A brief biography of the 2010 PresenTense Summer Institute Fellows and a description of their ventures

1. DAVID
KRAMER
D avid has Israel in his heart. A self-
declared Israel activist, this passion has
dictated most of his major life decisions and
the biggest organizations in Israel on board,
NU is becoming a relevant platform to con-
nect this generation behind Israel’s story.
has turned him into a true “Yerushalmi” hav-
ing made Israel’s capitol city his home-town David is married to Tova and the proud fa-
for the past ten years. ther of Matan-Ohr and Gilad-Tzvi.
Before making Aliya and serving in the IDF,
David was the head adviser for the Depart-
ment of Informal Jewish Education for the
South African Jewish Board of Education as
well as the founder of the Israel Information PROJECT:
Department for the South African Zionist
Federation. In Israel, David has worked for “The NU Campaign” is an Is-
the Jewish Agency and the World Union raeli social-awareness clothing
of Jewish Students until he decided to es- brand and non-profit organiza-
tablish the NU Campaign – an Israeli social tion dedicated to raising aware-
awareness clothing brand and non-profit
ness and funding for important
organization, dedicated to raising knowl-
edge of and funding for important Israeli Israeli causes and charitable
causes and charitable organizations. organizations. Its mission is to
serve as inspiration for others
Taken from the Israeli slang word “Nu” which to get involved and make a dif-
means “So” or “C’mon” and almost begs a ference!
response, The NU Campaign aims to achieve
exactly that: engage and empower people
worldwide to get active for Israel! With some of

2. DAVID
LASDAY
D avid is a graduate of the University
of Maryland and the former Program
Director for PeacePlayers International –
he had been working as a sports educator.
“Through my work I have witnessed sport’s
Middle East, an organization that uses the true power to unite, educate, and inspire,
game of basketball as a vehicle to educate something I hope to promote and develop
and unite Arab and Jewish children in Isra- through the creation of a socially conscious
el and the West Bank. During his time with Israel coaches training program for young
PeacePlayers International, David matched Jewish leaders from around the world.”
volunteers with assistant coaching opportu-
nities throughout the region, triggering his
desire to create a more formal mechanism
to inspire and train coaches to be agents of
change in their communities. PROJECT:
Prior to working with PeacePlayers Inter- “Bring It In – Israel” is an Israel based
national, David served as Assistant General program that trains and certifies
Manager for the minor league basketball young Jewish leaders from around
team, the Maryland Nighthawks. During his the world to use sports to teach life
time with the team, David initiated commu- skills, Jewish values, and about Isra-
nity outreach programs which attracted over el. During their time in Israel partici-
10,000 fans. pants will hone their coaching skills
and deepen their understanding of
Most recently, David organized and co-host- Jewish values and Israel in classroom
ed a fundraising event at Columbia Universi- settings, while gaining hands on ex-
ty, generating funds and building awareness perience through volunteering with
for both PeacePlayers International and Safe local disadvantaged youth.
Haven West Side Basketball League, where

3. MADELINE
BLEIWEISS
M adeline was born and raised in Cleve-
land, Ohio. After graduating from
Indiana University in 2009, she did some
soul searching in Washington, DC, attempt-
PROJECT:
ing to understand why her degree in Public
Affairs didn’t quite match up to her true in- Madeline’s venture will inspire,
terests. Upon returning home to Cleveland engage, and motivate Cleve-
and witnessing the current “brain drain” land’s Jewish community to cre-
taking place there, Madeline realized that ate and promote Cleveland in a
she wanted to instill the pride and passion youthful, trendy and desirable
she felt for Cleveland in other young adults. light for singles and young cou-
Madeline subsequently began work at
ples.
Cleveland Hillel as the Coordinator of Grad-
uate Student programs, planning social
events and building networks for students.
As the year progressed and with each more
and more successful event, she saw a spark
in Cleveland that needed a serious flame
– the young Jewish community. Currently,
Madeline volunteers frequently on various
committees for Temple Tifereth Israel. With
her ongoing passion for Cleveland and
Judaism, Madeline hopes to combine and
channel that energy into a big change for
the Cleveland community.

4. MANNY
WAKS
M anny was born in Israel, but grew up
mostly in Melbourne, Australia in an ul-
tra-Orthodox environment. He is the second
Manny recently presented at the 2009 Parlia-
ment of the World’s Religions, and is the con-
venor of the Australian Association of Jewish
oldest of 17 children. After returning to Israel Studies 2011 Conference.
to serve in the Israel Defence Forces, Manny
returned to Australia where he completed a Manny is an avid sports fan. He is married
degree in International Relations. During this and has three children.
time he also undertook work and an intern-
ship with a federal parliamentarian, as well
as an internship with the Lowy Institute for
International Policy in Sydney.
PROJECT:
In 2006 Manny was appointed Executive
Officer of the B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation “The Capital Jewish Forum” is
Commission and in 2009 he commenced his a non-partisan Australia-based
current position as Assistant Director – Avia- group inspired by the desire to
tion Security, at the Australian Government’s
promote and strengthen Jewish
Office of Transport Security.
continuity and identity through
Manny is the Vice President of the Canberra the facilitation of meetings and
Jewish Community. He is also the Founder discussions among Jewish pro-
and Director of the Capital Jewish Forum, fessionals nationally, particular-
a non-partisan Australia-based group that ly interaction with distinguished
facilitates meetings and discussions among speakers.
Jewish professionals nationally, particularly
interaction with distinguished speakers.

5. MARLA
GAMORAN
M arla is now ready to launch her
encore career through the new
venture, “Skilled Volunteers for Israel.”
to leave a social legacy.” Marla can’t wait
to connect this rich resource of Jewish
talent with the Israeli non-profit sector.
She has spent most of her professional
life in non-profit and higher education
management. She managed a customized
training department at Madison Area Tech-
nical College for 15 years and has spent the PROJECT:
last 12 months staffing a federal workforce
development project that trained over “Skilled Volunteers for Israel”
1,500 people in south central Wisconsin.
will design and coordinate
A Chicago native, for the past 25 years customized volunteer opportu-
Marla has lived in Madison, Wisconsin nities that link skilled volunteer
where she and her husband raised their resources with the Israeli non-
three children. Her passion for Israel led her profit sector to expand capac-
to discover the need to build the frame- ity, meet specialized needs and
work for baby boomers like herself to transform volunteer engagement.
volunteer their skills and expertise in Israel.
As Marla explains, “Baby Boomers are
the most educated and financially
secure generation in history, and we long

6. NIC
ABERY
N ic is the creative director of “Look-
tolearn.” She creates unique multi-
dimensional educational programs for
schools and families. She has previously PROJECT:
worked in schools and museums in both
London and Seattle and is now develop- “LooktoLearn” is a cross cur-
ing an innovative museum/gallery edu- ricula learning experience that
cation technique to enhance the study combines the study of Tanach
of Jewish texts and museum objects text and Museum art and arti-
and art. Nic believes that her cross facts for schools and families.
curricula learning experience can inspire
a life-long interest in the arts and in Torah.
She lives and works in London with her
husband Simon, sons Jonah and Rafi and
their dog, Emily.

7. MICAH
KURZ
M icah was active in Israel’s National
Youth Movement for over ten years,
where he trained teenagers to work as leaders
Jerusalem “mapping” social justice and
environmental sustainability (the two are
ultimately linked, he believes) as well as the
in their local communities. Before, during grassroots efforts taking place across the
and after his army service, he worked region. He is currently engaged in creating
extensively on leadership programs with a network for Palestinian and Israeli grass-
new immigrant communities in Israel, roots organizations. His mission is to link
mainly with youth from Ethiopia and the the leadership of these organizations with
Caucasus. He was one of the first people to supporting communities in the Diaspora
implement a leadership training curriculum geared towards weaving a common strategy
among Bedouin youth. for realistic lasting peace in Jerusalem.
After an honorable discharge from the army
he co-founded “Breaking the Silence”, an
organization of former Israeli soldiers PROJECT:
speaking out about their army service in the
Occupied Territories and the moral price, “Grassroots Jerusalem” is a
and the degradation of spirit paid on both “bottom-up” mapping project
societal and personal levels while serving of communities and grassroots
the nation.
efforts in Palestinian and Israeli
Since then, Micha has met with grassroots neighborhoods of the greater
activists around the world and has gained Jerusalem area.
perspective on the importance of effective
local community organizing. He has trav-
eled back and forth through East and West

8. MOLLIE
GERVER
M ollie is a campaigner for a more just
policy towards asylum seekers, mostly
from Africa, entering Israel. She has assisted
were not truly threatened. “Unfortunately,”
she says, “there are similar arguments being
used today. It is not enough to refute these
in lobbying in the Knesset for the past four claims with clever debating skills — direct
years, helping persuade current Prime Min- testimonials are the most powerful tool.”
ister Benjamin Netanyahu to sign a peti-
tion against the deportation of refugees in
2007, and she regularly organizes meetings
between Knesset Members and asylum
seekers.
In addition to working extensively with news PROJECT:
agencies, she has debated on the BBC and
Israel’s Kol Yisrael. She is an active member “Refugee Testimonials” is a
of Israel’s university debating league where project where volunteer citizens
she won first place in the country’s 2010 interview asylum seekers. Testi-
English Debating Championships and has
monials are sent to policymakers,
worked as a high school debating coach for
the past eight years. the media, and collected in a
central database to encourage a
While living in the United States as a child, more just Refugee Status Deter-
she remembers visiting Washington DC’s mination process.
Holocaust Museum and wondering how
countries could reject Jews fleeing Nazi
Europe out of fear that they may be spies, or
thinking that their lives, in the mid-1930s,

9. NAOMI
GRUMET
N aomi earned a PhD in sociol-
ogy from Bar Ilan University. Her
doctoral research focused on the
contemporary observance of the mik-
PROJECT:
vah rituals, evidencing a wide range of
social needs, and ways that this ritual “The Eden Center” aims to
connects to Jewish and personal identity. revitalize the mikvah in order
to meet the needs of Jewish
Naomi is spearheading the initiative to women today, making it an in-
found the “Eden Center,” creating a new tegrated and holistic center that
paradigm that will combine state-of-
addresses the needs of body,
the-art mikvah and spa facilities with
educational workshops and health and mind and soul in ways that are
halakhic resources. In addition, Naomi empowering, enriching, and
works as a dental hygienist. She lives personally meaningful.
in Jerusalem and is the mother of three
beautiful children.

10. NOAH
SUDOW
N oah currently serves as the Associate
Director of Economic Advancement
for Chancellor Eric Fingerhut. In this capac-
ity Noah helps coordinate the public insti- PROJECT:
tutions in Ohio (13 universities, 24 branch
campuses, 23 community colleges, and over Noah’s project will create a tool
200 adult workforce sites) in five focus areas: to foster and nurture research
technology transfer and commercialization, collaborations between North-
academic entrepreneurship, developing
communities around campuses, workforce east Ohio and Israeli universi-
development, and global relations. ties resulting in research and
product commercialization that
Noah also serves as the Chancellor’s liaison will bring new industries and
to the Ohio Department of Development jobs to the region and to Israel.
and as a Policy Assistant for Governor
Ted Strickland on issues related to Higher
Education and Economic Development.
Prior to his current role, Noah was a
Research Associate for the Chancellor
of the Ohio Board of Regents, where he
worked on the development of Ohio’s
Strategic Plan for Higher Education.
Noah recently graduated from Ohio State
University with a B.A. in Political Science
and a B.S. in Economics.

11. JACK
REICHERT
J ack has been interested in the en-
vironment from as far back as he
can remember. In the second grade, he
hits monthly and a readership of over
80,000 unique visitors a month, includ-
ing the Prince of Jordan and the Director
rallied all of his classmates to donate one of UNEP.
recess a week to cleaning up litter from
the schoolyard. That was the same year
that a city councilman asked Jack to help
with his campaign because of the letter
Jack had written asking him to clean up
Boston Harbor. PROJECT:
Jack worked his way through a degree “Middle East Cleantech,” as a
at Hebrew University in Philosophy as a branch of GreenProphet.com,
business consultant with Dale Carnegie will provide an online hub for
Training, then as a web development
Middle East Cleantech compa-
director for Jerusalem.com. Upon finish-
ing his degree, Jack jumped into a field nies
that any self-respecting philosopher
would – web development.
But Jack’s passion has always been the
environment. At the end of 2007 Jack
helped launch GreenProphet.com. Today
Green Prophet boasts over 5.5 million

12. YISHAI
MIZRAHI
VARON
Y ishai was born in Jerusalem and
raised in Seattle. He currently
resides in Brooklyn, New York where PROJECT:
he leveraged a chance meeting with
Shemspeed Founder and Director The Keffiyeh is an iconic fashion
Erez Safar at Jewzapalooza — a Jew-
accessory, especially on college
ish-themed summer festival — into a
college internship and a position as
campuses. “The Shemspeed Is-
Associate Director of Marketing. With raeli Keffiyeh Project” utilizes
a degree in Marketing Management popular trends such as music
from Baruch College, Yishai has a solid and fashion to engage Jewish
background in marketing, publicity, students; to leverage their pas-
and promotions. However his strongest sion for what’s hip and hot into
assets are more intangible. Known for an interactive dialogue about
his passion and his drive, Yishai has his
Jewish identity, community, and
finger on the pulse of what is hip, fresh,
fashion forward, and on trend. He has Israel; and to inspire them with
a definitive point of view, a strong edi- relatable role models that exem-
torial eye, and — because he is in the plify Jewish commitment and
music business — an established ear for Israel activism.
talent.,

13. YONATAN
NERIL
Y onatan grew up in northern
California on land with a garden and
orchard that he tended with his mother. PROJECT:
Yonatan also grew up going to Camp
Tawonga — a Jewish camp near Yosem- “Jewish Environmental Teach-
ite — where his body and soul thrived
ing Seminars” will train rabbis,
on being outdoors with other Jews.
Yonatan moved to Israel seven years
rabbinical students, and Jewish
ago and married Shana, who recently educators to teach Jews our tra-
gave birth to their son Shacharya Ohr. dition’s environmental and spiri-
Shacharya Ohr is a big light in his par- tual wisdom
ents’ lives and is also one of Yonatan’s
primary spiritual teachers. Yonatan
is involved in Jewish environmental
work and hopes to spend more time in
nature this coming year.

14. YONI
SARASON
Y oni was born and bred in
Cincinnati. He found his way to St.
Louis by way of Washington Univer- PROJECT:
sity, where he earned a B.A. in Psychol-
ogy. Currently the Program Director The mission of “Next Dor”
for “Next Dor,” an organization based
is to strengthen the Jewish
around building a young adult Jewish
community, Yoni previously started the
community by creating a post-
Moishe House in St. Louis, founded the denominational, non-institutional,
blog, The St. Lou Jew, the site HipHopIn- urban Jewish community space
spires.us, and two chapters of the Hip for young adults in St. Louis.
Hop Congress.

15. ZACH
WEINER
Z ach is a student, pianist, hacker,
and entrepreneur passionate about
using design thinking and technology PROJECT:
to change the world. He’s currently
enrolled in the Symbolic Systems
“GivingTurtle” aims to make
program at Stanford University and
studying human-centered design at the
improving the world for the
Stanford d.school. His micro-philanthro- average user easy, routine, and
py startup, “GivingTurtle.org,” was a web fun through an innovative and
award finalist at South by Southwest In- simple game-based micro-
teractive in 2010 and was featured at donations platform.
the Future of the Internet conference at
Stanford. When not designing or cod-
ing, he could be found playing frisbee
and tennis with friends, or playing the
piano at Carnegie Hall. He’s a big fan
of the New York Yankees and Stanford
football.

16. JENNY
KAUFMAN
J enny is a 2004 graduate of Washington
University in St. Louis. After spending
some time in Los Angeles for grad school
the dynamics of the Jewish community
at large. She is hoping to create not just
a minyan but a strong, empowered com-
studying Assyriology, she returned to munity that will enrich the Cleveland
her hometown of Shaker Heights, Ohio. Jewish community as a whole with so-
Unable to find a religious community that cial justice initiatives, a new social scene,
really spoke to her and her passions, she learning opportunities, and a meaningful
decided to start her own independent connection to Judaism.
minyan targeting young professionals in
the Cleveland area. Through networking
on Facebook, the minyan has had four
successful Kabbalat Shabbat services so PROJECT:
far and plans to expand. With JCF and
Presentense, Jenny hopes to really get Jenny is building a foundation
the minyan off the ground and drum up
for Jewish engagement through
publicity in Cleveland to help attract un-
affiliated young Jews back to a Jewish a local independent minyan in
religious community. Her vision is Cleveland, which can serve as a
one of a grassroots, community led model for other communities.
service (no official rabbi) with tradi-
tional davening, but egalitarian values.
She beleives that being unaffiliated
with a movement helps create a com-
munity where everyone is welcome and
allows the minyan a unique place within