Voices of Impact

Aby Rosen is a Principal and Co-Founder of RFR Holding LLC, a Manhattan-based real estate investment, development, and management company. He was born in Frankfurt, then part of West Germany, to parents who were Holocaust survivors. Over his career, Aby has built a portfolio that includes landmark properties such as the Seagram Building and the Lever House, as well as hospitality destinations like the W South Beach, The Jaffa, and the Gramercy Park Hotel. Beyond real estate, Aby is a prominent collector of modern and contemporary art, with works by artists including Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, and Damien Hirst. He is also a founder of the CORE Club and recently acquired the historic movie theater in Southampton.

Dr. Charles Small is the Founding Director and President of the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP). He established the ISGAP Oxford Summer Institute in Critical Antisemitism Studies in 2015 and previously served as the Founding Director of the Yale Initiative for the Interdisciplinary Study of Antisemitism. Charles is the author of several books and articles, including the five-volume Global Antisemitism: A Crisis of Modernity and The Yale Papers: Antisemitism in Comparative Perspective. He holds a BA in Political Science from McGill University, an MSc in Urban Economic Development Planning from University College London, and a DPhil from the University of Oxford.

Michael Polsky is the founder and CEO of Invenergy, the world’s largest private developer, owner, and operator of energy solutions. Under his leadership, the company has developed more than 220 projects totaling over 38 gigawatts across 34 U.S. states and four continents. Michael established the Polsky Center for the Global Energy Transition at the World Resources Institute, the Polsky Energy Transition Leadership Academy at the University of Chicago, and the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago, where he serves as a Trustee Emeritus. He holds an MS in Mechanical Engineering from Kyiv Polytechnic Institute and an MBA from the University of Chicago.

Dr. Merryl H. Tisch is the Chair of the State University of New York, following her tenure as Vice Chair and previously as Chancellor of the New York State Board of Regents. She serves on the board of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and as a Trustee of Barnard College. Merryl also sits on the executive committees of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy and the Citizens Budget Commission, and she serves on the boards of the International Rescue Committee and the Trust for Cultural Resources of the City of New York. Alongside her husband James, Merryl has made major philanthropic investments in education and healthcare, including the Tisch Cancer Institute and the Tisch Cancer Hospital at Mount Sinai. Merryl holds degrees from Barnard College and New York University. She and her family live in New York City. 

Barry Finestone is President and CEO of the Jim Joseph Foundation. With more than $800 million granted in its first 18 years, Barry oversees all aspects of finance and grantmaking at the Foundation. Prior to joining the Jim Joseph, he served as the Executive Director of the Lisa and John Pritzker Family Fund. In 2010, Barry moved to the Bay Area to become the CEO of the JCC of San Francisco. A proud native of Glasgow, Scotland, he brings more than 34 years of experience in the Jewish nonprofit world. Alongside his passion for the Foundation’s work, Barry is an avid football fan. He and his wife, Ellen, live in Marin County and have three children.

Joel Herzog is the Managing Director of Noga Group, a firm with interests in trading and real estate across France, Switzerland, and Africa. He serves as President of Yad Vashem Switzerland, the Association Switzerland–Israel (Geneva Section), and the Committee for the Organization of Yom Hashoah. Additionally, Joel sits on the boards of Global Israeli Leadership and the Religious and Cultural Center of Hekal Haness. He is the son of former Israeli President Chaim Herzog and the brother of current President Isaac Herzog. Joel earned his law degree from Bar-Ilan University in 1975 and lives in Geneva with his wife, Marguerite Herzog-Gagon.

Bruce Levenson is an entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist with a four-decade career spanning business intelligence, technology, and professional sports. He is best known as the co-founder of United Communications Group, which he built into a leading global business-information platform. Bruce is also a director of TechTarget, a partner in GasBuddy, and a co-founder of DOT, an innovative cooking-technology company. In 2004, he acquired the Atlanta Hawks and  Atlanta Thrashers, serving on the NBA Board of Governors before later selling the franchise. Alongside his business career, Bruce and his wife Karen founded the Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Management at the University of Maryland.

Richard Mack is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Mack Real Estate Group (MREG). Previously, Richard spent more than two decades as a founding principal of AREA Property Partners, originally Apollo Real Estate Advisors. Beyond investing, Richard is deeply engaged in civic and philanthropic leadership. He serves as Chairman of the Board of the Metropolitan Council on Poverty and sits on the boards of the Child Mind Institute, the 92nd Street Y, the Randall’s Island Sports Foundation, and the Robin Hood Foundation’s Housing & Homelessness Committee. He also serves on Wharton’s Undergraduate Advisory Board. Richard earned a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School and a J.D. from Columbia Law School.

Dr. Adam Posen is the President of the Peterson Institute for International Economics and a leading authority on global monetary policy, U.S.–China economic relations, and European integration. He previously served as a voting member of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee and as an adviser to the U.S. Congressional Budget Office. Adam’s work spans the G-20, financial crisis recovery, and long-term institutional reform. He has been awarded the Order of the Rising Sun by the Government of Japan and appointed an honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II for his contributions to international economic policy. He holds a BA and a PhD from Harvard University.

Jeffrey Gural is Chairman of GFP Real Estate, with ownership interests in more than 50 properties across New York City. He joined Newmark in 1972 and served as Chairman of Newmark Knight Frank until 2017, when he became Chairman Emeritus. He sits on the Board of Directors of the Real Estate Board of New York; serves as President of the enCourage Kids Foundation; and is Chairman of the I Have a Dream Foundation – NY. He is also a Trustee of The New School, Vice President of the Broadway Association, and a board member of the Museum at Eldridge Street, the Statue of Liberty Foundation, and UJA-Federation. Outside of real estate, Jeff is a major owner and breeder of Standardbred racehorses, with farms in Upstate New York and Northern Pennsylvania. He owns Tioga Downs Casino and Vernon Downs racino and is Managing Partner of the New Meadowlands Racetrack.

Betsy Z. Cohen is an entrepreneur and investor with more than five decades of leadership in banking and financial services. She began her career as one of the first female law professors on the East Coast and later co-founded a Philadelphia law firm. Betsy went on to found Jefferson Bank, serving as Chairman and CEO for twenty-five years. She then created The Bancorp, one of the country’s first virtual banks and a foundational partner to early fintech companies, and led it as CEO for fifteen years. Her work has been recognized by Forbes, the National Foundation for Women Business Owners, and US Banker. Betsy serves as Vice Chair of the Asia Society, is a Founding Member of the Asia Society Policy Institute, and sits on the boards of the Brookings Institution, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Metropolitan Opera. She is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College and holds a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

Orit Gadiesh is Chair Emeritus of Bain & Company, where she has advised top executives on global strategy, digital transformation, organizational effectiveness, and post-merger integration. She serves on the Board of Trustees and the Community of Chairpersons of the World Economic Forum, is a member of the MIT Corporation’s Executive Committee, and sits on advisory councils at Oxford University, the Peres Institute for Peace and Innovation, and Tel Aviv University. Her insights have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, and Forbes, and she co-authored the book Lessons from Private Equity Any Company Can Use. A former officer in the Israeli Army, Orit holds degrees from Hebrew University and Harvard Business School, where she was a Baker Scholar.

Dorrit Moussaieff is an Israeli-born British businesswoman, designer, and the former First Lady of Iceland. She is a member of a storied dynasty of jewellers, whose ancestors are said to have woven the robe of Genghis Khan. Beyond her work in jewellery, Dorrit has been active in international real estate. As First Lady from 2003 to 2016, alongside President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, she helped promote Icelandic culture abroad, championing the country’s artists and identifying new markets for its creative industries. Dorrit is also a contributing editor to Tatler magazine, and she has been involved in philanthropic work in the United Kingdom and Iceland.

Dr. Kenneth R. Weinstein is the Japan Chair at the Hudson Institute, where he served as President and CEO from 2011 to 2020. Dr. Weinstein has held senior roles under the last four U.S. administrations, including chairing the Broadcasting Board of Governors and serving as chair of Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Asia, Middle East Broadcasting, and the Open Technology Fund. He also served on the Advisory Committee on Trade Policy and Negotiations, providing counsel to the U.S. Trade Representative, and in 2020 was nominated by President Trump to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Japan. A political theorist by training, Dr. Weinstein has written widely for leading publications in the United States, Europe, and Asia. He also serves on several nonprofit boards in the U.S. and Europe and was decorated by France as a Knight in Arts and Letters. Dr. Weinstein earned his BA from the University of Chicago, a DEA from Sciences Po in Paris, and a PhD in Government from Harvard University.

Gary L. Schottenstein is Chairman & CEO of Schottenstein Real Estate Group. Over his career, Gary has overseen more than $2.5 billion in projects, including 15,000 apartments, homes, and commercial properties across Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Florida. He previously served on the boards of M/I Homes (NYSE: MHO) and the M/I Homes Foundation. Beyond business, Gary is deeply involved in Jewish communal life, serving on the boards of the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, Chabad of Palm Beach, the ZOA, and OSU Hillel, and other Ohio-based and national organizations. In 2024, he was honored with the Justice Louis D. Brandeis American Award for his leadership and service.

David Heller is the President, CEO, and Co-Founder of The NRP Group, one of the largest multifamily development, construction, and property management companies in the United States. David serves on the boards of University Hospitals of Cleveland, Parkwood Corporation, United Way of Greater Cleveland, the Cleveland Foundation, Cleveland Neighborhood Progress, and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, and is a member of the Dean’s Advisory Board at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. David has also served as National Campaign Chair for the Jewish Federations of North America and as Board Chair of the Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland. He is a past member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council and holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Michigan.

Irina Nevzlin is the President of the Nadav Foundation and the Chair of the Board of Directors at ANU – the Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv. Born in Moscow, she earned a BA and MA in economics before working in Moscow and London. After immigrating to Israel, she founded the Israel Center for Better Childhood (ICBC) and currently serves as Chair of IMPROVATE, a platform that fosters cooperation between governments and technology companies. Irina is the award-winning author of The Impact of Identity: The Power of Knowing Who You Are and in 2017 was named one of the 50 most influential Jews in the world by The Jerusalem Post.

Josh Wolfe is a co-founder and the managing partner at Lux Capital, a venture capital fund that invests in deep technology and frontier science. He serves on the boards of Aera Therapeutics, Cajal Neuroscience, Eikon Therapeutics, Impulse Labs, Kallyope, Osmo, and Variant Bio, and led investments in Anduril, Planet, Echodyne, Hadrian, and Resilience. A Westinghouse semi-finalist and published scientist, Josh began his career at Salomon Smith Barney and Merrill Lynch. He edits the Forbes/Wolfe Emerging Tech Report and has advised the White House and Congress on emerging technologies. Josh is also a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Trustee of the Santa Fe Institute, and Chairman of Coney Island Prep. He holds a B.S. in Economics and Finance from Cornell.

Leon Recanati is the Chairman and CEO of GlenRock Israel, a private investment company, and the Chairman of the Yahel Foundation. Before founding GlenRock, Leon served as the Chairman and CEO of IDB Holding Corporation Ltd., one of Israel’s largest and most diversified holding companies. During his tenure, he also chaired Clal Industries and Investments Ltd., Azorim Investment Development and Construction Ltd., Delek Israel Fuel Corporation, and Super-Sol, among other major enterprises shaping the landscape of Israeli industry and commerce. Leon holds both a BA in Economics and an MBA from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Rabbi Marc Schneier is the founding Rabbi of The Hampton Synagogue and the President of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding. He has been received by heads of state across the Gulf and was the first rabbi to be hosted at the royal palaces of Bahrain and Qatar. Rabbi Schneier has served on advisory boards including KAICIID, the King Hamad Centre for Peaceful Coexistence, and the Baku Center for Interfaith Cooperation. He is the author of Sons of Abraham and Shared Dreams: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Jewish Community, and was named one of America’s Top 50 Rabbis by Newsweek. Ordained by Yeshiva University, Rabbi Schneier lives between New York City and Westhampton Beach. 

Miles Nadal is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Peerage Capital, a Toronto-based investment firm with holdings in real estate brokerage, wealth management, and self-storage. Under his leadership, Peerage has grown into a family of entrepreneurial platforms committed to enduring value creation. Miles has made landmark gifts to institutions including York University’s Miles S. Nadal Management Centre, the Miles S. Nadal Institute for Technological Entrepreneurship at Tel Aviv University, and the Jewish Community Centre in Toronto, which now bears his name. Beyond business and philanthropy, Miles is an avid collector of rare sneakers and luxury automobiles. His celebrated “Dare to Dream” collection set global records at a Sotheby’s auction in 2024.

Michael Leffell is the chairman and founder of 10 East, Canoe Intelligence, and Portage Partners, a privately held firm focused on alternative asset investments. Before his retirement in 2010, he served as deputy executive managing member of Davidson Kempner Capital Management, a multi-strategy, event-driven hedge fund. Michael and his wife Lisa oversee the Lisa and Michael Leffell Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting Jewish education and enhancing the security and vibrancy of the State of Israel. He is President Emeritus of the Board of Trustees at the Solomon Schechter School of Westchester, Chairman of Commentary magazine, a trustee of the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), and a Wexner Heritage Fellow. Michael earned his JD from Columbia Law School in 1984.

Alex Swieca is an investor focused on the future of sports, media, and technology. He serves as Strategic Advisor to Avenue Sports, a division of Avenue Capital Group, and is the founder of QB1 Ventures, which invests in early-stage U.S. and Israeli startups. He is also a principal at Talpion Fund Management, a multi-strategy family office. Alex previously led the Family Office business at Coatue Management. He serves on the board of the Swieca Children Foundation, is a member of the Milken Institute’s Young Leaders Circle, and is a Venture Partner at Stand Together. Alex holds degrees in Psychology and Business from the University of Michigan, where he was also a walk-on quarterback.

Doug Korn is the founder and Managing Partner of Victor Capital Partners, a middle-market private equity firm. Previously, he played key roles in building three other firms as an early-stage Associate and Vice President at The Blackstone Group, a founding Managing Director at Eos Partners, and a Managing Director at Irving Place Capital. Doug is actively engaged in philanthropy, currently serving as the Immediate Past Chair of the Board of Advisors at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, Chair of the Private Equity Division and Board Member at UJA Federation of New York, and co-founder and longtime board member of Youth Renewal Fund/Darca. He was also a Presidential appointee to the United States Holocaust Memorial Council. Doug earned his MBA with high distinction as a George F. Baker Scholar from Harvard Business School and holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Jacki Karsh is a six-time Emmy-nominated multimedia journalist covering Los Angeles County for LA36's LA County Channel, where she reports on social and humanitarian issues. For nearly a decade, she has also served as anchor and moderator of MontyTV at the annual Montgomery Summit in Santa Monica, interviewing leading voices in tech, business, and finance. Jacki sits on the Board of Directors of the Columbia University Alumni Association of Southern California and the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles. She previously served on the boards of Columbia College Women and the Columbia University Young Alumni Fund Advisory Board. She earned her M.S. in Broadcast Journalism from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism in 2014 and graduated from Columbia College in 2013 with a B.A. in English and Comparative Literature.

Dr. Allan Zeman is the Chairman of Lan Kwai Fong Holdings and Wynn Macau, as well as the owner of Paradise Properties Group, a real estate developer in Thailand. A Hong Kong resident for over 50 years, he has played a prominent role in both government and community affairs. Dr. Zeman served as Chairman of Hong Kong Ocean Park from 2003 to 2014 and was a member of the Airport Authority of Hong Kong from 2015 to 2022. He is a member of the HKSAR Chief Executive’s Council of Advisors and the Culture Commission. Since 2015, he has also served on the board of the Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund established by Alibaba Group. In recognition of his contributions to business and the community, Dr. Zeman has received honorary doctorates in Business Administration from the City University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and the Open University of Hong Kong.

Wendy Berger is a Chicago-based real estate developer, entrepreneur, and civic leader. She is the CEO and Founder of WBS Equities, a firm specializing in the development and acquisition of industrial properties for food and beverage manufacturers. Wendy also serves on the board of Green Thumb Industries, where she previously chaired the Executive Committee, and is the Chair of the Secure Community Network, the official safety and security organization of the North American Jewish community. Wendy serves on the board of the Jewish United Fund, where she chaired the 2019 Annual Campaign, and she currently chairs the Jewish Community Relations Council. Earlier in her career, Wendy was a founding executive at Orbitz and co-founded one of the first web development firms in the U.S. She later co-founded Illinois Women in Cannabis to support and connect women in the state’s growing cannabis industry. A Wexner Heritage alum, Wendy has held leadership roles with TEDxMidwest, The Standard Club, and the Economic Club of Chicago. She is an avid triathlete and a committed mentor to emerging female leaders.

Dr. Sharon Azrieli is a Canadian entrepreneur and philanthropist who serves as a director of the Azrieli Group and the Azrieli Foundation. A critically acclaimed opera singer, she has performed with the Metropolitan Opera, Canadian Opera Company, and L’Opéra de Paris, as well as major orchestras worldwide. In business, Sharon has founded and led real estate ventures in Canada and the U.S., and invested in theatre and film. She sits on the boards of the National Arts Centre of Canada, the McCord Museum, and the America-Israel Cultural Foundation, among others. Sharon holds a PhD in Music from the University of Montreal and degrees from Vassar, Juilliard, and Parsons.

Josh Lipsky is the Chair of International Economics and Senior Director of the GeoEconomics Center at the Atlantic Council. He previously served as an advisor and speechwriter to Christine Lagarde at the IMF and as a U.S. State Department appointee for public diplomacy. At the White House, Josh helped coordinate President Obama’s participation in the G7, G20, and other global summits. Earlier in his career, he worked on Capitol Hill and at The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Josh is an Economic Diplomacy Fellow at Harvard’s Belfer Center and a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He holds a JD from Georgetown, a Master’s from the Harvard Kennedy School, and a BA from Columbia. 

Dr. Rick Hodes is an American physician who has spent the past 35 years in Ethiopia serving as the Medical Director for the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC). Based in a public hospital in Addis Ababa, he treats children with severe spinal deformities, heart disease, and other complex conditions. In partnership with a Ghanaian surgeon, Dr. Hodes founded a spine program that now serves over 400 new patients annually and performs surgeries across Ethiopia, Ghana, and the United States. Dr. Hodes has also cared for refugees across Africa and collaborates with a cardiac center in India. He’s been recognized as a CNN Hero, awarded five honorary doctorates, and featured in the HBO documentary Making the Crooked Straight and Marilyn Berger’s book This is a Soul.

Dr. Jehuda Reinharz is the President and CEO of the Mandel Foundation. He was appointed by Mort Mandel in 2011, after serving as President of Brandeis University from 1994 to 2011. Dr. Reinharz’s prior roles at Brandeis include Provost, Director of the Tauber Institute for the Study of European Jewry, and Richard Koret Professor of Modern Jewish History. Dr. Reinharz has authored or co-authored over 100 articles and 34 books. He holds nine honorary doctorates and is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Council on Foreign Relations. He also serves on numerous boards, including the Weizmann Institute of Science, where he is a life member and former Chairman. In 2024, Dr. Reinharz received the Leo Baeck Medal and was awarded the President of Israel Prize for a second time. He holds bachelor's degrees from Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary, a master’s from Harvard, and a Ph.D. from Brandeis.

Dafna Meitar-Nechmad is Chairwoman of the Board of Governors at Tel Aviv University. A former partner at Meitar Law Offices, she transitioned from a leading legal career to focus fully on philanthropy. Dafna is President of the Zvi and Ofra Meitar Family Fund, founder of TAU’s Institute for Law and Philanthropy, and a longtime member of the Zvi Meitar Center for Advanced Legal Studies. She has held leadership roles with the Israeli Opera Friends’ Association, the Jewish Funders Network, and Committed to Give, and helped establish Keshet, Israel’s first donor-advised fund. Internationally, Dafna has served on the Metropolitan Opera’s Managing Director’s Committee and currently sits on its Advisory Committee, as well as the Guggenheim Museum’s International Director’s Council.

Alex Lasry is the Chief Executive Officer of the FIFA World Cup 26™ New York-New Jersey Host Committee. Previously, he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Travel and Tourism at the U.S. Department of Commerce and spent nearly a decade as a co-owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, including roles as Senior Vice President and Vice President of Strategy & Operations. Earlier in his career, Alex worked in the Obama White House as Deputy Counselor for Strategic Engagement and Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.B.A. from NYU’s Stern School of Business.

Congressman Robert Wexler is a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Ballard Partners, where he also serves as a Co-Managing Partner in Tel Aviv and a Special Advisor in Istanbul. He is also the President of the S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace in Washington, D.C. Previously, Robert served as a Democratic Member of Congress from 1997 to 2010, representing Florida’s 19th district in the U.S. House of Representatives. During his tenure, he was Chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe, a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and a member of the Middle East Subcommittee. Robert earned his B.A. in Political Science from the University of Florida and his law degree from George Washington University. 

Laurie Ann Goldman is the President and CEO at Tupperware Brands Corporation. She previously served as the CEO of Avon North America and the CEO of Spanx from 2002-2014, where she built the brand from a small start-up to a global business. Before that, Laurie held roles of increasing responsibility at The Coca-Cola Company for a decade. Laurie sits on the Board of Directors of Cole Haan, Claire’s, Joe & the Juice, European Wax Center, ClubCore, and 101 Studios. She graduated with honors from the Moody School of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin and holds a Bachelor of Science degree.

Alan Feld is the Founder and Managing Partner of Vintage Investment Partners. He previously served as a General Partner at Israel Seed Partners and Vertex Ventures. Before that, Alan was Managing Director of Evergreen Capital Markets/Robertson Stephens Israel. He practiced law at Goodman’s, one of Canada’s top corporate firms, prior to moving to Israel in 1994. Alan is the Founding Chairman of Power in Diversity Israel, promoting diversity in venture capital and startups. He has also held leadership roles at the Be’eri project, Israel Democracy Institute, Jewish Funders Network, and the Canadian Jewish Congres. Alan holds an MBA from York University, an L.L.B. from Osgoode Hall Law School, and a B.A. in Commerce and Finance from the University of Toronto.

Ambassador Alfred Moses is an attorney and the chairman of UN Watch in Geneva. He has served as the national president of the American Jewish Committee, special counsel to President Carter, U.S. ambassador to Romania, and the special presidential envoy for the Cyprus conflict. Amb. Moses is the author of Bucharest Diary: An American Ambassador’s Journey, which chronicles his diplomatic efforts in Romania and broader geopolitical insights. In 2023, he purchased the Codex Sassoon 1053, the oldest near-complete Hebrew Bible, as a gift to the ANU - Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv. For his contributions, Amb. Moses was awarded Romania’s Marc Cruce Medal, the Order for Merit, the only American to receive this honor.

Eric Gertler is the Executive Chairman & CEO of U.S. News & World Report. He previously served as Commissioner, President & CEO-designate of Empire State Development, New York’s economic development agency. Eric is a trustee of the Zuckerman Family Foundation, overseeing its family office, and sits on the boards of Harvard Kennedy School, the Technion, Tel Aviv University, and the Weizmann Institute. He is also a Managing Partner of Ulysses Ventures, trustee of Memorial Sloan Kettering, Chairman of the American-Israel Friendship League, and a member of YPO and the Council on Foreign Relations. A graduate of Brown University, Eric holds degrees from the Sorbonne, Sciences Po, and American University, where he was Editor-in-Chief of the Law Review, as well as an honorary doctorate from Tel Aviv University.

Matthew Bronfman is Chairman and CEO of BHB Holdings, a private investment firm, and Chairman of Bronfman Rothschild, Lincoln Avenue Capital, and Bronfman LLC. He controls the IKEA franchise in Israel and has extensive real estate holdings in the U.S. and Israel. Previously, Matthew was a partner at ACI Capital and CEO of Sterling Cellular Holdings, with earlier roles at Goldman Sachs and Cadillac Fairview. A dedicated philanthropist, he has held leadership positions with the American Jewish Committee, the 92nd Street Y, the World Jewish Congress, and Hillel International. Matthew holds a BA from Williams College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Sara Crown Star is a Venture Partner at FemHealth Ventures, a firm advancing innovations in women’s health. FemHealth Ventures Fund I, with a 0.93x DPI and 40.2% IRR, ranked in the top 10% of VC funds in the 2021 vintage. She previously served as a director at Thinx, a FemTech company she helped grow, and which was sold to Kimberly Clark. Sara sits on the boards of 1871, Musicians on Call, the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago, and several foundations, including the Crown Family Foundations. She has also practiced law and served on the board of Crown Family Philanthropies and the Latin School of Chicago. Sara holds a B.S. from UNC-Chapel Hill, a J.D. from Georgetown Law, and an Executive MBA from Kellogg. In 2013, she was a Runner-Up in Giordano’s Dancing with the Stars competition and co-produced two Off-Broadway shows.

David Blumberg is the Founder and Managing Partner of Blumberg Capital. Before founding Blumberg Capital in 1991, he managed international investments at the Bronfman Family Office (Claridge), Adler & Co. Venture Capital, APAX Partners, and T. Rowe Price. He also played a key role in launching business development for Check Point Software Technologies. David currently serves as a board member or observer for DataHeroes, Jassby, Kloudfuse, Mytaverse, Trulioo, and Wunder Mobility. He holds an A.B. in Government from Harvard College and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and INSEAD. David also speaks French fluently and is proficient in Hebrew and Spanish.

Susan Crown is the Chairman and Founder of the Susan Crown Exchange (SCE) and Chairman & CEO of Owl Creek Partners. As a Partner at Henry Crown & Co., she helped manage investments across oil and gas, defense, banking, telecom, and real estate. Susan served as the Chairman of Crown Family Philanthropies, where she professionalized its grantmaking and led key initiatives, including the Crown Fountain in Millennium Park. Now, Susan serves as Vice-Chair of Rush University Medical Center, spearheading a $1 billion campus transformation and Chicago’s first gold-level LEED-certified hospital. A former Yale Corporation Fellow, she co-chaired the Yale Tomorrow Campaign and holds a B.A. from Yale and an M.A. from NYU.

Michael Shvo is the founder, Chairman, and CEO of SHVO, leading a real estate owner, investor, and developer of unique and innovative luxury and landmark properties with a portfolio exceeding $8 billion. Since founding SHVO in 2004, he has redefined luxury real estate through partnerships with top architects, designers, and brands, pioneering the fusion of fashion and real estate with Armani Casa at 20 Pine Street. Michael is a passionate art collector and integrates art deeply into his projects, including the acclaimed Sheep Station installation in Manhattan and Les Lalanne at The Raleigh Hotel in Miami Beach.

Dr. Sharon S. Nazarian is the President of the Y&S Nazarian Family Foundation and founder of the Younes & Soraya Nazarian Center for Israel Studies at UCLA. In 2017, she was appointed Senior Vice President for International Affairs at the ADL and served in the role for five years. Dr. Nazarian is on the boards of the Crown Center for Middle East Studies at Brandeis University, the West Coast Board of the American Society of the University of Haifa, and the National Democratic Institute’s Chairman’s Circle. A graduate of USC, she is a key figure in Nazarian Enterprises, a family investment office with diverse holdings across real estate, hospitality, technology, and clean energy. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three children.

Franklin Foer is a staff writer and national correspondent at The Atlantic since 2016. Previously, he served as editor of The New Republic from 2006 to 2010 and again from 2012 to 2014. An accomplished author, his most recent book, The Last Politician: Inside the Biden White House and the Struggle for America’s Future, was published in September 2023. His previous work, World Without Mind: The Existential Threat of Big Tech, was named one of the best books of 2017 by The New York Times and Los Angeles Times. A former New America fellow, Franklin has also contributed to Slate and New York magazine.

Joelle Aflalo is the Chairwoman of the Matanel Foundation and a founding member, CEO, and Managing Director of Gestman SA. She is also a founding member of Cofidom-Gestman Sàrl, a regulated company based in Luxembourg that specializes in corporate structuring and investment engineering. Joelle is the Vice Chairman of the Conference of European Rabbis and serves on the International Advisory Board of The Boris Mints Institute for Strategic Policy Solutions to Global Challenges at Tel Aviv University. She earned a B.Sc. in Biology-Geology from the University Mohammed V in Rabat, Morocco.

Dan Glickman is the former U.S. secretary of agriculture and chair of APCO’s International Advisory Council. He previously served as executive director of the Aspen Institute Congressional Program, a nonpartisan educational initiative for members of Congress. Before joining the Aspen Institute, Secretary Glickman chaired the Motion Picture Association of America, directed Harvard’s Institute of Politics, and served 18 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Kansas’s 4th congressional district. Secretary Glickman serves on the boards of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the Food Research and Action Center, Issue One, and the Center for U.S. Global Engagement, where he chairs the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition. He also co-chairs global agricultural initiatives and is an adjunct professor at Tufts University’s School of Nutrition.

Dr. Hila Oren is the CEO of The Tel Aviv Foundation. Previously, she founded and led Tel Aviv Global, an initiative from the Mayor’s Office aimed at elevating the city’s global brand. Under her leadership, the "Startup City" vision was launched, positioning Tel Aviv-Yafo as the Best Smart City in the World in 2014. Hila also directed the Tel Aviv Centennial Administration and held leadership roles at the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel. She has served on the boards of Haifa Port, Vertigo Dance Troupe, Neot Kdumim Park, and the Amidor Housing Company. Hila holds a PhD in Geography from Haifa University, with research focused on Tel Aviv's global branding, along with a BA and MBA from Tel Aviv University and executive education from Harvard Kennedy School.

Dr. Jeremy England is a Visiting Professor of Physics at Bar-Ilan University and Vice President at GlaxoSmithKline, leading artificial intelligence and machine learning initiatives. Previously, he was an Associate Professor of Physics at MIT and a Principal Research Scientist at Georgia Tech. He is the author of Every Life Is on Fire: How Thermodynamics Explains the Origins of Living Things. Jeremy earned his Ph.D. in Physics from Stanford, studied as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, and holds a bachelor's degree in biochemistry from Harvard. He is also an Orthodox Rabbi.

Steven Rattner is the Chairman and CEO of Willett Advisors, which oversees Michael Bloomberg’s personal and philanthropic investments. He is also the Economic Analyst on MSNBC’s Morning Joe and regularly contributes to The New York Times. Previously, Steven was Counselor to the Treasury Secretary, where he led the Obama Administration’s successful auto industry restructuring, chronicled in his book, Overhaul: An Insider's Account of the Obama Administration's Emergency Rescue of the Auto Industry. Additionally, Steven has held leadership roles in public and philanthropic organizations, including serving as Chair of the Educational Broadcasting Corporation and the Mayor’s Fund to Advance NYC. He is a graduate of Brown University and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.