member of the National Coalition to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation, and a reviewer for numerous peer-reviewed publications on interpersonal violence and sexual abuse.
Paul Bernstein is Prizmah’s founding Chief Executive Officer, building on his lifelong connection with Jewish day school education and wide-ranging management experience in the fields of education, philanthropy, social impact, government, and new media. Prior to joining Prizmah, Paul served as CEO of The Pershing Square Foundation, a private family foundation, and as the Global Managing Director of Absolute Return for Kids (ARK), a nonprofit focused on global health, education, and child protection. The preceding years of Paul’s career focused on government, telecoms, and new media. He has also served on the boards of various nonprofits in the UK and the US. Paul holds an MA from Cambridge University and an MBA from Cranfield School of Management.
Dr. Mijal Bitton is a spiritual leader, community builder, and sociologist. She is the co-founder and Rosh Kehilla of The Downtown Minyan in NYC and serves as Scholar in Residence at the Maimonides Fund. Dr. Bitton is also a Visiting Researcher at NYU Wagner, where she leads pioneering research on Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews in the United States. An alumna of the Wexner Graduate Fellowship, a New Pluralist Field Builder, and a Sacks Scholar, she lectures widely, co-hosts the podcast Wondering Jews, and was a featured speaker at the historic March for Israel in DC. Follow her on her Substack newsletter, Committed, where she shares weekly Jewish wisdom for living a meaningful Jewish life today.
Stacey Aviva Clark is a public speaker, Jewish educator, Urban Planner, and philanthropist. Stacey Aviva serves as the Director of Education and Community Engagement for the Jewish Federations of North America and faculty lecturer for Gratz College's Department of Antisemitism Studies. Stacey-Aviva’s core areas of focus over her 25-year career are combating racism and antisemitism, Black/Jewish Relations, and strategic planning/capacity building around cultures of Belonging and Jews of Color. Stacey-Aviva is passionate about shared humanity and the histories of self-determination movements such as Zionism and Pan-Africanism.
Stacey-Aviva’s professional career began as the Policy Director for Chicago's Jewish Council on Urban Affairs (JCUA), combating racism and antisemitism and advocating for housing reform, criminal justice, immigration reform, and Jewish/Black American dialogue. Stacey-Aviva spent over a decade specializing in urban economic development overseeing the construction and financing of Affordable Housing, mixed-use spaces, Brownfield Redevelopment, and New Market Tax Credit financing in minority communities. She has designed engagement strategies for synagogues, and Jewish educational and civic institutions. She is a nationally sought-after speaker, and her writings have been featured in The Forward and her blog at the Times of Israel, and her Eli Talk, Kahal Amim-Many Faces, One Community, has been viewed 2,000 times.
As Pearl Resnick Dean of The Rabbinical School and Dean of the Division of Religious Leadership at JTS, Rabbi Ayelet Cohen leads The Rabbinical School and H. L. Miller Cantorial School. In this role, she works to shape the next generation of Jewish clergy, cultivating students’ spiritual and intellectual lives so they can meet the challenges of Jewish life with wisdom, creativity, and resilience. Rabbi Cohen assumed this position in 2022, becoming the first woman to hold this role in the history of the Jewish Theological Seminary.
Rabbi Cohen is the author of prayers and liturgy used by communities around the world and has mentored dozens of rabbinical and cantorial students. She is the author of Changing Lives, Making History: Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, the First Forty Years, and co-editor of Siddur B’chol L’vavcha.
Jessy Dressin (she/her) is the founding Executive Director and Rabbi of Third Space at Shaarei Tfiloh. Rabbi Jessy, as people affectionately call her, was ordained at the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles in 2012 and has been working as a community rabbi for the last twelve years. She most recently worked as the Senior Director of Jewish Education for Repair the World after building a nationally recognized model for young adult engagement, Charm City Tribe, out of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore.
The through-thread of Jessy’s rabbinate has been a combination of entrepreneurial spirit and disruption in an effort to ensure that Judaism and Jewish tradition can be relevant and resonant in the lives of those who are not connecting to the community in “traditional” ways. Rabbi Jessy is deeply committed to the belief that meaningful Jewish engagement is about the real basics of Judaism: learning, practice, service and kindness to others. Thus, she aspires to be a conduit to individuals and communities engaging deeply with the wisdom of Jewish tradition as both a voice and influence on how Jews and their loved ones move through the world today. She has been named one of The Forward’s Most Influential Rabbis, published multiple articles on Jewish peoplehood and engagement and presented an Eli Talk called: The New Wanderers – God, Millennials and Jewish Engagement. Most recently, Rabbi Jessy published an essay in the book Phish and Contemporary Jewish Identity titled: Pilgrimage and Communal Rejoicing from the Ancient Temple to YEMSG. In every place, she aspires to convey that Judaism fares much better when approached as a playground – immersive, tactile, interactive and full of discovery.
When not at Third Space, Rabbi Jessy loves spending time with her husband Mark, seeing live music, convening with nature and traveling to new and favorite places.
Lisa Eisen is Co-President of Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies and Advisory Board Chair of SRE Network.
Through Schusterman’s U.S. Jewish portfolio, Lisa oversees efforts to help foster joyful and inclusive Jewish communities by engaging young people with Jewish values, deepening understanding of and connection to Israel, and strengthening the Jewish nonprofit sector. Lisa was the Founding Board Chair of Repair the World, the iCenter and the Israel on Campus Coalition (ICC). She currently serves on the boards of Leading Edge, the Israel Institute and OLAM, and is the Founding Advisory Board Chair of SRE (Safety Respect Equity) Network.
Lisa also oversees Schusterman’s Gender and Reproductive Equity portfolio, which invests in efforts across the U.S to ensure all women have access to reproductive health care and knowledge, greater political and economic power and leadership, and safety in all aspects of their lives. Through this work, she chairs the advisory board of the Gender Equity Action Fund and serves on the executive committee of the Collaborative for Gender + Reproductive Equity.
Lisa has helped to expand Schusterman’s grantmaking for more than 20 years, serving as National Director and Vice President before becoming Co-President in 2019. Before joining Schusterman, she served for nine years as the Executive Director of Project Interchange Seminars in Israel. She also served as the D.C. Area Assistant Director for the American Jewish Committee (AJC) and as a Legislative Assistant to U.S. Representative Bart Gordon. Lisa graduated magna cum laude from Yale University with a Bachelor of Arts in history and earned her Master of Arts degree with honors in Israeli and Middle Eastern Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Rabba Yaffa Epstein is the Senior Scholar and Educator in Residence at the Jewish Education Project. Formerly, she served as the Director of the Wexner Heritage Program at the Wexner Foundation. Epstein has also served as the Director of Education, North America for the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies and was a member of the faculty. She has served on the faculties of Yeshivat Maharat and the Drisha Institute. Epstein has served as an Educator and Scholar in Residence for the Dorot Fellowship, Moishe House, Jewish Federation of North America, the Covenant Foundation, the Nahum Goldmann Fellowship, Repair the World, and JPro. She has lectured at numerous Limmud events around the globe, has written curriculum for the Global Day of Jewish Learning and has created innovative educational programming for Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life. She received Orthodox Rabbinic Ordination from Yeshivat Maharat, earned an additional private Orthodox Ordination from Rabbi Daniel Landes, holds a Law Degree from Bar-Ilan University, and studied at the Talmud Department at Hebrew University. She is a member of the Inaugural Cohort of the Sefaria Word-by-Word Writing Circle, and she has been published in the SAPIR Journal, the Jerusalem Post, and numerous Jewish compilations. In 2024, Epstein received the prestigious Covenant Award, recognizing her outstanding contributions to the field of Jewish education. Rabba Epstein has taught educators, rabbis and lay leaders from across the spectrum of Jewish denomination, and she is passionate about making Torah study exciting, relevant, and accessible to all those who wish to learn.
Rachel is a community organizer, social justice advocate, and anti-racist educator. She currently serves as the Senior Director of Event and Program Engagement at the National Council of Jewish Women. Additionally, Rachel served as the National Organizer for #JWOCMarching, is an alum of Bend the Arc's Selah program, the Wexner Field Fellowship, and has supported several Jewish organizations in reaching their anti-racist and equity centered goals through her consulting work. Ultimately, Rachel is passionate about ensuring that the voices of Jewish Women of Color are centered in Judaism and in the greater world, but when she's not busy doing that, she spends time with her 5-year-old daughter Ori Justice taking walks around the nation's capital and building expert LEGO builds.
Josh Feldman (he/him/his) is the Founder & CEO of R&R: the rest of our lives.
Josh walks daily. He watercolors on zoom calls, and on good days you can find him hiking in the mountains of western MA. Josh is a master facilitator, coach and public speaker with 20 years of experience building cohort communities, experience design and community building with other do-gooders. He is a creativity evangelist, dirt digging aspiring gardener and life long student to his three kids. You can find his most recent think piece, "Rest Like an Artist" here.
Eric D. Fingerhut is the President and CEO of The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA). Prior to his appointment at JFNA, Fingerhut served as the President of CEO of Hillel
International from 2013-19. At Hillel, Fingerhut led the organization’s Drive to Excellence,
which resulted in doubling the number of students engaged by Hillel each year to over
130,000 and the total funds raised each year to nearly $200M. Fingerhut’s emphasis on
recruiting, training and retaining top talent for the system, and on building a data and
performance driven organization, have become models for the non-profit sector.
Fingerhut has had a varied and distinguished career in public service and higher
education. Eric served as Chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents from early 2007 to 2011,
leading Ohio’s system of public universities and colleges. In that role, he earned a
reputation as an innovative leader and ardent advocate of the value of higher education.
Working in constant collaboration with the business community and elected officials of
both major political parties, Fingerhut developed a strategic plan to prepare students for
21st century jobs. From 1997 to 2006, Eric served as an Ohio state senator, and from 1993
to 1994, represented Ohio’s 19th congressional district in the U.S. Congress. In 2004, he
was the Democratic Party’s candidate for U.S. Senate.
Fingerhut received a juris doctorate from Stanford University Law School and a bachelor’s
degree from Northwestern University.
Liz Fisher is Chief Talent Officer at the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), directing the Mandel Center for Leadership Excellence and leading a comprehensive strategy to recruit, train, and retain best-in-class professionals for flourishing Jewish communities throughout North America. Liz most recently served as Executive Director of Amplifier and Senior Advisor of Philanthropy at JFNA. Serving as JFNA’s inaugural Chief Talent Officer is her dream job, combining a lifelong love of organizational development, culture, and talent with the ability to impact the Federation system that launched her career in the Jewish communal sector. Prior to JFNA and Amplifier, Liz was Chief Operating Officer at Repair the World and has worked at NEXT: A Division of Birthright Israel Foundation, the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, UJA-Federation of New York, and The Jewish Education Project. Liz has an MSW from Washington University in St. Louis. She sits on the Advisory Board of Philanthropy Together, and is a Schusterman Senior Fellow. Follow her on LinkedIn.
Carla Friend is the Founder & Executive Director of Tkiya, an organization that creates joyful Jewish connection through participatory music experiences that are designed around her unique educational approach. Carla presents about this methodology at conferences around the country such as Songleader Boot Camp, PJ Library, NewCAJE, Hava Nashira, and more. She holds a Master’s Degree in Music Education from NYU, a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Ithaca College. Carla is a 2018 recipient of the Young Pioneers Award from the Jewish Education Project, a 2019 recipient of 36 Under 36 from the Jewish Week, graduated from UpStart Venture Accelerator’s Cohort 11, and from the Institute for Jewish Executive Leadership. She is on the board of JPRO New York and is a JKids Radio artist with her own radio show called Tkiya Town. Check out her album of family-friendly Jewish music, Challalalah!
Rachel Gildiner (she/her) is a leading expert in the field of Relational Engagement. Before becoming SRE Network's Executive Director, she served as Chief Engagement Officer at Hillel International, Executive Director of GatherDC (the premier relational platform for Jewish 20s & 30s in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area), and CEO of Gather, Inc.
Rachel has also used her relational approach to advance women's equity in the Jewish workplace and beyond. In 2019, she launched Year of the Jewish Woman, a vibrant Facebook community where female Jewish professionals and allies can connect and discuss key issues and challenges. She is a vocal advocate and published thought leader in this area.
Rachel has a B.A. in Sociology from Columbia University, a B.A. from the Jewish Theological Seminary in Modern Jewish Studies, an M.A. in Higher Education Administration from The George Washington University, and a Certificate in Experiential Jewish Education from Yeshiva University. She is also a certified Ayeka Soulful Jewish Educator and a current Schusterman Foundation Fellow. Rachel lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband and three children.
Jon Hornstein leads The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation's grantmaking focused on the Jewish community in the United States. Hornstein
oversees $25 million in grants annually, primarily aimed at
providing direct services for people experiencing poverty, in
addition to strengthening Jewish nonprofits and combatting
antisemitism. Hornstein led the establishment of TEN: Together Ending Need (formerly the National Affinity Group on Jewish Poverty). He also co-authored Jewish Poverty in the United States: A Summary of Recent Research in 2019 as part of a broader initiative to raise awareness about poverty within the Jewish community.
Prior to joining the Foundation in 2017, Hornstein provided strategy consulting services to more than 20
organizations within the education and social impact sectors across two firms, Tyton Partners in Boston
and Huron Consulting Group in Chicago. He has been selected as a Wexner Field fellow, a Baltimore
Corps fellow, and an Education Pioneers fellow. Hornstein graduated with high distinction from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Business Administration and has a Master of Science in applied economics from Johns Hopkins University.
Rabba Sara Hurwitz, Co-Founder and President of Maharat, the first institution to ordain Orthodox women as clergy, and has served on the Rabbinic staff at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale for over 20 years. This year, Maharat will graduate its 100th rabbi.
Rabba Hurwitz completed Drisha’s three-year Scholars Circle Program, an advanced intensive program of study for Jewish women training to become scholars, educators and community leaders. After another five years of study under the auspices of Rabbi Avi Weiss, she was ordained by Rabbi Weiss and Rabbi Daniel Sperber in 2009. Rabba Hurwitz has received multiple awards and was a member of the inaugural class of Wexner Foundation Field Fellows and a Rabbinic Hartman Fellow.
She and her husband, Josh Abraham, are parents to Yonah, Zacharya, Davidi and Natan.
Aviva serves as a Director for US Jewish Grantmaking at Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, where she brings her commitment to equity, justice and community to her work.
Prior to joining the Schusterman team, Aviva served as the Vice President of Recruitment with Teach For America, leading a team of 50 to help bring diverse leaders into the field of fighting for educational equity. Before that, she oversaw Teach For America-Chicago’s teacher training and support team.
Aviva received her Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Michigan, where she played on the Women’s Varsity soccer team (Go Blue!), and her Master of Education from Harvard’s Graduate School of Education. Aviva started her career as an Elementary Special Education teacher in New Orleans as a 2003 Teach For America corps member.
Nancy K. Kaufman has had a distinguished career as a public servant, advocate, and non-profit leader. Kaufman served as CEO of National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) from 2011-2019 where she helped reenergize this historic women’s legacy organization. Kaufman is now President of NKK Strategic Consulting where she focuses on executive coaching (ICF certified) and consulting to a variety of non-profit organizations. She is well-known for her coalition-building, network weaving and facilitation skills across a wide variety of platforms and among other clients, currently serves as a senior adviser to the SRE Network and Elluminate.
Prior to joining NCJW, Kaufman served as the executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Boston for twenty years, where she led the social justice, Israel advocacy, and governmental affairs agendas for Boston’s Jewish Federation and its agencies. During that time she was a founding board member of the Jewish Social Justice Roundtable and JOIN for Justice. She has also held a variety of senior positions related to health and human services delivery in state and local government and in the nonprofit sector.
Kaufman received a B.A. from Brandeis University; an MSW in community organization and social planning from Boston College School of Social Work; and a mid-career MPA from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. She is a recipient of an honorary Doctorate in Public Service from Northeastern University.
Idit is a national leader for social change with more than 30 years of experience in the nonprofit justice sector. Since 2001, she has served as the leader of Keshet, the national organization for LGBTQ equality in Jewish life. Idit built Keshet from a local organization with an annual budget of $42,000 to a national organization with offices in six states and a multi-million budget. Under her leadership, Keshet has mobilized tens of thousands of Jewish leaders to make LGBTQ+ equality a communal value and priority for action. Idit created national community building programs for queer Jewish teens and organized Jewish communities nationwide to join the fight for LGBTQ+ rights. In addition, she served as the executive producer of Keshet’s documentary film, “Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School” which inspired the formation of GSAs in Jewish schools around the country.
Prior to leading Keshet, Idit worked professionally in the Israeli-Palestinian peace movement and social justice sector in Israel. She also was a leader in the Israeli LGBTQ community and helped envision the Jerusalem Open House. A magna cum laude graduate of Yale University, Idit earned her Master’s in Education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a focus on social justice education. She serves on the board of the Jewish Social Justice Roundtable and publishes frequently in the Jewish and LGBTQ press. Idit has been honored by Jewish Women International, the Jewish Women’s Archive, Mayyim Hayyim, Brandeis University’s Hornstein Program in Jewish Professional Leadership, and the Forward as one of its ‘Forward 50,’ a list of American Jews who have made enduring contributions to public life. She lives in Boston with her family.
Rabbi Sandra Lawson serves as the Inaugural Director of Racial Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Reconstructing Judaism. In this role, she collaborates with senior staff, lay leaders, clergy, rabbinical students, and Reconstructionist communities to advance the organization's mission of becoming an anti-racist entity. Rabbi Lawson is also a writer, author, sought-after guest lecturer and keynote speaker, focusing on topics such as Judaism, antisemitism, and racism.
Before her current position, she was the Associate Chaplain for Jewish Life and Senior Jewish Educator at Hillel at Elon University in North Carolina and worked as an investigative researcher for the Anti-Defamation League. Rabbi Lawson holds both a BA and an MA in Sociology and received her rabbinic ordination from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. She lives in North Carolina with her wife Susan and their three dogs, Bridgette, Simon and Stella.
Ari Levy serves as the Associate Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Hillel International, where she leads comprehensive DEI strategy implementation across the organization. With over 15 years of experience as a trainer, facilitator, consultant, and executive coach, she specializes in DEI, change management, and inclusive leadership.
Previously, Ari directed Boston's "Community Dialogues on Race" program and served as lead trainer for a statewide youth leadership and public health movement in Massachusetts while launching her independent DEI consultancy.
Ari holds a Master's in Public Health with a focus on health disparities and communication as well a Bachelor's degree in Sociology and Community Health from Tufts University.
Nate Looney serves as the Director of Community Safety and Belonging at Jewish Federations of North America, where he brings a uniquely intersectional perspective to organizational safety and inclusion. As a Black Jewish leader and U.S. Army veteran, Nate leverages his diverse background to bridge communities and address complex challenges in institutional spaces.
Following his military service in Iraq (2008-2009), Nate established himself as an innovative food sustainability leader by founding Westside Urban Gardens. The events of 2020, particularly the murder of George Floyd, prompted him to pivot his focus toward building more diverse and inclusive spaces within Jewish communal organizations.
A Wexner Field Fellow and Voice of the People Council Member, Nate has been recognized for his impactful leadership with the prestigious Rabbi Erwin & Agnes Herman Humanitarian Award. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Business from American Jewish University and combines his military expertise and deep understanding of community dynamics to enhance security protocols while ensuring spaces remain welcoming to all.
With over fifteen years of speaking experience, Nate's expertise spans multiple sectors, regularly addressing issues impacting non-profit organizations, Jewish institutions, military veteran groups, civic/government partners, and LGBTQ communities. His focus centers on personal development, authenticity, and relationship building, empowering leaders through transformative and authentic connections.
As a dynamic thought leader, Nate brings practical expertise to conversations about organizational safety, inclusion, and belonging. His work represents an innovative approach to community security - one that recognizes that effective safety protocols must be built on a foundation of inclusion and mutual respect.
Through his leadership, Nate continues to challenge conventional approaches to Jewish communal safety while advocating for spaces where all Jews can bring their full, authentic selves. His unique perspective as a military veteran, agricultural innovator, and LGBTQ+ inclusion advocate positions him at the forefront of shaping a future where Jewish communities are both secure and genuinely welcoming - where diversity is celebrated as a source of communal strength and resilience.
Dr. David Manchester is the Senior Director of Community Data and Research at JFNA. In his role, he manages various projects to support local communities use of data to improve their impact. He is currently leading JFNA’s national survey work program tracking trends around support for Israel and antisemitism in the US and exploring how the war is impacting Jewish Americans and how communal organizations can respond to engage community members. This research is what led to the identification of “The Surge” in Jewish life.
His research has been referenced in publications including The New York Times, Washington Post, Jerusalem Post, Times of Israel; on news programing including CNN, MSNBC, and PBS; and in briefings to White House staff, Secretaries of State and Members of Congress; in addition to presentations to thousands of Jewish leaders.
David’s is a Ph.D. candidate in social policy at Brandies University, a Berman Fellow in Jewish Socio-Demographic Studies and a Wexner Fellow/Davidson Scholar. His doctorial dissertation is exploring the mediating effects that religious engagement can play in reducing feelings of loneliness. He hopes this will help contribute to an understanding of how religious organizations can help support their teens and community with increasing rates of loneliness.
He previously was first Impact Assessment and Learning professional at the Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP), Greater Boston’s Jewish Federation. David completed Masters’ degrees in Public Policy and Jewish Professional Leadership as part of the Hornstein Program and received his BA in International Affairs from American University’s School of International Service. He previously lived in Washington, DC where he began his career as a legislative assistant for Hadassah’s Washington Action Office.
David lives in NJ with his wife and son.
Arya (he/him) is the Senior Director of Programs at the Jews of Color Initiative. A first-generation American born to Iranian-Jewish immigrants from Tehran, he has spent nearly 20 years advancing Jewish communal service through leadership roles at Hillel on campus, Hillel International, and JQ International.
A proud queer Jew, Arya is deeply committed to empowering diverse Jewish identities, fostering equitable communities, and creating inclusive pathways for a thriving Jewish future. His dedication extends beyond his professional work—he has also served as a lay leader with organizations such as JDC Entwine, JPro, AJC, Schusterman’s ROI community, and more.
Arya holds a B.A. in psychology from the University of California San Diego and an M.A. in organizational behavior from New York University. Most recently, he was selected for Class 8 of the Wexner Field Fellowship.
Jessica Mehlman joined JFNA in March 2021 as Associate Vice President of Impact and Planning where she is working with a team of data and research rock stars help bring actionable data to the Jewish communal world. Prior to JFNA, Jessica worked at Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ for over 22 years. She started her career at Federation, first working in planned giving and endowments, then moving to the allocations side-- eventually becoming Chief Planning Officer.
Jessica is a graduate of Indiana University, has an MA/MSW from the Jewish Theological Seminary and Columbia University, and completed an executive masters in Jewish Professional Studies from the Spertus Institute in Chicago.
A self-proclaimed “data-nerd,” Jessica is passionate about the real-life application of data to inform our work.
With both daughters having flown the nest, Jessica and husband and two dogs recently moved to Scottsdale, AZ. When not sitting on a zoom meeting you can probably find Jessica cooking, hiking or training for a race.
Matthew Nouriel serves as the Director of Community Engagement at JIMENA (Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa) and is based in Los Angeles, California. An activist and content creator of Iranian Jewish heritage, Matthew is dedicated to advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, promoting equality within the Iranian and Jewish communities, combating antisemitism, and supporting the Women Life Freedom movement for a free Iran.
Matthew actively works to expose the hypocrisy within the anti-Israel movement and to counter claims of pinkwashing, especially following the events of October 7. He highlights the significance of fostering connections between Iranian and Jewish communities and promoting Iranian-Jewish solidarity. Through his social media presence, Matthew engages with those who resonate with his perspectives and experiences.
Matthew frequently participates in panel discussions and speaking engagements across North America.. He has held leadership roles with organizations such as JDC Entwine, JQ International, and the Tel Aviv Institute. Matthew's written contributions have appeared in publications like JNS, The Forward, and Hey Alma, and he has been featured in media outlets such as the Jewish Journal, Tehran Magazine, the Algemeiner, and the Jerusalem Post. In recognition of his impactful work, Matthew received the TrailBlazer Award at the 2021 JQ International annual Impact Awards.
Erica Phillips is a Program Officer for Jewish and Israel Giving at Crown Family Philanthropies in Chicago. Erica oversees a grantmaking strategy which includes Jewish Day Schools, camps, and organizations which focus on antisemitism and anti-hate, social justice and DEI strategies, and sector building. Prior to transitioning into the field of philanthropy, Erica spent the first part of her career in higher education, at New York University, Yeshiva University, and University of Chicago. Erica received her BA from Brandeis University, her MA from New York University, and was a Wexner Field Fellow from 2021-2024.
Meredith Englander Polsky, Founder & Director of Vision and Impact at Matan, is a nationally sought-after speaker on Jewish Disability Inclusion and is often called upon as an expert voice in the field. A 2017 Covenant Award winner, Meredith has published articles in various print and online publications and has taught courses in Jewish Special Education at Gratz College. Meredith holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Michigan, a Master of Arts in Early Childhood Special Education from Bank Street College, a Master of Arts in Clinical Social Work from Columbia University and a graduate certificate in Early Intervention from Georgetown University. She is a licensed clinical social worker and co-author of the award-winning I Have a Question children’s book series (Jessica Kingsley Publishers), helping children with disabilities (and all children!) grapple with difficult topics.
Dr. Deitra Reiser (she/her) is the Senior Advisor for Culture & Belonging at SRE Network. She also leads Transform for Equity, an organization dedicated to empowering corporations, organizations and leaders to cultivate inclusive cultures that foster belonging for all. She drives initiatives that advance equity and create environments where everyone feels valued and included.
Deitra has a wealth of experience as a school psychologist and educator spanning more than two decades. She is an alumna of Bend the Arc’s Selah Leadership Program, a senior Shusterman Fellow and a certified coach. She holds a doctorate in Educational Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Rabbi Isaiah Joseph Rothstein serves as Rabbinic Scholar and Public Affairs Advisor at Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) and leads JFNA’s Center for Jewish Belonging. Rabbi Isaiah is a spiritual and social entrepreneur, co-founding several community organizations and initiatives to foster a sense of communal belonging for 21st century Jewish life. He served as rabbi-in-residence Hazon: The Jewish Lab for sustainability, the Spiritual Leader at Carmel Academy in Greenwich Connecticut and as Youth Director at the Young Israel of Stamford. Rothstein is a member of the Schusterman Foundation’s ROI Fellowship and was listed as one of the Jewish Week’s 36 Under 36.
Yoshi Silverstein (he/him) is a Chinese-Ashkenazi-American Jew and an educator, designer, speaker, husband, and father. Founder and Executive Director at Mitsui Collective, he is the creator of the Mitsui Method system of Jewish embodiment and a multidisciplinary practitioner of embodied creative and spiritual expression. Yoshi is a recipient of the 2022 Pomegranate Prize for emerging leaders in Jewish education from the Covenant Foundation, and was selected as a 2021 “Grist 50 Fixer” building a more just and equitable future. He earned his Masters Degree in Landscape Architecture at University of Maryland with a thesis exploring Jewish landscape journey and experience, and holds certificates in spiritual entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship, permaculture design, and environmental education. Yoshi holds a 2nd degree blackbelt in Lotus Kajukenbo and currently studies Chinese martial arts – including Tai Chi, Baguazhang, and Shuai Chiao (Chinese wrestling). He lives in the Cleveland area in Shaker Heights, OH on Erie, Mississauga, and Haudenosaunee land with his wife and daughter.
Shaina Wassmerman (she/her/hers) joined SRE Network as Director of Strategic Operations in February 2022 and was promoted to Senior Director of Strategic Operations in January 2024. An experienced Jewish educator and senior leader with over 20 years of experience in Jewish communal institutions across the country, Shaina has a strong commitment to gender equity and a track record of embedding respectful workplace practices within Jewish institutions. In her prior role as vice president of communal relations at J Street, Shaina introduced new workplace policies and practices, including bringing in DEI expertise and respectful workplace training, and created WNBA, an affinity group for women, non-binary people, and allies at J Street. She also completed the Ta’amod respectful workplace training led by Fran Sepler. Shaina has professional and volunteer experience in faith-based community organizing, Jewish service learning, synagogue life, programming and internal operations, having previously held roles with The Jewish Education Project in New York, Congregation Beth Am in Northern California, and the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago. She received her master's degrees in Jewish Nonprofit Management and in Jewish Education from HUC-JIR in Los Angeles and dual bachelor’s degrees in History and in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies from Brandeis University. Shaina resides in Arlington, Massachusetts, where she enjoys hiking, completing the NYT Bee and crossword puzzles, and spending time with her nieces.
Kohenet Dr. Harriette is a community convener, Jewish professional, spiritual ritualist, lecturer, and social justice advocate for people marginalized by power and oppression. She is a Maryland licensed clinical psychologist, founder and executive director of the Jews of Color Mishpacha Project, and the Community Relationship and Jews of Color Engagement Steward at Third Space at Shaarei Tfiloh. K’ Harriette is a Schusterman fellow, a Selah fellow, and a contract trainer for Keshet. She is most proud of being mother to her 20-year-old daughter. She enjoys gardening, sipping cups of tea in the morning, giving hugs, and listening to music.
Rabbi Mary L. Zamore is the Executive Director of the Women’s Rabbinic Network, a partner organization of the Reform Movement. For over 40 years, WRN has worked to narrow the wage gap, promote paid leave, create safer, respectful Jewish communities, and promote equity, while also supporting and advocating for WRN rabbis. Rabbi Zamore has been named a T’ruah Rabbinic Human Rights Hero, and a WRJ Women’s Empowerment Recipient, is a member of Elluminate’s Collective, and was fellow in UJA/NY Federation/Columbia Business School’s Institute for Jewish Executive Leadership. She is the editor of The Sacred Exchange: Creating a Jewish Money Ethic (CCAR Press) and The Sacred Table: Creating a Jewish Food Ethic (CCAR Press), designated a finalist by the National Jewish Book Awards.