Pamela Alcala

Pam was born in Chile but now makes Long Island, NY her home. She holds a Master’s in Social Work from Adelphi University. Her specialty is leadership development and Justice, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training. She believes that leadership and Jewish education must start at a young age, and that investment in future generations will make a significant difference in the continuity of our Jewish spaces and traditions.

Pam was in Cohort 5 of the NGF Leadership Seminar. Watch her Lesson in Leadership "Text Beyond the Study."

Nelly Altenburger

Adrián Assalas-Lederman

Adrián, from Montevideo, Uruguay has just moved from Lima Peru to live in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Adrián is about to complete a Master’s degree in Jewish Non-Profit Management from Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles, California. Currently, he works as a business development manager for a technology company. Adrián enjoys learning about technology, business, finance and Judaism.

Adrian was in Cohort 5 of the NGF Leadership Seminar. Watch his Lesson in Leadership "Jewdemy."

Iona Bacht

Iona is from São Paulo, Brazil. She holds a Master’s degree in Law and is employed in the pharmaceutical industry. Iona has been working primarily with youth and young adults, and since 2019 has been the Youth Director of her Conservative congregation. She was heavily involved in the youth movement NOAM and spent a gap year in Israel on Shnat Hachshara in 2019.

Iona was in Cohort 5 of the NGF Leadership Seminar. Watch her Lesson in Leadership "How To Engage Youth."

Ran Bar-Yoshafat

Ran holds a law degree from Hebrew University, Jerusalem, an MBA from Tel-Aviv University, an MA from Haifa University and is currently working on a Ph.D. in History. He is the Deputy Director of Kohelet Policy Forum and has conducted numerous Israel - advocacy speaking tours in the United States. He is the author of two books. Among other organizations, he has worked for The Israeli Jewish Congress, the Legal Department of the Knesset and MASA. Ran is an alumnus of the regional NGF in Israel in 2011 and Cohort 2 of the NGF Network Leadership Seminar.  

Irina Belskaia

Irina, from Belarus, holds a Master's in Jewish Education from Leo Baeck College, London. She works for the Union for Progressive Judaism in Belarus, overseeing their educational programs. Irina is the coauthor and editor of various Jewish themed books for children. She is a member of Belarus Limmud FSU's organizing committee and is also very involved in organizing her community's celebrations of Jewish holidays. Irina is an alumna of various Nahum Goldmann Fellowship programs and of Cohort 1 of the NGF Network Leadership Seminar.

Zhanna Beyl

Zhanna Beyl, LCSW, was born in Moscow, Russia and immigrated to the US as a teenager. She holds a BA in Psychology from Boston University and an MA in Social Work from Silberman School of Social Work. Zhanna lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children and works as a Clinical Supervisor at the Jewish Board. Zhanna is also part of a thriving group practice where she works with individuals, couples, and families helping them improve their connection and satisfaction with life. 

She is a proud alumna of the International Nahum Goldmann Fellowships in Israel (2009), and in Mexico (2016), as well the North American Regional NGF in Canada (2011) . Zhanna is member of Cohort 1 and Cohort 8 of the NGF Network Leadership Seminar. 

Helena Bondar

Helena, originally from Moldova, is currently based in London. She recently finished an MSc at the London School of Economics and is pursuing professional opportunities in the UK. Over the last decade, Helena has worked in the Jewish nonprofit and technology sectors. She spent a year at Pardes in Jerusalem and studied at Drisha as well. Helena grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and spent many years in Washington, DC and NYC.

David Brom

Dovi is currently studying Law at the University of South Africa. Previously he was a consultant for the South African Board of Jewish Education on informal Jewish education. In the past he was involved in youth leadership seminars in South Africa and Israel as well as with Bnei Akiva and the South African Union of Jewish Students. He currently heads up Justifi's South African operations. Dovi is an alumnus of Nahum Goldmann Fellowship 27 and Cohort 1 of the NGF Network Leadership Seminar.

Efraim Chalamish

Efraim received his Doctorate in international economic law from the University of Michigan, and currently is teaching at New York University Law School and IESE Business School. He is also a Senior Advisor to Duff and Phelps. Efraim is a contributor and commentator with several leading media platforms, such as Global Finance and the Jerusalem Post. He is involved in public service and diplomacy, helping various nonprofit organizations with their strategic thinking and leadership needs, and is a frequent guest speaker at many international organizations, communities, and universities. Efraim is an alumnus of NGF 27 in Israel and Cohort 1 of the NGF Network Leadership Seminar.

Gabriel Cohen Henriquez

Gabriel, from Panama, owns a label manufacturing business. He also manages an investment portfolio. In addition to his professional pursuits, Gabriel is an avid yoga practitioner with over 25 years of experience. Gabriel is active in his community. He serves as a board member of the Isaac Rabin School and as a member of the Jewish Diplomatic Corps of the World Jewish Congress. Gabriel is a past president of the B’nai B’rith Carlos Zelenka chapter. In his free time, he enjoys reading, kitesurfing, hiking, and traveling. Gabriel lives in Panama City with his wife and son.

Haris Dajc

Haris is a professor of History at the University of Belgrade.He is involved with the Federation of Jewish Communities of Serbia and the Belgrade Jewish Community.The Serbian government has appointed Haris its representative and Chairman of the Supervisory Board for Jewish Restitution Law.He holds a Ph.D. in History from the Univ. of Belgrade.

Lance Davis

Lance lives in Toronto and serves as the CEO of the Jewish National Fund of Canada. He has worked in the field of Jewish communal service for over 25 years in a variety of areas including informal education, leadership development and fundraising. Lance has degrees in Jewish Studies, International Relations, and Jewish Communal Service. He was awarded a doctoral fellowship from the University of Toronto where he focused on Modern Jewish Thought, in particular, pluralism and the work of Rabbi Yitz Greenberg. Lance is passionate about Israel and has visited more than 60 times since his first trip in 1986.

Lance was in Cohort 5 of the NGF Leadership Seminar. Watch his Lesson in Leadership "Leaders Learn."

Ryan Davis

Ryan lives in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he grew up in a proudly Jewish family and held leadership roles in a youth movement. He is a people development consultant and coach, and founded Next Peak, partnering with diverse global organizations and communities, advising, designing, and implementing innovative solutions that enhance performance. He volunteers in various nonprofits focused on education, sustainable impact, international development, and leadership. He recently co-chaired Limmud Johannesburg and sits on Limmud’s National Executive. Ryan graduated from UPenn with a certificate in Social Impact Strategy and participated in the Global Social Impact House Fellowship.

Rosella de Jong

Ellie Dellingr

Ellie, from the United Kingdom, served as an officer in the Armed Forces for 11 years and has spent the last 13 years using those skills as a volunteer on an emergency disaster response team. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in engineering from the Royal Military College of Science. After taking a career 'shmita year' Ellie is moving into academia to formalize research in behavioral decision making in high stress situations, with an ultimate focus of studying courage as an opponent to rising antisemitism. Ellie attended NGF 28 in Mexico and NGF 32 in France as a member of Cohort 5 of the NGF Network Leadership Seminar.

Ellie was in Cohort 5 of the NGF Leadership Seminar. Watch her Lesson in Leadership "Increasing Female Inclusivity in Jewish Life."

Guido Dercauttan

Deborah Fishman

Deborah, from New York, founded FED, a member organization of Hakhel: The Jewish Intentional Communities Incubator. She serves as Hakhel's Network Manager and PR Director and leads its Arts & Culture Subnetwork. Deborah is a member of the ROI Community and served as grassroots ROI Igniter for NYC for two years. She holds an M.A. from Spertus Institute and a B.A. in Slavic Languages and Literatures, with a certificate in Judaic Studies, from Princeton University. Deborah has been a member of the 248 Network of JAFI, a JewV'Nation Fellow with the URJ, an iFellow with the iCenter, and was named one of the Jewish Week's "36 under 36."

Michael Freedman

Michael is an occasional writer and podcaster, full-time analogue nomad and investor. He previously led efforts to bridge the gap between Israel and the Diaspora by adding investment as a third strategy alongside philanthropy and advocacy. He is now taking an indefinite sabbatical to recover from this!. Michael attended International NGF 26 in Uruguay and NGF 28 in Germany as a participant in Cohort 3 of the NGF Network Leadership Seminar.

Shelly Freeman

Eric Fusfield

Eric is the Deputy Director of the B'nai B'rith International Center for Human Rights and Public Policy and also serves as its Director of Legislative Affairs. He formulates and promotes B'nai B'rith's agenda on Capitol Hill and represents the agency before numerous political entities. An attorney formerly in private practice, he holds degrees from Columbia University (B.A. in History), Oxford University (M.St. in Modern Jewish Studies), and American University (J.D./M.A. in Law and International Affairs). He has served on the Board of Directors of Agudas Achim Congregation and Beth El Hebrew Cong. both in Alexandria, Virginia. Eric is an alumnus of NGF 8 in Sweden and a regional NGF in Brazil in 2013, as well as Cohort 2 of the NGF Network Leadership Seminar.

Marcos Gandelsman

Marcos was born in Recife, Brazil. He lived in Israel for a few years but eventually returned to Brazil. Active in Habonim Dror, he became head of national education, discovering a passion that drives his work. Marcos holds a B.A. in Psychology from UFPE and an M.A. in Jewish Education from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Since 2016 he has worked for Colégio Israelita Moysés Chvarts, the oldest Jewish school in Brazil, in several roles. He leads educational programs and cultural events, promoting Recife's history as the first official Jewish community in the Americas.

Jorge Gershon

Jorge, from Seville, Spain, organizes Jewish events and activities in Andalusia. He holds a diploma in Tourism from the University of Seville. Jorge is a leader in Beit Rambam - the Jewish community center of Seville. He is also active in the Spanish branch of ROI.

Sienna Girgenti

Sienna Girgenti is a high-impact strategist and relationship builder who is passionate about thoughtful convening. As network coordinator of the Nahum Goldmann Fellowship, she supports program development and engagement for more than 1,200 NGF Network members. In her full-time capacity as Director of the Meridian International Center for Diplomatic Engagement, Sienna is responsible for the design and execution of programs dedicated to strengthening and accelerating collaboration between the foreign diplomatic corps in Washington, DC and the U.S. public and private sectors. She has held positions across sectors, including within U.S. and foreign governments, private event management, and eight years at a Jewish communal organization—driving meaningful impact through advocacy, immersive education, and storytelling. Sienna holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from the American University and resides in Washington, DC. Sienna participated in NGF 28, Cohort 3 of the Network Leadership Seminar at NGF 30, and served as the onsite coordinator for the U.S.A. Regional NGF.

Sarah Groner

Sarah Groner is the Partnerships and Resource Development Manager of JDC's Israel Unlimited. Sarah has built a career in the non-profit sector, where she has focused on communications, resource development and program management for social change organizations. She holds a Master's degree in Public Policy from Tel Aviv University and completed her Bachelor's degree in Social Work at Bar-Ilan University. Sarah is an alumna of NGF 26 in Uruguay and Cohort 3 of the NGF Network Leadership Seminar in Germany.

Laura Hemlock-Schaeffer

Laura, a resident of Queens, New York, is a Project Manager for the Platelet Disorder Support Association, where she conducts advocacy and educational programs for people like herself living with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Prior to her current role, Laura spent 12+ years working in the Jewish non-profit space at organizations such as UJA-Federation of New York, BBYO, Hillel of Buffalo, and the Yeshiva Day Schools of Pittsburgh. Laura holds a Master’s in Education and a Bachelor's in Theater, both obtained at the University at Buffalo (go Bulls!). Outside of her professional life, Laura serves as Vice President of the Hillel of Buffalo Board of Directors. Laura participated in NGF 28 in Mexico and Cohort 5 of the Network Leadership Seminar at NGF 32 in France.

Laura was in Cohort 5 of the NGF Leadership Seminar. Watch her Lesson in Leadership "A New York City Zusha."

Karoline Henriques

Denmark native Karoline now lives in Jerusalem. She holds an MA in the Sociology of Religion from the University of Copenhagen. Karoline works as a political analyst. She is an informal consultant to the New York based 929 – Read Tanakh team and serves as a mentor to ROI programs. Karoline is an alumna of NGF 23, 25, 26 and the 2011 Israel Regional NGF.

Alex Kats

Alex, from Melbourne, works as the main researcher and writer of government white papers for his consultancy. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in management from Monash University. Alex has participated in Jewish international seminars and leadership programs in Belarus, Germany, Israel and India. He has lived in London, New York and Jerusalem as well as Sydney. In Melbourne, Alex is currently the Chair of the Council of Christians and Jews, a member of various multicultural networks, a member of a First Nations Committee, and a board member of March of the Living Australia.

Alex was in Cohort 5 of the NGF Leadership Seminar. Watch his Lesson in Leadership "Moses in the Modern Day."

Michael Kemerov

Michael from Belarus holds a Master's degree in Philology. He is the Executive Director of the Religious Union for Progressive Judaism in Belarus where he manages the activities of eleven religious congregations. Michael is the author of a book that was later made into a movie about the Jews of Grodno. He recently published an Encyclopedia for young adults. Michael is an alumnus of various Nahum Goldmann Fellowship programs and Cohort 1 of the NGF Network Leadership Seminar. 

David Krantz

David Krantz is the co-founder and president of Aytzim: Ecological Judaism. He is a National Science Foundation IGERT doctoral researcher and Wrigley fellow at Arizona State University's School of Sustainability. David is a member of: the board of the Interfaith Moral Action on Climate; the Interfaith Oceans founding team; and the American Zionist Movement cabinet. He holds three Master's degrees, including one in the field of Judaism and environmental policy. David is an alumnus of NGF 29 in Israel and Cohort 3 of the NGF Network Leadership Seminar.

Neebashnee Kristnasamy

Neebashnee, from Cape Town, is a strategic program manager in the financial services industry.She holds a BA degree from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal. She is involved with Limmud SA. Neebashnee is an alumna of the 2018 S.A. Regional NGF and NGF 29 as well as Cohort 4 of the Network Leadership Seminar. 

Csaba Kurti

Csaba, from Hungary, studied at the University of Pecs, Faculty of Economics and Dennis Gabor College. He holds diplomas in Finance and Marketing and Computer Engineering. Csaba is the strategic director of the Hungarian Orthodox Jewish Community. He is also the director of JMPoint, a communications portal for non-profit Jewish organizations. Csaba is an alumnus of Nahum Goldmann Fellowship 24 in Warsaw and Cohort 1 of the NGF Network Leadership Seminar. 

Isaac Landes

Isaac, originally from the USA, now lives in Israel. He founded and directs the Classic Talmud Program at Yashrut, a liberal Orthodox yeshiva in Jerusalem. Isaac studied at Yeshivat Har Etzion (the Gush) and completed the five-year Hesder program. He is working on a PhD in history at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Isaac is a Fellow at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah’s Project Rikmah and organizes events for Abu Tor’s Young Families project. He lives in Jerusalem with his wife and two children.

Yuri Leving

Yuri is a Professor of Russian, Eastern European Cinema and Holocaust Studies at Dalhousie University in Canada. He is a Jewish activist and a member of Scholars for Peace in the Middle East (SPME). Yuri earned a Ph.D. from Hebrew University and taught at George Washington University. Previously, he lived in Israel and served as a press secretary at the Ministry of Absorption. He is an alumnus of NGF 24 in Poland in 2012 and Cohort 2 of the NGF Leadership Seminar in Israel in 2017.

Emilia Litman

Claudio Mandler

Claudio was born in Santiago, Chile, in 1974. He emigrated with his family to Israel at the age of 12. After serving in the Nahal Brigade as a fighter during his whole military service, Claudio finished his B.A. degrees in History and General Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He worked with Jewish youth from Latin America - in short and long period educative programs in Israel - in The Israeli Experience, a subsidiary of the Jewish Agency. He was sent to Chile by the Hashomer Hatzair youth movement to work with the Santiago branch. There, he became member of the Meretz party branch, becoming President of the institution for several years. In 2018 he released his first documentary film - about Human Rights in Chile - the story of a family during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet.

Nowadays he is working on other audio-visual projects and also trying to establish a new Jewish political group - with non-affiliated Jews from Santiago.

He is an alumnus of NGF Cuba and the Mexican NGF in 2016 and Cohort 1 of the NGF Network Leadership Seminar. 

Jonathan Marcus

Jonathan, from Germany, holds graduate degrees in Future Studies and Marketing. When not working in real estate, he is involved with Limmud in Germany and in other parts of Europe. Jonathan is an alumnus of NGF 30 in Germany

Nikki Marczak

Nikki from Brisbane, Australia works in the field of atrocity prevention in the Asia Pacific. This includes policy, advocacy and program development, research and writing, early warning and risk assessment, and partnership building. Nikki was co-editor of the Genocide Perspectives series and has contributed to a range of publications, including the Jewish Australian outlet Plus61J, and ABC Religion and Ethics. Nikki served on the Board of the National Council for Jewish Women Australia and remains chair of its Combatting Hate committee. As the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, she has been involved in many events and initiatives relating to Holocaust commemoration and education, including as keynote speaker.

Dammara Markowitz

Dammara, originally from Canada, is a Wexner Heritage Fellow, Nahum Goldmann Fellow, and member of the National Young Leadership Cabinet at Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA). Dammara serves on the Boards of Directors of The Jewish Education Project, Mem Global, and The Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies. She is also a member of the Israeli Judaism committee with UJA-Federation of New York and previously served as Chair of JFNA's Jewish Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Giving Circle. A culinary school graduate, she founded Jewish Cocktails, an initiative exploring Jewish heritage through mixology, and Tel Aviv Sound Bath, which integrates sound healing with Jewish spiritual practice. She holds a master’s in Jewish education from Hebrew College. Dammara divides her time between Israel and New York.

Alon Meltzer

Alon Meltzer, a New Zealand native, has been involved in a number of communal organizations, including Bnei Akiva, AUJS, synagogue boards, and now serves as the rabbi of the Ohr Chadash Community in Sydney, Australia. He is highly engaged in political, diplomatic, and interfaith work and advocacy. Alon received rabbinical ordination from
Yeshiva University and holds M.S. degrees in Jewish History and Sociology. He is an alumnus of NGF 27, 28 and 29 and Cohort 1 of the NGF Network Leadership Seminar. Alon has also served as the NGF 'Shabbat Co-ordinator' for several programs.

William Miller

William is the former Executive Vice President of the Jewish Community of Cuba. He is also the National Director of ORT-Cuba and is active in the Canada-Cuba Taglit/Birthright Israel program. William received a B.A. and M.Sc. in telecommunications from the Havana Technological Institute where he also teaches in its Micro-electronics Research center. William is an alumnus of various Nahum Goldmann Fellowship programs and Cohort 1 of the NGF Network Leadership Seminar. 

Joaquin Mirkin

Anya Morgulis

Anya, from New York, has served as the Director of Education and Engagement at Temple Beth Israel in Port Washington for 5 years. In her time there, she has brought her experiences working in preschools, Hillel, learning at Pardes in Jerusalem, and all the moments of informal education in between to create a safe space for learners to find pride in their Judaism, grounded in tradition. Anya studied at Virginia Tech and at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.

Mira Niculescu

Dr. Mira Neshama Niculescu is a Paris -born scholar and teacher Jewish spirituality and meditation. She received her Doctorate in Sociology of Religion from the Ecole de Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales in Paris working on Jews and Buddhism in a global world. She learned Torah at the Drisha Institute for Jewish Studies in New York, at Matan and at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem, where she earned a certificate of Experiential Jewish Education as a Yesod European Leader Fellow.

A certified Jewish Mindfulness Teacher from the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, she currently lives in Jerusalem where she learns as a rabbinic fellow at Beit Midrash Har’El, and teaches Torah and Jewish meditation for the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, Or HaLev, Applied Jewish Spirituality (AJS), and lectures as a Jewish Educator for Moishe House Europe and at various institutions internationally. She publishes regularly articles and online classes for French Jewish medias Akadem, Tenou’a, JewPop and L’Arche, and chairs the Academic Council of Roots, a West-Bank NGO aiming at bringing together Palestinians and Israelis for peace making through meaningful personal encounters.

Mira is an alumna of NGF 27 in Israel in 2015 and of Cohort 2 of the NGF Network Leadership Seminar in 2017.

Eli Novershtern

Eli is a venture capitalist by vocation and a Jewish activist and lay leader by avocation. He currently serves as an active board member of the Reut Institute, Israel's leading think tank. Eli is also the Chairman of the Jewish Diplomatic Corps, a program of the World Jewish Congress, where he is a Governing Board Member. He holds Master's degrees from Harvard University and the London School of Economics. Eli is an alumnus of NGF 28 in Mexico and Cohort 2 of the NGF Network Leadership Seminar in Israel in 2017. 

Craig Nudelman

Craig is the Program and Development Manager at the Cape South African Jewish Board of Deputies and is also the director of Mother City Jewish Tours. Craig obtained his Master's degree in Justice and Transformation from University of Cape Town and his Postgraduate Certificate in Education from the University of South Africa.

Craig was in Cohort 5 of the NGF Leadership Seminar. Watch his Lesson in Leadership "Think Global, Act Local."

Eli Ovits

Eli, originally from London, now lives in Jerusalem where he serves as founder of Altruists - connecting Jewish leaders and philanthropists with meaningful causes. He has worked on every continent, helping connect communities, educators, and entrepreneurs. Committed to lifelong learning, Eli always seeks to explore new opportunities for collaboration - whether it be between the Abraham Accords countries and Israel, people of different faiths or political persuasion. Eli holds a master’s degree in international relations — diplomacy from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Nico Riethmüller

Gila Rockman

Gila is the Director of Service and Citizenship at Shalem College in Israel. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Bar Ilan University. Gila is an active board member of her community synagogue and the Afikim Family Enrichment Center. She co-founded the annual "Run4Afikim" - the world's longest charity relay-run. Gila is an alumna of NGF 25 in Israel.

Daniel Rosenbaum

Daniel, from a Kibbutz in Israel, currently lives in New Zealand, where he has served as a core contributor and leader of the Wellington Jewish Community Center (WJCC). Daniel was a member of the Executives of the New Zealand Jewish Council and Zionist Federation, as well as a Board member and eventually Chairperson of the Wellington Jewish Community Centre. In 2018 he attended NGF30 in Hanover and the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Diplomatic Seminar for Young Jewish Leaders. Daniel works for the University of New South Wales in Australia where he manages business improvement and policy development initiatives for the Advancement division (Philanthropy). Daniel has a gorgeous nine year old daughter.

Kateryna Roshchyna

With many years of experience in the non-profit world, Kateryna is now the Program Officer at World Jewish Relief in London and a co-founder of Ukraine Jewish Relief. She holds an M.A. in Foreign Philology. The organizations she is involved with include: The Livelihood Development Programme in Ukraine; Limmud FSU Europe Conference; Global Shapers Community and The World Economic Forum. Kateryna is an alumna of NGF 24 in Warsaw in 2012 and Cohort 2 of the NGF Network Leadership Seminar.

Dani Rotstein

Dani Rotstein moved from New Jersey to the island of Majorca, Spain, in 2014. There, he learned of the taboo history of the Conversos of the island. In 2018, he founded Limud Mallorca and has run over 50 successful events promoting diversity and inclusion in the small, yet growing, Jewish community. During COVID he broadened the scope and now connects Jewish and non-Jewish guides all over the world with communities that are seeking quality virtual programming. His company’s mission is to offer an interactive learning experience that engages anyone and everyone interested in culture and history. In 2019 he produced and co-directed the documentary film Xueta Island (pronounced choo-weta) which has been making its way through many international film festivals in 2022. He is an alumna of various leadership and educational programs including networks such as NGF, Paideia, ROI, and Limmud. Dani attended NGF 29 in Israel and participated in Cohort 5 of the Network Leadership Seminar.

Dani was in Cohort 5 of the NGF Leadership Seminar. Watch his Lesson in Leadership "Re-Emerge."

Michael Schwartz

Michael, from Tel Aviv, has spent the past decade serving the Jewish world as an educator, facilitator, and program designer. He has engaged with a wide range of organizations in Israel and abroad, including: M2: The Institute for Experiential Jewish Education, the Koret Foundation Peoplehood Project, and the Nahum Goldman Fellowship. Currently, Michael works as a Program Manager at Clalit Innovation, the innovation arm of Israel's largest healthcare provider. Beyond his work in healthcare innovation, Michael has been deeply involved in dialogue and experiential education. He co-founded 'Hamsa Aleichem', an initiative aimed at fostering intercultural dialogue and understanding between Jewish and Arab student communities through shared educational experiences. Michael holds a B.A. with high honors in Humanities, Middle Eastern, and Islamic Studies, from Shalem College in Jerusalem. He currently lives in Tel Aviv with his partner, Assaf.

Diana Selechnik

Diana Selechnik was born and raised in Guatemala City. She is a dentist, language consultant, and volunteer activist. Diana serves on the board of directors of several institutions in Guatemala, such as Keren Hayesod and Dor Hemshej. She is also an active member of several international Jewish organizations, such as the Jewish Diplomatic Corps of the World Jewish Congress, the New Generations Program of the Latin American Jewish Congress, and LAZOS LATAM. Diana is an alumna of NGF 28 in Mexico and Cohort 3 of the NGF Network Leadership Seminar in Germany. 

Melissa Shaw

Melissa, from New Hampshire, USA, is a facilitator who offers a unique consultancy based in the arts, social justice, diversity and inclusion, and social emotional learning. Melissa holds an M.F.A. from Sarah Lawrence College. She is a teaching artist and creative coach for various community-based organizations, including Community Word Project, Energize Your Voice, and the Lulu and Leo Fund. Melissa also facilitates a variety of anti-bias, anti-oppression, and anti-racist programs for the Anti-Defamation League and the New Jersey State Bar Foundation. She is the Arts and Communication Advisor for the Muslim Jewish Solidarity.

Melissa was in Cohort 5 of the NGF Leadership Seminar. Watch her Lesson in Leadership "Don't Let the Disagreement Scorch the Earth."

Nelli Shulman

Nelli holds a B.A. and M.A. in Hebrew and Jewish Studies from Leo Baeck College, London as well as a teaching degree in the Russian Language from Moscow State University. She was the Director of Education and Outreach at the World Union for Progressive Judaism in Minsk and Moscow. Recently she has concentrated on journalism and independent research in the areas of Holocaust, history of culture and the history of the Soviet Union. Nelli writes for a number of newspapers and magazines in Russia. She has authored four historical novels. Nelli is an alumna of NGF 16 in Sweden in 2005 and the European Regional NGF in Denmark in 2015, as well as Cohort 2 of the NGF Network Leadership Seminar.

Leora Tarshish

Wanda Teplitsky

Wanda, originally from Buenos Aires, now lives in Valencia, Spain. She works for the Masorti Community Aviv as a director and teacher as well as the coordinator of volunteers. Wanda is currently researching her PhD project on Cultural Heritage on Jewish life in Medieval Galicia, in north-west Spain. She is a member of the Board of Masorti Spain and Masorti Europe and likes traveling, both for work and pleasure. Her dream is to make the Jewish presence in Spain, past and present, better known and appreciated.

Wanda was in Cohort 5 of the NGF Leadership Seminar. Watch her Lesson in Leadership "Transitional Leadership in Masorti Europe."

Vivianne Tesone

Vivianne, from Colombia, is the deputy director of the Colombian Jewish Federation, the country’s umbrella organization of Jewish communities. She is also the editor of Hashavua online magazine. Vivianne holds a degree in literature from the Universidad de los Andes, and master’s degrees in journalism and religions and culture and peace. She is a member of the Jewish Diplomatic Corps of the World Jewish Congress and has worked and volunteered with other Jewish organizations. Her focus is on interfaith initiatives, education, combating antisemitism, Holocaust remembrance, diplomacy, and advocacy.

Laurina Todesaite

Laurina Todesaite, from Lithuania, is an educator in the Shalom Aleichem ORT school in Vilnius. She earned Bachelor's degrees in Sociology, Anthropology and Education from Haifa University. Laurina founded #CookJewishBeJewish, an educational project which connects people and preserves Jewish heritage through Europe-wide culinary workshops and communal Jewish holiday celebrations. She is involved with ROI, Paideia and Limmud. Laurina is an alumna of NGF 27 in Israel  and Cohort 3 of the NGF Network Leadership Seminar in Germany. 

Manny Waks

Manny Waks is the CEO of VoiCSA (formerly Kol v'Oz), an organization that addresses the issue of child sexual abuse in the Jewish community - he has been working in this field since 2011, both in Australia and globally. Manny has held numerous senior leadership positions in the Australian Jewish community, including as a vice-president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry. Manny was also an Assistant Director of the Office of Transport Security, an Australian Government counter-terrorism organization. Together with his family, he relocated to Israel in 2016 mainly to continue his work on his VoiCSA initiative. He holds a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from La Trobe University in Melbourne. Manny attended NGF 23 in Israel and NGF 28 in Mexico as part of Cohort 1 of the NGF Network Leadership Seminar.

Tammy Weiss

Tammy, from Buenos Aires, is a lawyer. In addition to her law degree, she has degrees in Jewish and Judeo-American studies, and Arabic, American-Arab and Islamic studies. Tammy has been a volunteer for the World Zionist Organization and the Holocaust Museum. She was a member of the board of directors of the Argentine Zionist organization. Tammy now serves on the board of the Association of Jewish Lawyers of the Argentine Republic. She collaborates with an initiative that distributes food to the homeless and lately with Jaialim del Asado, a group that makes barbecues for IDF soldiers.

Gilad Wiener

Gilad is the founder and director of a mediation company and lectures both in Israel and abroad on Jewish conflict resolution. He has a law degree from Bar Ilan University and is pursuing a Ph.D. there. He serves on the Board of Ein Prat Alumni Community and was the Director of Israel Operations for The Pardes Center for Judaism and Conflict Resolution. Gilad holds a research position at the Israel Democracy Center. He is an alumnus of a regional Nahum Goldmann Fellowship in Israel in 2011 and Cohort 1 of the NGF Network Leadership Seminar.

David Wiseman

Shlomi Zaed

Shlomi, from Mexico, is a consultant in the insurance industry. He studied Torah and Philosophy at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. He volunteers in his local Jewish community as a teacher and financial analyst. Shlomi was raised and educated in a very religiously observant home, but right now he is exploring his own perspective of Judaism and discovering how to participate as a Jew in his Community, and in the world. Shlomi attended NGF 28 in Mexico and NGF 32 in France as a participant in Cohort 5 of the NGF Network Leadership Seminar.

Shlomi was in Cohort 5 of the NGF Leadership Seminar. Watch his Lesson in Leadership "Plant a Seed and Nourish What Is Already Planted."

Karin Zingerevitz

Karin, from Sao Paulo, is the Regional Director of PJ Library’s Portuguese and Spanish division, overseeing sixteen countries, and the distribution of 8,000 children’s books monthly. Previously, she was the World Union for Reform Judaism's director in Latin America. She holds master’s degrees from USC in Public Administration and from HUC-JIR in Jewish Non-profit Management. Karin co-edited the translation into Portuguese of the Chumash Plaut: Torah a Modern Commentary. She is a soferet and ketuba designer, but most importantly, she is the mother of two amazing and challenging teens.