Ábel is a psychology professional by training and a humanitarian by practice. Originally from Budapest, Hungary, he has lived in five countries, bringing a global perspective to his work. He earned his undergraduate degree in Psychology at the University of Glasgow, where he became deeply involved in Jewish activism, a path that led him to the European Union of Jewish Students, where he served as Programme Manager. Today, Ábel is Program & Development Officer at OlamAid, a pluralistic humanitarian organization, delivering culturally sensitive aid to those most vulnerable in crises.

Ariel holds a master’s degree in Jewish Community Service and a master's degree in public administration from Hebrew Union College and the University of Southern California respectively, both in Los Angeles, USA. Prior to that he received a bachelor’s degree in Institutional Organization and Management.

In USA Ariel worked in the Planning and Allocations department at the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles. He then worked for two years in Financial Resource Development at the Jewish Federation of Washington DC as a fundraiser. Upon his return to Argentina in 2007, he was Executive Director of Hacoaj JCC for 6 years; Executive Director of Ieladeinu for 4 years and again Hacoaj JCC´s CEO for 7 years. In 2025 he started as JDC Latin America´s Regional Deputy Director.

At the same time Ariel has collaborated in international projects and spaces of Maccabi World Union and the JCC Global Association.

He is also a volunteer member of the Counseling Committee of the Network of Professionals of the Jewish Communities of LATAM. He is also a volunteer at the Management Contributions Foundation (Fundación Aportes de Gestión) and a member of the Association of Development and Fundraising Executives of Social Organizations (Asociación de Ejecutivos en Desarrollo y Recaudación de fondos de Organizaciones Sociales - AEDROS).

Ariel lives in Buenos Aires with his wife Judith and their children Matías, Lara and Milena.

Aron Schuster is the Director of the Central Welfare Board of Jews in Germany (ZWST) since 2018. He was born in Würzburg in 1984. He pursued his studies in business administration at the University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt. Upon graduating, he spent four years working with the fashion group s.Oliver, where he was responsible for the expansion and renovation of retail stores across Germany and Europe. Since November 2013, Schuster has been based at the ZWST Head Office in Frankfurt am Main. From a young age, he was actively involved in ZWST's youth programs, serving as a youth leader. In addition to his professional commitments, Schuster has been a dedicated municipal politician in the Würzburg city council since 2008. He is also on the board of OFEK e.V.- Counseling center for anti-Semitic violence and discrimination and the humanitarian aid organization OlamAid Germany e.V. Aron Schuster is married and the father of three sons.

Eitan Bergman, born in Liège, Belgium, is the Vice President of the Coordinating Committee of Jewish Organisations in Belgium (CCOJB), the Belgian section of the World Jewish Congress and the European Jewish Congress.

Eitan Bergman works as a Press Officer for the French speaking Liberal Party in Belgium (Mouvement Réformateur - MR) at the Brussels Regional Parliament. He is an elected member of the Municipal Council of Forest (Brussels) since 2024.

From 2022 to 2025, he served as Executive Director of the European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS), the umbrella organization of Jewish student unions in 36 European countries and an official partner of the European Commission. He also worked for nearly three years at the European Jewish Congress (EJC).

In 2021, he became a member of the Jewish Diplomatic Corps of the World Jewish Congress (WJC Jewish Diplomatic Corps). Eitan joined the Board of AJC ACCESS Europe in 2025.

Eitan Bergman holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a Master’s degree in International Relations from the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB). He specializes in peace, security, and conflict studies and completed a minor in American Politics at the Université de Montréal (UdeM). He is fluent in French, English, and Hebrew.

Gai Ben Dor partners with senior leaders and teams navigating complex change, leadership challenges, and moments of transition. His work focuses on strengthening leadership capacity and supporting individuals and groups to lead with clarity, resilience, and responsibility in environments marked by uncertainty and competing demands.

His practice is grounded in nearly two decades of experience leading mission-driven initiatives, as well as designing and facilitating leadership development engagements with organizations and senior teams.

In 2008, Gai served as a guide for a blind marathon runner at the Paralympic Games in Beijing. Later that year, they undertook a journey together in the Himalayas toward Mount Everest. Working in conditions of shared risk, interdependence, and limited margin for error continues to shape Gai’s approach to leadership - particularly around responsibility, coordination, and decision-making under pressure.

Gai is the founder of 180°, a social organization dedicated to advancing individuals with disabilities through sport, and is actively involved as a volunteer and mentor in leadership and excellence programs.

Gai is an ICF-certified coach (ACC) and a graduate of Georgetown University’s Institute for Transformational Leadership. He is a qualified lawyer and accountant, with experience in top-tier firms. He holds an Executive MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, as well as a bachelor’s degree in law and accounting from Tel Aviv University.

Greg Schneider was appointed Executive Vice President of the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) in 2009, having joined the organization in 1995. A deeply committed advocate for Holocaust survivors, he has spent his career working to secure justice, dignity, and care for those who endured Nazi persecution.

Since 2009, Mr. Schneider has led the preparation and implementation of annual negotiations with the German government, resulting in ongoing funding for compensation and welfare programs for poor and disabled Holocaust survivors around the world. In 2026, the Claims Conference will distribute approximately $530 million in direct compensation and $1.1 billion in welfare support—including home care, food, and medicine—through more than 300 social service agencies globally. These allocations have enabled groundbreaking care for aging survivors, including significant expansions in home care, targeted Basic Needs Funds (such as food cards for the most vulnerable), support for transitions into nursing homes, and even newly launched aid to Righteous Gentiles.

Mr. Schneider also led efforts to create and expand multiple special compensation programs, including for survivors of Nazi medical experiments, former refugees to Switzerland, those persecuted in Budapest, and first-ever one-time payments for victims in the former Soviet Union. He played a central role in extending eligibility to groups such as child survivors, Kindertransport survivors, Leningrad Siege survivors, and victims of the Iasi Death Train. These negotiations have fundamentally broadened access to compensation and recognized previously overlooked victims.

Under his leadership, the Claims Conference has also become a leading global funder of Holocaust education, research, and documentation. The organization supports teacher training, archival preservation, and cutting-edge educational platforms—from Holocaust film and virtual reality experiences to online learning, social media, and gaming initiatives designed to reach younger generations.

Mr. Schneider’s work reflects a lasting commitment to historical truth, moral responsibility, and honoring survivors through action.

The Representative of the Jewish Agency in the Balkans. A seasoned professional in Jewish education and heritage preservation, with extensive experience leading impactful initiatives. Previously, the "Journey into Jewish Heritage" project, where she led 15 delegations of Israeli students in documenting Jewish heritage sites worldwide. Also, Educational Director for the UnitEd project. Master's degree in Contemporary Judaism and a bachelor's degree in Jewish history and general philosophy From the Hebrew University.

Ilan Cohn is the Director of HIAS Europe in Brussels, the European headquarters of the international Jewish humanitarian organisation that has worked for more than a century to protect and support refugees and displaced people worldwide. Historically, HIAS focused on rescuing Jews in need. Today, in Europe, HIAS partners with Jewish communities to advance global humanitarian action and promote the social inclusion of migrants.

Before starting HIAS Europe in 2019, Ilan worked internationally on migration and integration across several intergovernmental organisations, including the United Nations and the European Union. He also worked for JDC Israel, again focusing on international migration and integration.

Jo Grose is the Chief Executive of the United Synagogue, which incorporates 56 synagogue communities across the UK. The charity employs more than 100 Rabbis and Rebbetzens and delivers essential pillars of communal infrastructure, including kashrut, education, chesed, youth programming and summer camps, burial services, and the highly respected London Beth Din.

Jo joined the United Synagogue in 2015 to lead the implementation of its Strategic Review. She subsequently served as Director of Communities and Strategy with responsibility for community development and Rabbinic recruitment as well guiding community life during the Covid pandemic.

Before joining the United Synagogue, Jo held senior leadership roles in educational charities, following an earlier career in educational publishing. She is an active member of her local community - where her passion for community-building was ignited - and serves as a trustee of the Yavneh Foundation Trust.

Johanan Seynave is a political analyst and EU-affairs consultant based in Brussels. He is the Founder and Managing Director of Tikkun Grants and has previously held positions at several international Jewish organizations, including Policy Director at the European Jewish Congress (EJC).

Jonathan Boyd is a social scientist and policy analyst specialising in contemporary Jewish life and antisemitism. He is an Honorary Research Fellow at University College London, and the Executive Director of the Institute for Jewish Policy Research (JPR), an independent research centre and think-tank providing data and policy insight on contemporary Jewish issues for organisations working to support Jewish life in the UK and across Europe.

He holds a doctorate in education from the University of Nottingham and degrees in Modern Jewish History from UCL. He has held senior research and policy roles in the UK, Europe, Israel and North America, including with the JDC International Centre for Community Development and the Jewish Agency for Israel. He was Academic Director of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights’ landmark surveys of Jewish experiences of antisemitism in 2012 and 2018 and currently directs the first European Commission survey of antisemitic attitudes across the EU. His work is widely published and regularly cited in policy, academic and public debates.

Jonathan Ornstein, a primary architect of Poland’s contemporary Jewish rebirth, is a frequent international speaker and media contributor on topics including Jewish Poland and global antisemitism as well as an activist for Holocaust survivors.

Jonathan has served as Chief Executive Officer of JCC Krakow since King Charles III opened the center in 2008 with the mission of rebuilding Jewish life in Krakow. The JCC has grown exponentially to include 1,100 Jewish members; it also welcomes 10,000 visitors each month and is one of the most visible signs of Poland’s Jewish revival. Jonathan created Ride For The Living and Holocaust Survivor Day, global initiatives that engage tens of thousands of people. After the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Jonathan initiated and directs JCC Krakow’s humanitarian aid operation, having assisted almost 400,000 refugees and counting.

A native of New York City, Jonathan moved to Israel in 1994, lived for 7 years on a kibbutz in the Negev desert, and, as a Lone Soldier, served in an IDF combat unit before moving to Poland in 2001. Prior to launching the JCC, he taught Modern Hebrew at the Jagiellonian University for 6 years and founded the Gesher Association for Polish-Israeli Dialogue. He is a founding member of the Krakow Association of Christians and Jews, where he serves as the vice president. He also serves on the boards of the Krakow branch of Child Survivors of the Holocaust, Hillel Poland, JCC Global, and the Abraham Global Peace Initiative.

Co-founder and manager of Machon Kehilot, a successful social enterprise developing active community leadership, community activism, and community infrastructure in over 15 countries across Europe.

With over 30 years of experience, I lead strategic community-building processes that combine educational leadership, cross-sector partnerships, and resource development. My work focuses on connecting philanthropy, civil society, and local leadership to build sustainable community infrastructures and drive long-term impact. A visionary yet hands-on leader, I specialize in building meaningful relationships, cross-sector collaboration, and turning ideas into sustainable community impact.

Laurent Ben Arous brings over 30 years of experience in finance, strategy, and organizational development across the corporate and non-profit sectors.

A MBA graduate of HEC Paris (1994), he has held senior financial leadership roles internationally, including at L’Oréal in Israel, before serving as CFO in both France and Israel. His expertise includes strategic planning, governance, performance management, and the structuring of sustainable development models, with a particular focus on social, medico-social, and Social and Solidarity Economy organizations.

Since 2014, he has been serving the French Jewish community at Fondation CASIP-COJASOR, first as Director of Audit and, since 2018, as Chief Financial Officer, contributing to the institution’s strategic strengthening and long-term development.

Deeply committed to Jewish community life, Laurent has also held leadership and board roles within the EEIF (scouts) and the UEJF (students) , leading educational and leadership training programs in partnership with these organizations and the Jewish Agency both in France and Israel.

Louise Kermode is the Director of Community Mental Health Services (Jami) at Jewish Care, a role she stepped into following Jami’s integration into the organisation in April 2024. A qualified occupational therapist and recipient of the London School of Occupational Therapy Prize, she has dedicated her career to developing innovative, person centred approaches to supporting people experiencing mental illness and distress.

Since joining Jami in 2012, Louise has held a number of key positions—from occupational therapist to mental health recovery champion, later helping to introduce and embed peer support, one of the highlights of her career. She became Head of Services in 2019 before moving into her current director role, bringing deep expertise, a strong research interest, and a commitment to occupational therapy models and frameworks.

Louise regularly publishes in health and social care journals and presents at industry conferences. Outside of work, she is married, has one son, and is known to be a coffee connoisseur.

Maia brings over twenty years of community-building experience across the US and Israel, leading the Varda Institute’s work to strengthen cultures of belonging in organizations worldwide. Her leadership has been shaped by living in Europe, Israel, and the US, founding community initiatives such as Kol Banot and "Shivat Gvanim" contributing to Jewish communal institutions abroad.

At her core, she is passionate about designing creative processes that bring people together and help communities grow stronger, more resilient, and grounded in a deep sense of belonging. Maia loves the outdoors, planning new adventures, and spending time with family, friends, and my spoiled dog. She is excited to share her passion for developing creative processes, bringing people together, and advancing resilient communities where every voice is seen and heard—and where people feel they belong.

In May 2021, Marc was seconded from the Jewish Leadership Council to become the first Chief Executive of the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester & Region.

Marc joined the Jewish Leadership Council in June 2016, initially as their North West External Affairs Manager. Over time, Marc’s remit expanded to include North Wales and the West Midlands, along with other politicians from across the country. Prior to joining the JLC, he studied Law at the University of Birmingham and enjoyed a successful 11 year legal career.

Marc brings a wealth of experience dealing with communal stakeholders and politicians at the highest levels of local and national government. He regularly speaks with Ministers, Shadow Ministers, Metro Mayors and Council Leaders to discuss the Jewish community’s agenda. His political engagement has enabled the Jewish community and their member organisations to proactively speak with key decision makers on a number of different topics.

As Chief Executive, Marc works alongside our thriving and diverse community to assist with their work and resolve any issues that arise. He is also the first point of contact for external stakeholders on all topics of interest that affect Jewish people across the region.

Marc continues to convene the Jewish Strategic Group, which has undertaken hugely important pieces of strategic research on behalf of the community. Simultaneously, the group allows clear lines of dialogue between communal organisations with key individuals from government.

Marcelo Dimentstein is the Director of Research and Evaluation at JDC Europe, Africa & Asia. Trained as a social anthropologist, since 2009 he has directed the research unit on contemporary Judaism at JDC’s European office, the International Centre for Community Development (JDC-ICCD). In his position as director of the JDC-ICCD, he has coordinated numerous research projects on different phenomena of contemporary Jewish life in Europe, as well as analyzing the transnational history of the reconstruction of Jewish communities after the fall of communism. Marcelo teaches in different community leadership training seminars of Leatid’s European program and oversees the strategies for measuring and evaluating the impact of JDC’s programs in the region. He currently lives in Barcelona with his family.

Dr Micah Goodman was named by the Jerusalem Post as one of the 50 most influential Jews in 2017 and by Liberal Magazine as one of the 100 most influential Israelis in 2019. He is the author of seven best-selling books. His first three books – Moses’s Final Speech, The Dream of the Kuzari, and The Secrets of the Guide for the Perplexed – explore classic Jewish thought. His next four books – The Wondering Jew, Catch 67, The Attention Revolution, and The Eighth Day – explore contemporary Israeli issues and ideas.

He is one of the founders of Mabua – Israeli Beit Midrash, and along with Efrat Shapira Rosenberg, hosts the popular Israeli podcast Mifleget Hamachshavot produced by Beit Avi Chai.

Michel Montreuil is an independent advisor working at the fault line between institutional complexity, leadership accountability, and cultural transformation. Michel has spent over two decades accompanying executives, corporate boards, and Jewish organisations navigating uncertainty, legitimacy issues, and deep organisational change across multiple sectors and geographies.

Rather than delivering predefined solutions, Michel designs adaptive processes that improve decision quality, surface blind spots, and reconfigure collective intelligence. His work draws on advanced governance models, cognitive and behavioural leadership frameworks, and emerging collaborative technologies—while remaining grounded in Jewish sources as living systems of inquiry, not doctrine.

With a background spanning executive roles in European Jewish leadership and global consulting assignments, he is frequently asked to convene and facilitate strategic round tables where professionals and lay leaders confront complexity directly, transforming tension into clarity, ownership, and action.

Born and raised in a Hungarian-American-Jewish home in Vienna, Mimi neither attended the local Jewish school nor was she involved in any of the Jewish youth groups. Instead, she found and paved her own way within the Vienna Jewish Community, in which she’s been an active member and held various positions – from security to combating antisemitism to fundraising – for close to two decades. Since October 7, Mimi has co-led Vienna’s Bring Them Home movement, raising awareness for the hostages and funds for their families. She is the general secretary of ATID, the community’s leading political party. In her professional life, holding a bachelor’s degree in political science and an MBA in international business and marketing, she works in strategic operations for a global leader in the payment industry.

Minos Moissis has been deeply engaged in Jewish communal life in Greece and internationally from an early age, combining long-standing volunteer service with senior leadership responsibility. He served two terms as President of the Jewish Community of Athens (2013–2019), leading the community through a period of significant institutional and social challenge. Professionally, his career spans senior leadership roles in Insurance, Banking, and Consulting. Building on this experience, he has trained as an executive coach and now works with leaders in business, supporting them in navigating complexity, influence, and leadership impact.

Naama Klar serves as Director of The Koret International School for Jewish Peoplehood at ANU – Museum of the Jewish People. Her expertise lies in Jewish peoplehood and fostering a sense of belonging to the global Jewish people among Israelis. Previously, Naama was Deputy CEO of the Reut Group, an Israeli think-and-do tank that identifies and addresses strategic threats overlooked by national leadership. Her career also includes an internship at the Israeli Mission to the UN in New York, where she focused on global UN agency budgets and briefed the Israeli Ministry of Education ahead of the UN Commission on the Rights of the Child in Geneva. Beginning in 2025, Naama will pursue her Ph.D. at Gratz College, where she aims to deepen her knowledge of Jewish philosophy to enhance her educational work. Naama holds a B.A. in International Relations and an M.A. in International Political Economy from the Hebrew University, during which she participated in the EU Erasmus Program. She currently serves as Chair of the Board of Latet-Pe, an organization dedicated to preventing sexual crimes against minors.

For over 25 years, Natalie has filled leadership roles in the Cape Town Jewish community, mostly focusing on education. She is currently a member of the Cape Town Board of Governors, and recently initiated a community wellbeing project - JEWELL. Natalie is committed to emotional intelligence, personal development, and Jewish learning, and has served on multiple boards supporting Jewish communal sustainability. She holds an MA in Jewish Education from the London School of Jewish Studies and works in self-development, team-building, and Torah-based process art facilitation. Natalie and her husband, Clifford, have three adult children, and are both committed to community building and continuity.

Netaly Ophir Flint is a Partner at KONU - an international consultancy for leadership development and change management. At KONU, she works with mission-driven individuals, executives, and organizations to help them adapt and thrive as they tackle complex challenges in a rapidly changing world.

Before KONU, Netaly was the CEO of the Reut Group - a cutting edge strategy and leadership Think Tank based in Tel Aviv. At Reut, Netaly worked with senior government officials, mayors, business and non-profit managers to lead adaptive change on some of the most pressing national security and socioeconomic issues facing Israel and the world. Netaly spearheaded Reut’s groundbreaking work on the evolving relationship between Israel and World Jewry and continues to help make progress on this issue through her work today.

Netaly holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and a dual MA in International Relations and Conflict Management and Resolution from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. She is also a certified mediator and facilitator.

Social entrepreneur of Jewish community initiatives, alongside his career as a senior executive at a multinational company. Nir serves as chairperson of Machon Kehilot and of Home for Israeli Culture in Amsterdam, and leads Jewish ceremonies and events, as well as gatherings and workshops dealing with Jewish identity and Israeli culture.

Co-Founder and Board Member of FOA (Fight Against Antisemitism Online), leading efforts to counter antisemitism, online hate, and incitement through ongoing social platforms monitoring, policy engagement, legal tools, and international advocacy, alongside senior regulatory roles in the hospitality sector.

Philippa Carr is Senior Mental Health Education and Suicide Prevention Manager at Jami (part of Jewish Care). Philippa's background is as a Senior Dramatherapist working in NHS Adult Mental Health Services and voluntary sector family services. She also pioneered innovative ovarian cancer survivorship programmes whilst a senior manager in the sector. She has led on ground-breaking projects at Jami, such as the Emergency Response Initiative Consortium providing published guidance and a first responder service for schools after the tragedy of a suicide or traumatic death. She is launching Jami’s new community suicide prevention programme this year working with seven communities in London and Liverpool.

Rafi Angat (53) is a community leader of Turkish origin and a serial entrepreneur based in the Netherlands. For many years, he has taken an active role as a board member in various Jewish community institutions in Turkey, gaining extensive experience in community organization and engagement. Alongside his communal work, he is active in the food and hospitality sector, operating multiple dark kitchens and kosher restaurants in Amsterdam, and is also a co-founder of a WhatsApp-based ordering and payment platform.

He currently serves as Chairman of the Turkish Jewish Community in the Netherlands (JTB – Joodse Turks-Joodse Gemeenschap), a highly organized and fast-growing community of nearly 500 members supported by dozens of dedicated volunteers. Together with the board, his focus is on community building and structuring, with emphasis on integration, culture, education, and youth engagement, developing sustainable frameworks that strengthen identity while encouraging participation across generations.

Rafi is widely recognized for using his personal networks to build bridges between communities, fostering dialogue, cooperation, and meaningful partnerships.

Mr. Robert Singer is a senior executive and global Jewish leader with decades of experience in diplomacy, education, and international nonprofit leadership. He currently serves as Chairman of the Center for Jewish Impact and Alumot Or, President and Chairman of SASA Setton, co-founder of the Anières Program, and Chairman and CEO of Spero Impact Solutions. He also serves on the Advisory Board of the Combat Antisemitism Movement.

Mr. Singer previously served as CEO and Executive Vice President of the World Jewish Congress (2013–2019), where he led major strategic initiatives and historic contributions on behalf of global Jewish communities. Prior to that, he was CEO of World ORT (1999–2013) and later Chairman of its Board of Trustees (2020–2023).

Throughout his career, Mr. Singer has played a central role in advancing Jewish education, strengthening civil society, and fostering international diplomatic engagement through impactful, values-driven leadership.

Sara Kibel is the Deputy Director of PJ Library in the UK, where she plays a central role in shaping strategy, strengthening partnerships and expanding the organization’s reach and impact across the UK Jewish community. With a strong commitment to Jewish education, family engagement and community building, Sara helps ensure that thousands of families have access to high quality Jewish books, resources and meaningful Jewish connections.

Saskia Swenson Moss is a veteran Jewish educator and a senior professional at the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. Over the past 12+ years, she has played a key role in shaping PJ Library’s global vision, from launching PJ Our Way, PJ Library’s initiative for 9-12-year-olds, to supporting North American communities, and now serving as the International Program Officer, working with partners in over 41 countries to expand and deepen PJ Library’s global impact. Based in Israel with her family, she is also a featured writer for The Times of Israel, The Jerusalem Report, and The Jerusalem Post.

Born in Italy, in Israel since 1966. Ph.D., The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Professor Emeritus and former Chairman of the Hebrew University’s Avraham Harman Institute of Contemporary Jewry (ICJ) and of its Division of Jewish Demography and Statistics. Specialist on the demography of world Jewry, authored or edited numerous books and monographs, lastly US Jews: Reflections on Identity and Demography (2024), Essere ebrei, oggi (2024), Diaspora vs. Homeland: Development, Unemployment and Ethnic Migration to Israel, 1991-2019 (2020), Jewish Demographic Policies: Population Trends and Options (2011), and the annual World Jewish Population chapter in the American Jewish Year Book. Lectured at over 100 universities on six continents, including Brown University, The University of California Los Angeles, The University of Illinois Chicago, Brandeis University, The University of Judaism, The Oxford Centre of Hebrew and Jewish Studies, Universidad Iberoamericana, The University of Sao Paolo, and The University of Sydney. Member of the advisory committee of the Pew surveys on Jewish Americans, of the Pew Survey of Religiously Divided Israel Society, and of the FRA surveys on Perceptions of Discrimination and Antisemitism in European Union. Advisor of Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics, and other Israeli and international organizations. Marshall Sklare Prize by the Association for the Social Scientific Study of Jewry (1999), and Michael Landau Prize for Demography and Migration (2013). Member of Yad Vashem committee for the Righteous among the Nations.

Shai Doitsh was appointed to the position of Director of communities development at ICE - Israeli Community Europe e.V. In July 2021, after a year of volunteering and consulting for the organization. As part of his position, Mr. Doitsh is responsible for the research process on the Israeli and Jewish community in each city and the extent of the potential for connecting them and building the exact answer to the needs of the communities in the city. Mr. Doitsh has been living in Berlin, Germany since 2017 after years of social activity in Israel, in his last position he served as chairperson of The Agudah: Israel's National LGBT Task Force. In addition to his position, Mr. Doitsh works as a tourist guide in Berlin. Shai graduated with a BA in government, diplomacy and strategy and a master's degree in business administration. Shai was born in Israel in 1979. Fluent in English and Hebrew and basic German.

Sharon Buenos began her career in the Defense and Foreign Ministries in NYC, later becoming Marketing Director at the OR Movement, promoting development in Israel’s Negev and Galilee. She also served as Director of the Israeli House at the Israeli Embassy in London and led marketing and programming for the UK’s Sephardi Jewish community. Today, Sharon is the Global Director of Zikaron BaSalon, a social initiative for Holocaust remembrance. As a third-generation survivor, she is deeply committed to Holocaust education and preserving survivor testimonies for future generations. Sharon holds an M.A. in Marketing and Innovation from Anglia Ruskin University.

With over 10 years of experience in the Non Profit World, Simon Cahen recently joined the board of the Oeuvre de Secours aux Enfants where he serves as deputy director, in charge of Philanthropy, Development and Associative life.

He also served for three years as Sciences Po’s chief of staff, the first french human and social sciences university, as well as directed the diversity and equal opportunity admission system, two roles that allowed him to tackle particularly burning issues.

Simon also taught at a university level about the challenges and functioning of the Non Profit Sector in France.

Sonia Gomes de Mesquita is the Executive Director at the Center for Jewish Impact. Additionally, she serves as the Senior Deputy CEO of Spero Impact Solutions. Sonia holds several key positions in the non-profit sector, serving as the Donor Representative and Vice-President of SASA Setton; Board Member of Alumot Or; Board Member of Momentum; and Board Member of IVN.

Sonia Gomes de Mesquita served as the Chief Programs Officer of the World Jewish Congress (WJC) from 2013-2019, and Chief Operating Officer of World ORT, the world’s from 1999-2013. She served between 1992 and 1999 in the Liaison Bureau of the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, and previously in the office of the Israeli Ambassador to Finland in Helsinki. She also served in the Israel Defense Forces and rose to the rank of Lieutenant.

She was also the head of the Educational Negev Unit of the IDF Southern Command and the head of the Command’s Communications Department. Sonia holds a BA in Political Science and Middle Eastern Studies from Ben-Gurion University, Israel, and a MA in Business Management Marketing from Middlesex University, London, UK.

Taly Mair is an experienced leader and as of February 2025, appointed Director of the European Council of Jewish Communities (ECJC). With over 13 years of experience as the Executive Director of the Jewish Community of Athens, she has successfully cultivated partnerships with international Jewish organizations and spearheaded innovative community programs. Taly holds an MBA in Marketing from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and previously worked as the Marketing and PR Director for an international fashion brand.

Born in Haifa- Israel, and raised in Thessaloniki- Greece, Taly has been deeply involved in Jewish community life from a young age, volunteering in various capacities and participating in the Jewish Youth, Summer Camp, and Choir playing the flute. In addition to her role as Director at the ECJC, she currently serves as a Consultant for the Jewish Community of Athens, focusing on Social Welfare, Cultural Heritage, and International Affairs. Taly is also a certified professional coach.

Outside of her professional pursuits, Taly is married to Aris and is the proud mother of three children: Moses 14, Vivian 18, and Myriam 20. With her innovative vision and collaborative spirit, Taly is dedicated to strengthening Jewish life across Europe.

Tamia Menez B'Chiri is a French-American-Mexican Jewish community builder, based in Paris. She founded Hineni in 2023 a creative, pluralistic, socially invested Jewish community. She also co-founded Team Hessed - to support mourners - the Jewish-Muslim initiative Beer Lahai Roi Zamzam and La Manne, a Jewish Lab on sustainability and biodiversity. She is a board member of OSE. She was a foodtech entrepreneur for over a decade and is now committed to building a meaningful, joyful and spiritual jewish space.

In November 2025, Yair Lootsteen was appointed Head of the World Zionist Organization's Department tasked with engaging with Zionist Federations around the globe, the connection with Israeli communities in the Diaspora, with organizing the World Zionist Congress every five years and overseeing the WZO's Bialik Institute, established as a permanent institution to foster and cultivate Hebrew literature and research.

Previously, in September 2025, Mr. Lootsteen completed a second three-year term as Chairperson of the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism - the Israeli Reform Movement (IMPJ). He has been on the IMPJ Board since 2013, currently serving as an ex officio observer and a member of several of the Board's sub-committees.

Born in London, England, Yair grew up in Toronto, Canada. He made aliyah in 1979 and has since resided in Jerusalem.

As a lawyer, Yair served in the IDF's Military Advocate General Corps for 23 years, completing his regular term of duty in 2007 with the rank of Colonel. During his military career he held several challenging positions, the last being that of the Legal Advisor to the IDF in Judea and Samaria. Previous positions in the IDF included that of the Staff Judge Advocate for the General Staff Command and the Legal Advisor to the IDF in the Gaza Strip.

Since completing his regular IDF service, Yair has invested much of his time dealing with matters relating to Jewish pluralism in Israel. From 2010 to 2013 he served as President of Kehilat Kol HaNeshama, Jerusalem's largest Reform synagogue. As Chair of the IMPJ Board Yair was also involved in matters relating to the World Union for Progressive Judaism and is a leading member of the Israel team of ARZENU – the International Federation of Reform and Progressive Religious Zionists. In the latter capacity, from 2012 to 2015 he served as Co-Chair of the WZO's Standing Committee on Budget and Finance and between 2015 and 2025 was a board member of the Keren Kayemet LeYisrael-Jewish National Fund. In May 2018, he was appointed Vice Chairperson of KKL-JNF, a position he was re-selected for by ARZENU following the 2020 World Zionist Congress elections.

Zira Roozendaal (born 28 September 1980) is the principal of Maimonides Jewish High School in Amsterdam. She holds a Bachelor of Education (Dutch language teaching) and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership, and previously studied journalism. Her background in journalism, education, and the arts has shaped her approach to leadership, communication, and community-building. She taught for many years in vocational and secondary education and held leadership roles before becoming principal. Alongside her professional work, she has been active in Jewish education and community life. She lives in Amsterdam with her Israeli husband, their daughter, and her teenage son from a previous relationship.

Co-founder of Vayomar, a global boutique consulting firm established in 2003, Ariel has spent the 23 years studying the business and operational challenges that stem from what he calls “…the growing disconnect between humanity’s evolutionary “Operating System” and the modern working dynamics of the digital revolution”.

Ariel has worked with hundreds of organizations in over two dozen countries and across a wide range of industries. He has developed management and communication’s methodologies which combine insights from a range of interdisciplinary fields such as: history; psychology; behavioral economics, neuroscience, business and leadership. These practical methodologies deal with critical weaknesses of large international corporations as well as fast-growing startups that strive to become sustainable global enterprises.

Ariel is the author of two books:

“You’re Not Moving Slow Enough” (2016) which focuses on the link between our emotional intelligence (EQ) and our ability to influence others, without authority. In his book, Ariel describes three critical errors (“Gratification Traps”) that many of us make when trying to persuade others and five complimentary methods for avoiding them.

“Freedom Within The Frame” (2025), a CEO playbook for managing hypercomplex organizations.

Ariel holds a BA in Government, Strategy and Diplomacy Studies (2003) and an MA in Counter-Terrorism and Homeland Security (2008), both from the Interdisciplinary School in Herzeliya, Israel. Ariel is a proud, but not too annoying vegan.

Since 2002, Smadar Bar-Akiva is the Executive Director of JCC Global, a network that represents more than 1000 Jewish Community Centers worldwide and is a preeminent organization in Jewish Peoplehood education. In this capacity, she initiates, designs and implements global Jewish leadership programs, global partnerships and the facilitation of the professional and volunteer network of JCCs the world over.

Prior to that, Smadar worked for JCC Association of North America and also served as a Jewish Agency Community emissary at the Columbus Jewish Federation, Ohio. As a university student, she was a Jewish summer camp specialist in North America, South Africa and the former Yugoslavia.

Smadar holds an M.A. degree (with honors) in Contemporary Jewry and a B.A. (with honors) in International Relations and English Literature from Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She is a graduate of “Kolot” Pluralistic Beit Midrash, a two-year mentorship at the Mandel Leadership Institute and a course in “Strategic Management for Leaders of Non-Governmental Organizations” at the Harvard Kennedy School. Smadar is a certified Coach from Tel-Aviv University’s School of Social Work. In her spare time, she volunteers as a mentor to NGOs via the Ogen Foundation and serves on the steering committee of a new local JCC. A proud mother of two, she resides in Tel Aviv. Among her hobbies are music, fitness and creative writing.

Aviv Dora Presents

An Exclusive Mentalism Gala Experience
For Jewish Communities Across Europe

A Master of the Mind

From predicting Israel’s government elections, to flawlessly forecasting the UEFA Champions League final, and accurately foreseeing Israel’s placement in the Eurovision Song Contest for three consecutive years, Aviv is more than a performer — he is a world-renowned mentalist.

Trusted Worldwide

Global brands, world leaders, and cultural icons have been captivated by Aviv’s performances at the most prestigious events worldwide, delivering astonishing feats for the world’s largest corporations and most celebrated personalities.

An Evening of Wonder

Prepare for breathtaking demonstrations of intuition, high-impact audience interaction, and a performance that blends elegance, emotion, and astonishment.

One Night. One Stage. One Unforgettable Experience

This prestigious gala event is designed to inspire, captivate, and unite the European Jewish Community through moments of wonder and shared fascination.