Kipnis-Wilson Friedland Award
Established in 2004, The Kipnis-Wilson Friedland Award recognizes extraordinary women who have set a high standard for philanthropy and volunteerism. These women have been chosen by their communities as "women of valor" with lifetimes of commitment to the Jewish world.
They have made a difference and continue to make a difference-locally and across the globe. Join us in honoring these women by reading about them here, joining your community's celebration of your local honoree, and of course, by joining us in New Orleans at the ILOJC where we will host a special reception for all of us to celebrate together.
This Year's Recipients
ATLANTA
CAROL ZABAN COOPER chairs the board of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta. She has created the Economic Crisis Fund for those in need and has brought the Create a Jewish Legacy initiative to Atlanta. She has held many positions at the Federation, including Women’s Philanthropy Campaign chair and overall Campaign chair.
In addition, Carol has been involved at the Davis Academy, serves as president of Jewish Family and Career Services, and started a cancer support group. In the general Atlanta community, she has been on the board of the Atlanta Women’s Foundation, the Advisory Council to the Office of Women’s Affairs for the State of Georgia, and the board of the Atlanta Ballet, and is a member of the Class of 2005 Leadership Atlanta program.
Carol and her husband, Larry, have four children and nine grandchildren. She is a Lion of Judah and LOJE.
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BALTIMORE
ROSALEE DAVISON, a board mem-ber of THE ASSOCIATED: Jewish Federation of Baltimore, has held a variety of leadership roles, including chair of the Harry Greenstein Legacy Society, life member of the Women’s Department board, past Campaign chair and president of the Women’s Department, founding chair of the Baltimore Jewish Women’s Foundation, chair of the Lion of Judah Campaign, past chair of LOJE and past chair of PACT (Parents & Children Together). She also served on the Advisory Board of National Women’s Philanthropy, and received the ASSOCIATED: Jewish Community Federation’s Harry Greenstein Award in 1995.
Rosalee has been an active volunteer with the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, Florida and sits on the board of Hillel of Syracuse University. She sits on the board of the Walters Art Museum and the Maryland Institute College of Art, and she serves as vice chair of the Maryland Public Television Foundation board.
Rosalee and her husband, Richard, have three children and seven grandchildren. She currently works as an interior designer, jewelry designer and museum docent.
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BOSTON
BETH MOSKOWITZ has served in many roles in the Women’s Division of Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston, including president, co-chair for Missions to Israel, and chair of the Adult Learning committee. She currently serves on the Board of Governors, Overseas committee, and Major Gifts committee. Beth has also served as vice chair for the National Women’s Philanthropy board, and is currently serving on the NWP Advisory board and as Shabbaton co-chair for the upcoming General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America.
Outside the Federation, Beth works with the executive committee for the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston, and chairs its Dnepropetrovsk Kehillah Project. She serves as a trustee of the Hebrew College in Newton, and on the board of the Anti-Defamation League of New England. She is also a past
president of BJE for greater Boston and of her synagogue, Temple Aliyah.
Beth, a LOJE, and her husband Michael have three children.
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BROWARD COUNTY
Carrie Schulman has been active with the United Jewish Community of Broward County for many years, and was president of the Women’s Division. She was a chair of the Lion of Judah/Lion of Judah Endowment event and is currently a member of the Women’s Executive Circle, a group comprising business and professional leaders working to empower the women of tomorrow. In 1995, the Women’s Division honored Carrie with the Lisa R. Shulman Leadership Award and two years later, she received the June M. Gordon Award.
Carrie has been deeply involved with numerous organizations in Broward County, notably the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, where she has been an integral part of the Annual Gala, serving as past chair, committee member and honoree.
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CALGARY
Sandy Martin has served as chair of the Women’s Division, Lion of Judah Committee, and Campaign for the Calgary Jewish Community Council. She sat on the National Steering Committee of the Women’s Leadership Development Conference for UIA Federations Canada in 2006. Sandy also served as national president for Canadian Hadassah, president of the Soskin Foundation, and as a member of the board for the Somar Family Foundation. She has been an active community volunteer for the Calgary Jewish Community Council, Canadian Friends of Hebrew University, and the Fundraising Committee of Little Synagogue on the Prairie Project.
Currently on the board of Alberta Global Forum, Sandy has also served on the boards of Calgary Health Region, Esther Honens Invitational, West Island College, Calgary Foothills Hospital Country Auction, and as co-chair of the Canadian Cancer Society galas in Calgary. She is a LOJE.
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CENTRAL NEW JERSEY
Betty Seidel has been involved with the Jewish Federation of Central New Jersey since 1974. She has served as president of the Women’s Division, co-chair of the Ruby Lion of Judah Division, vice president of Education and Special Projects, Lion of Judah Endowment Chair, and has served on the Federation Endowment Foundation board. She was also the second woman in Central NJ to be named a Woman of Valor.
On the national level, Betty served on the Women’s Division Region I board of the United Jewish Appeal and the Council of Jewish Federations. Within the local Jewish community, she was president of the Westfield Chapter of Hadassah and served on the board of the NJ Hadassah Zionist Youth Commission.
Betty and her husband, Herb, have two children.
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CHARLOTTE
In Charlotte, North Carolina, the name Stacy Gorelick is synonymous with tzedakah.
Stacy has held important volunteer jobs throughout the Jewish community. She served as president of the Federation’s Women’s Division and co-chaired The Main Event. She served on the Charlotte Jewish Day School board for 10 years, chaired the Day School Annual Fund, served on the Temple board and the JCC Executive Board. To encourage young women to become Lions of Judah, she co-chaired the Lions for two years and met with great success. The first year, six new Lions joined, and 11 women became Lions of Judah the second year.
Stacy is an endowed Lion of Judah and currently serves as the Federation’s endowment chair. She is especially proud that her children are following in her philanthropic footsteps. Two of her and her husband Todd’s four children have celebrated their b’nei mitzvah, and in lieu of gifts, they each requested donations for projects of their own choosing. Her son selected the Agahozo Shalom Youth Village, a non-sectarian JDC program in Rwanda, while her daughter chose a Youth Center run by the Ethiopian National Project.
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CHICAGO
Ann-Louise Kleper currently serves on the board of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago and on its executive committee. She has played roles in Campaign, Overall Planning, and Allo-cations. Prior to moving to Chicago, Ann-Louise held leadership positions in the Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston, where she received the President’s Young Leadership Award.
Nationally, Ann-Louise was chair of National Women’s Philanthropy, chair of National Young Leadership Cabinet, chair of the National Business & Professional Leadership Forum, vice chair of JFNA, and chair of its Domestic Affairs Cabinet. Currently she is a member of the Alliance Leadership Committee and the United Israel Appeal board.
Ann-Louise is a Lion of Judah and a principal in the law firm of Lewis, Davidson, and Hetherington, Ltd. She has two children and one grandson with her husband, Dennis.
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CINCINNATI
Susan Brenner currently serves as Youth and Family co-chair for Planning and Allocations and is a volunteer for My Family on Call, the Partnership 2000 Committee, and the Jewish Women Endowment Fund at the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati. Previously, she co-chaired the Jewish Federation Annual Campaign, the Lion of Judah Division, Partnership 2000 with Netanya, and served on the Federation board and executive board.
Susan is also active outside the Federation, having served on the Hillel board and volunteered with Jewish Family Services and the American Jewish Committee. She is a member of Wise Temple Sisterhood and visits the elderly and patients at the Jewish Hospital on Fridays. In her neighborhood of Wyoming, Ohio she has chaired the Wyoming Youth Services’ largest fundraiser and volunteers at the Wyoming Art Show.
In 2005, she received the Wyoming Citizen of the Year Award and in 2008 the Girl Scouts of Western Ohio Woman of Distinction Award.
For 22 years, Susan was president of BMEI, a promotions and event production company, and is currently a partner in the Milenthal Group, a public relations firm.
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CLEVELAND
Lois Marcus has been active in the Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland for several decades. She served as board chair and Campaign chair of the Women’s Division, and has been a member of the Lion of Judah committee, the Federation’s executive committee, the Federation’s board of trustees, the Federation’s Nominating Committee, and several event committees.
Lois is now a Ruby Lion and a LOJE. She is a member of the Silver Circle governing board and a Silver Circle 50 member. Lois has also served on the boards of many of the Cleveland Federation’s local Jewish partner agencies.
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COLORADO
Robin Chotin has been an active volunteer with the Allied Jewish Federation of Colorado for over 20 years, and has been a board member since 1996. Not only was she the first female Campaign chair, but she also chaired the Coordinating Council, Federation’s governing body, and served on JFNA’s National Women’s Philanthropy board. Robin also received the highest, most respected women’s award in Denver’s community, the Golda Meir Award.
Robin currently serves as a board member of Shalom Park and board member of National Jewish Health. Previously, she served on the Rose Medical Center Women’s Auxiliary, the Auxiliary of National Jewish Health, the board of trustees of Colorado Academy, and the Rose Community Foundation’s Jewish Life Committee.
Robin has three children and three grandchildren.
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COLUMBIA
Pat Baker served as chair of the Women’s Division of the Jewish Federation of Columbia, South Carolina and co-chair of the Golda Meir Division of the Federation Campaign. She is also a recipient of the Federation’s Sh’ma, Lion of Judah and Distinguished Community Service awards as well as the State of Israel Heritage Award. She is a member of the Beth Shalom Sisterhood, Tree of Life Sisterhood, ORT, B’nai B’rith Women, and a past president of Hadassah.
In the local community, Pat was president of the Congaree Girl Scouts Area Council. She worked with the Columbia Music Festival Association, the Christian Action Council, League of Women Voters, the Columbia Museum of Arts and Sciences, the United Way of the Midlands, and the South Carolina State Museum Foundation board.
Pat and her late husband, Lee, have three daughters.
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COLUMBUS
Bonnie Milenthal has served as a board member of the Columbus Jewish Federation and as chair of the Women’s Campaign. She and her husband, David, co-chaired the 2001 Campaign. Bonnie has also been on the National Women’s Philanthropy board and the Anti-Defamation League board, and chaired the Jewish Community Relations Council.
In the general community, Bonnie serves on the boards of many different groups, including the Columbus Urban League, the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts, the Columbus Zoo, the Ohio board of Regents, and the board of Wilberforce University. She was appointed by President Clinton to the President’s Advisory Committee for the Arts, and served on the U.S. Department of Commerce District Export Council for Southern Ohio.
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DALLAS
Sandy Donsky currently serves as the Women’s Philanthropy co-chair for the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas. Before this, she held numerous other positions, including Lion of Judah Campaign chair, Women’s Event co-chair, president of Younger Set, and Younger Set Campaign chair. In addition, Sandy has been a member of the National Young Leadership Cabinet and women’s missions to Israel, Poland, Romania, and Canada. She was the recipient of the Bess Nathan Young Leadership Award.
Sandy’s other passions include volunteering for Attitudes and Attire (dressing homeless women seeking jobs), and serving on the boards of Congregation Shearith Israel, Legacy Senior Communities, and the American Jewish Committee. She enjoys spending time with her husband of over 30 years, Howard, their daughter Lauren and their Bichon Dylan.
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DAYTON
Judy Abromowitz has held many offices on the board of the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton and is currently president-elect, chairing the Dayton Federation’s 100th anniversary celebration year. Judy has also served as chair of the Young Women’s board, Women’s Campaign chair, Women’s Division president and general Campaign chair. Judy has been a Lion of Judah since 1996. She is also a LOJE and currently chairs LOJE recruitment efforts.
Judy serves on the Vandalia Butler school board and the Artemis Center board. She was a winner of the Dorothy B. Moyer Young Leadership Award, was named one of Dayton’s Top Ten Women, received the Artemis Peacekeepers Award, and was named a Hillel Academy Mitzvah Hero.
Judy and her husband, Dr. Howard Abromowitz, have four children and two grandchildren.
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DELAWARE
Robin Kauffman Saran has served the Jewish Federation of Delaware in many different capacities. She is currently Federation first vice president and chair of the Human Resources committee, and has also served as chair of the Annual Campaign. Robin serves as a member of the National Women’s Philanthropy board, as well as a past member of National Young Leadership Cabinet.
Robin is also active in the local Jewish community. She serves as a member of the Kutz Foundation board and has served on the executive committee of the Bernard & Ruth Siegel JCC. She is also a past president of the Albert Einstein Academy, the Jewish day school in Delaware.
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DETROIT
Susie Pappas has been involved with the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit in a number of capacities, including General Campaign chair, but her primary involvement has been with the Women’s Department. She served as Women’s Department Campaign chair and president, and helped to execute the Mosaic Mission to Israel. Susie also serves on the National Women’s Philanthropy board. She is a LOJE and Star of David Society member.
Susie has served in other areas of the Detroit Jewish community, including on the boards of Jewish Family Service, Hebrew Free Loan Association, and the Jewish Community Center. She has chaired events for Bar Ilan University, Yad Ezra, a local food pantry, and Weizmann Institute of Science. Susie is also a founding member of the Detroit Jewish Women’s Foundation, and was honored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Detroit Chapter as the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit’s Distinguished Volunteer.
Susie and her husband, Norm, have three children and two grandchildren.
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EAST BAY
Terry Friedkin is currently serving as president of the Jewish Community Federation of the Greater East Bay (California). She previously served as Women’s Philanthropy president, Campaign chair, and Education chair. Terry’s other Federation roles are on the Finance, Budget, and Long Range Planning committees. She is an endowed Lion of Judah and has enjoyed the Campaign and Directors Mission to Israel as well as many Lion conferences and GAs. Terry also serves on the board of National Women’s Philanthropy.
In addition to her active Federation involvement, Terry has also been president, Finance chair and Havurah chair of her synagogue. Terry and her husband, Stephen, have two children and two grandchildren.
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GRAND RAPIDS
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Karen Padnos served three years as chair of the Jewish Federation of Grand Rapids, and was one of the driving forces in the establishment of the community’s United Jewish School. She also helped spearhead the effort to create a community endowment program.
Karen is a Lion of Judah who has inspired others to become Lions as well. She has motivated several emerging leaders to attend national events, such as missions to Washington and Israel. She has attended several GAs, and has always brought back great ideas, energy and skills in Jewish communal leadership.
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GREENSBORO
Sylvia Samet has held many positions with the Greensboro Jewish Federation, including Women’s Philanthropy Division president, Women’s Philanthropy Campaign chair, and representative of Greensboro on the UJA National Women’s Division board. She also was one of the women in the Greensboro community to initiate a Lion of Judah Endowment, served as Region Chair of LOJE, and has chaired the Federation’s Snowbird Event.
Aside from her Federation work, Sylvia has served on the boards of Beth David Synagogue, Reading Connections, United Way, United Arts Council, Greensboro Symphony, and the Eastern Music Festival. Sylvia and her husband, Norman, have three children and eight grandchildren.
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HARTFORD
Lisa Fishman, past Women’s Philanthropy chair for the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, is currently Hart-ford’s Major Gifts co-chair for the General Campaign and LOJE chair, as well as Best Practices chair of the National Women’s Philanthropy board. She serves on the Federation board and on the board of the Council on Jewish Education and Leadership. She is a trustee of the Jewish Community Foundation, chairs the Development committee, and is a member of the Foundation Grant committee.
Additionally, Lisa serves on the board of Solomon Schechter Day School and is involved in many other Jewish agencies. In recognition of her work she has received Federation’s Bernard L. Gottlieb Young Leadership Award and the 2003 Next Generation Leadership Award of the Jewish Community Center Association. Lisa is an Endowed Ruby Lion and has two sons with her husband, Peter.
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HOUSTON
Esther Polland has served as board president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston, and as the Federation’s Annual Campaign chair and Women’s Campaign chair. She is on the board and executive committee of the Houston Jewish Community Foundation, and was a Wexner Heritage Foundation Fellow.
Nationally, Esther has served on the National Young Leadership Cabinet, the National Women’s Philanthropy board, the JFNA board, and the JFNA executive committee and Coordinating Council. Esther also has served as chair of the JFNA Consulting committee and vice chair of JFNA.
Esther has served on many other boards, as well, including the JCC, Congregation Beth Yeshurun, the Emery/Weiner School, TORCH, and the national board of Hillel. She also served as president of the board of Texas Hillel and is a Lion of Judah.
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INDIANAPOLIS
Claudette Einhorn is the incoming chair of the Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis’ Endowment Committee. She has served as Federation president, and as a board member of National Women’s Philanthropy. Outside her generous work at the Federation, she has served on the board of JCCA of North America, as president of JCC, and as president of the Jewish Community Relations Council. She is the recipient of two prestigious awards in the Indianapolis Jewish community: the Leibert Mossler Award and the L.I. Goodman Leadership Award.
Locally, Claudette is the president of Planned Parenthood, and has worked for Gleaners Food Bank, the Heartland Film Festival, and the Indianapolis Opera. She was noted as one of the most influential women in Indianapolis in the 2009 Indianapolis Business Journal.
Claudette ran her own local catering company for 20 years, and she has two children and one grandchild with her husband, Larry. She is a LOJE.
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JACKSONVILLE
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Judy Silverman has served the Jacksonville Jewish Federation in many roles, including as a board member, an officer, and president of the Women’s Campaign. She and her husband, Steve, are the 2010 chairs of the Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly, and she is a member of the International Lion of Judah Conference leadership committee. She was awarded the Jacksonville Young Leadership Award and was recognized as one of the Federation’s Extraordinary Women. She also won the JCA’s Community Service Award.
Judy and Steve have chaired many missions to Israel, and Judy chaired the community’s Jewish Book Festival for eight years. She is also a founder and vice president of human resources for Raven Transportation, a large company with an active social action committee. She and Steve are most proud of their two children and grandchildren.
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KANSAS CITY
Shirley White is an extremely active member of the Women’s Division board at the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City. In the past, she served as a Lion of Judah chair and solicited door to door for the Annual Campaign.
Shirley is also very active in the local Jewish community. She was responsible for creation of a theater at the Kansas City JCC, known as the Lewis and Shirley White Theatre. Shirley and her daughter, Linda, also advocated and paid for a play area at the Jewish retirement center, Village Shalom, so that young children visiting their relatives would have recreation, as well.
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KEREN HAYESOD
Laurence Borot was elected president of Keren Hayesod International Women’s Division in 2005 and reelected to a three-year term in 2008. She is also a member of the Keren Hayesod board, as well as its fundraising committee and communication and marketing committee. In addition, Laurence sits on the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency for Israel.
From 2003 to 2005, Laurence served as vice president of the International Women’s Division, demonstrating her talent for keeping in touch with, and supporting, women’s divisions around the world. In 2005 she completed a four-year term as president of the French Women’s Division. During her presidency, Laurence worked diligently to organize events, enlist more women volunteers and increase fundraising. She ensures that her committee members are kept up to date with developments and believes in full cooperation.
Laurence has a long and impressive record of devoting time to charitable work serving Jewish causes as well as initiatives to support Israel and the French Jewish Community. She has fought for Soviet refuseniks, for cancer research and for disabled children. In 1981, together with a group of friends, she established the first French Jewish broadcasting station.
Laurence continues to be involved in FSJU (Unified Social Jewish Funds), the main body of the French Community, as a member of the Executive and chair of the Committee for Relations with International Jewish Institutions. She is also involved with CRIF (Representative Council of Jewish Organizations), the European Association of Jewish Community Centers, and the Art and Culture Center.
Besides her voluntary activities, Laurence runs her own business as well as her home and family of three children.
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LAS VEGAS
Marcy Simon has had many roles in the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas Women’s Philanthropy Council, including: co-chair of the Women’s Philanthropy Retreat, co-chair of Spring Outreach, first vice president for board membership, Women’s Philanthropy treasurer, and Women’s Philanthropy Council member at large. In 1996 she led a delegation of Las Vegas Lions of Judah to the International Lion of Judah conference in Washington, D.C.
Marcy also served as first vice president and board member at the Jewish Family Services Agency of Las Vegas. She served as a board member for the Jewish Community Center of Southern Nevada, president of Women’s American ORT, director of the Western Folk Life Center, director and board member of Great Basin College, and as board member of her synagogue, Congregation Ner Tamid.
Marcy is a LOJE.
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LEHIGH VALLEY, PENNSYLVANIA
Phoebe Altman has been involved with the Federation throughout her adult life, first through the UJA Campaign in Easton, Pennsylvania, where she started the first Women’s Division, and then as an active Campaign volunteer and board member after the Easton UJA merged with the Jewish Federations of Allentown and Bethlehem to become the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley.
Phoebe has also served on the boards of the Jewish Family Service, Bnai Abraham Synagogue, and other non-profit organizations that benefit health care and culture. She and her husband, Arthur, have five children and 10 grandchildren.
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LOS ANGELES
Laurie Konheim has held many positions in the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles. She served as Women’s Campaign chair, General Campaign chair, and chair of the Leadership Enrichment and Development Initiative. She has been a Lion of Judah since 1987, and has been instrumental in strengthening the Los Angeles Lions into a vibrant group.
Laurie and her husband, Lyn, are leading philanthropists in Los Angeles and throughout the Jewish community. They have two children and a daughter-in-law.
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LOS ANGELES, VALLEY ALLIANCE
Margy Rosenbluth has been a Lion of Judah since 1986 and is currently the Leadership Advisor for the Women’s Department board of the Jewish Federation Valley Alliance. She is also on the board of the Valley Alliance and sits on its Executive committee. Margy has endowed her pin and recently became a Star of David Society member.
In addition to her current role in the Women’s Department and as chair of the Los Angeles Federation Transaction Committee, Margy has been chair of the Valley Alliance Women’s Campaign, president of the Women’s Department, Valley Alliance Campaign chair and Valley Alliance president, among other positions. She continues to be a guiding light to the Women’s Department.
Margy and Allan have three children and five grandchildren.
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LONG BEACH
Arlene Solomon has been involved with the Women’s Division of the Jewish Federation of Greater Long Beach and West Orange County (California) for over 30 years. During this time, she chaired the Women’s Division’s Education and Leadership Development committees. She has also established a LOJE and endowed the annual VISIONS Women’s Campaign event.
Outside the Federation, Arlene was the first Jewish woman to serve on the Long Beach school board, and helped establish a volunteer program while there. She is also active in and has received honors from the National Council of Jewish Women and her temple.
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LOUISVILLE
Cheryl Karp has served the Jewish Community Federation of Louisville Women’s Division in many roles, including chair, Campaign co-chair, and Campaign chair. Moreover, she has served as a Federation board member and secretary, and co-chaired three missions to Israel.
Additionally, Cheryl served on the United Jewish Appeal’s Midwest Region Women’s Cabinet and chaired the Midwest Region Women’s Campaign Leadership Conference. She has been a board member of the National Council of Jewish Women and the Jewish Community Center, where she also chaired the Acculturation Committee.
Cheryl and her husband, David, have two children and two grandchildren.
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MEMPHIS
Diane Mendelson has been a Lion of Judah for 20 years. She served as president of the Women’s Division, vice president of Allocations, vice president of Campaign, vice president of Israel and Overseas, chair of the Lion of Judah Division, and as president of the Memphis Jewish Federation from 1993 through 1995.
Currently, Diane is secretary of the Jewish Foundation of Memphis. She was previously on the National Young Leadership Cabinet and served as a member of the National Women’s Cabinet for CJF. She is a member of the board of Plough Towers, a HUD senior housing facility.
Professionally, Diane is an affiliate broker realtor. She and her husband, Paul, have two sons and five grandchildren.
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METROWEST, NEW JERSEY
Jacqueline K. Levine has served on the executive committee of the United Jewish Communities of MetroWest New Jersey’s board for 30 years. She has served on numerous other committees in the Federation, was Women’s Division Campaign chair, and is a lifetime member of the Women’s Philanthropy board.
Jacqueline was the first woman to serve as the national chair of the American Jewish Congress’s Governing Council and was a founding member of both MAZON and the Jewish Fund for Justice. She has served on the national boards of HIAS, National Women’s Philanthropy, and JDC.
Jacqueline has a long history of volunteerism, starting with the American Jewish Congress, where she was national president of the Women’s Division, in its fight to oppose Joe McCarthy in 1954. She was also very involved in the Civil Rights Movement and in protesting against the restrictive Soviet Jewry emigration policies. In 2008, Jacqueline was featured in the PBS documentary The Jewish Americans.
Jacqueline and Howard, her husband of 61 years, have three children and six grandchildren.
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MIAMI
Maxine E. Schwartz has had many roles at the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. She has served on the Federation’s executive committee, with the Women’s Division, and in the General Campaign in many different positions, including General Campaign chair. In 1976, the Greater Miami Jewish Federation awarded her the Stanley C. Myers Award, given for outstanding young leadership. In 2009, she was elected a Life Member of the Federation board.
Maxine served for 12 years with various portfolios in the national United Jewish Appeal’s Women’s Campaign, including National Lion of Judah chair, National Education chair, and National Training chair. She was instrumental in mounting the Federation’s first “mega-mission” to Israel in 1990. She and her husband, Kenneth, led two other mega-missions, including one in 1998 that included more than 2,000 people.
Maxine and Kenneth have six children and seven grandchildren.
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MIDDLESEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY
Susan Mandell, currently serving on the executive committee of the Jewish Federation of Greater Middlesex County, began serving the Jewish community in 1964 as cantor of Temple Emanu-El. She served as president of the Jewish Federation of Northern Middlesex County, and her greatest achievement was the merger of two Federations, Northern Middlesex and Raritan Valley, into one. There she chaired numerous committees—Allocations, Strategic Planning, and Campaign—and then served as Federation president.
Susan, currently on the board of JFNA, served as vice president of the State Association of New Jersey Jewish Federations, Cabinet member of the Northeast region of the United Jewish Appeal, trustee of the United Way of Central New Jersey and trustee of the Solomon Schechter Day School of Essex and Union. She has received many awards, including the President’s Award, Woman of the Year and Woman of Valor.
Susan and her husband, Jon, have four children and 10 grandchildren.
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MILWAUKEE
Jody Kaufman Loewenstein is currently a board member of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation. She has served as chair of Volunteer Engagement and Leadership Development, general chair for Community Campaigns, president of the Women’s Division, Women’s Division Campaign chair, and as chair of the Allocations Panel.
Nationally, Jody is a trustee for JFNA, serves on its executive committee, is a chair of the JFNA National Federation/Agency Alliance, and is also a member of the JFNA General Assembly Planning committee and the By-laws committee. She also served on the board of National Women’s Philanthropy and currently sits on the NWP advisory board. She was the Membership chair of the National Young Leadership Cabinet.
Jody is a board member of the Jewish Community Foundation and is past chair of the Camp Scholarship Committee. A professional art dealer, she has three sons with her husband, Paul.
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MINNEAPOLIS
Kris MacDonald, currently president of the Minneapolis Jewish Federation, has also served as Campaign chair, Women’s Division Campaign chair, president of the Women’s Endowment Fund, and as a founding board member of the Business and Professional Women’s Division. Now she is also a LOJE.
In addition to her Federation work, Kris has served on the National Young Leadership Cabinet and as a board member at the Sabes Jewish Community Center and Temple Israel. She currently sits on the National Women’s Philanthropy board and the board of Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
Kris and her husband, John, have seven children and six grandchildren.
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MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY
Wendy Marks has served the Jewish Federation of Greater Monmouth County in many ways, including her roles as Federation president, board chair, and chair of Partnership 2000. As a member of the board of National Women’s Philanthropy, she has co-chaired the Northeast Region Women’s Conference and the Northeast Lion of Judah Conference.
In addition to her Federation activities, Wendy serves on the board of the American Israel Cultural Foundation and the Axelrod Performing Arts Center. She is also active in a variety of activities with Hadassah and Chabad Lubavitch of Manalapan, which honored her as Woman of the Year in 2000.
Wendy is a retired real estate broker, and has four children and seven grandchildren with her husband, Jerry.
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MONTREAL
Alice Raby has been a dedicated Montreal Jewish Community volunteer. Currently she is a member of the President’s Council, Women’s Philan-thropy and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Jewish General Hospital Foundation. She has chaired Women’s Campaign and served as co-chair of UIA Women’s National Division.
Alice has been a member of the Board of Trustees of Congregation Shaar Hashomayim, one of Canada’s oldest and most prestigious synagogues. She has been involved in leading and supporting other communal organizations such as Hope & Cope (Jewish General Hospital), McGill University’s Goodman Cancer Centre, Israel Cancer Research, Mazon and Jewish National Fund. For three years she chaired Montreal’s March of the Living. Following that she served a two year term as President of the Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre.
She has been honored with several awards for community service, including the Women’s Philanthropy Awards; Mildred B. Lande Award and the Minnie Cummings Abbey Award. As well as several Federation CJA Awards, including, the Rhoda Leopold Memorial Award and the Gordon Schwartz Memorial Award.
Alice and her husband Joel have two children and three grandchildren.
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NEW HAVEN
Betsy Smirnoff Hoos has served as president of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven, General Campaign chair, and as the Women’s Division Campaign chair and president. She has also served on the National Young Leadership Cabinet, and now serves on the board of National Women’s Philanthropy. She was the first woman to chair the board of trustees of the Jewish Foundation of Greater New Haven.
Additionally, Betsy and her husband Jeffrey were awarded the Harry Lender Memorial Young Leadership Award. She was honored by Israel Bonds and participated in the Wexner Heritage Program as a fellow.
Betsy is a Sapphire Lion and a LOJE. She and Jeffrey have three children and will be celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary this year.
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NEW ORLEANS
Joan Berenson has served as president of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans, Annual Campaign chair, and chair of the Jewish Identity and Continuity Task Force. After Hurricane Katrina she chaired the task force designed to recruit and retain Jewish New Orleans residents. Joan also co-chaired the Metairie Campus Capital Campaign, raising money to build the structure that houses the Jewish Federation offices, the Metairie Jewish Community Center and the New Orleans Jewish Day School.
Joan currently serves as president of the National Council of Jewish Women, Greater New Orleans Section, and on the boards of the Jewish Children’s Regional Service, the New Orleans Jewish Day School and the Jewish Endowment Foundation.
Joan and her husband, Gerald, have four children, 10 grandchildren, and one great-grandson. She is a LOJE.
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NEW YORK
Carol Wolowitz serves on the Long Island Women’s Campaign Cabinet and the Women’s Philanthropy Annual Campaign committee at the UJA-Federation of New York. She is a past member of the L.I. Program Services and the L.I. Steering committees, and the UJA-Federation board of directors. She also served as L.I. Women’s Campaign chair.
Carol is involved in several UJA-Federation affiliated agencies, including the Gurwin Geriatric Foundation and the Jewish Family Services. In addition, she co-chaired the Vagina Monologues Benefit Planning Committee that raised $120,000 for its Family Violence program. Carol is also an associate trustee of North Shore Hospital and co-chairs the Contemporary Collectors Circle of the Nassau County Museum.
Carol is a LOJE and has endowed her daughter’s gift. She and her husband, Arnold, have two children and six grandchildren.
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NORTHEASTERN, NEW YORK
Ilene Sykes has been a Lion of Judah for the past 16 years, and a LOJE for the past eight years. She served as president of the Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York, as a member of the executive committee, and as president of Women’s Philanthropy. Aside from her work at the Federation, Ilene has served as president of her synagogue, Congregation Beth Emeth, and as president of the Sydney Albert Albany Jewish Community Center.
Professionally, Ilene is the chief financial officer of her family’s business, The Party Warehouse. She and her husband, Jerry, have three children.
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NORTHERN NEW JERSEY
Eva Lynn Gans has volunteered for many causes and has held numerous leadership positions in the Northern New Jersey and worldwide Jewish communities. Having served as the Women’s Division president of the UJC of Bergen County, Eva was also the first woman Campaign chair for the entire Bergen County Federation and served as Federation president from 1998-2000. She was the first woman president of the Endowment Foundation of UJA Federation of Northern New Jersey. On the national scene, Eva is a member of the board of trustees of the Jewish Federations of North America. She is also currently the president of her synagogue, the Jewish Center of Teaneck, the first woman to hold this position in the synagogue’s 75 year history.
Eva has traveled to Israel 27 timessince 1970 and has attended or led 14 UJA Israel Missions. She has received many awards including Gates of Jerusalem Award, Boys Town Jerusalem; honoree, United Jewish Community Women’s Division Spring Luncheon; Woman of Vision Tribute, Northeastern NJ Region of Women's American ORT; both the Woman of Valor Award and the Award of Honor, Bergen County Israel Bonds Women's Division; Lion of Judah Award, Israel Bonds; and she was the first woman recipient of the Shofar Award, Jewish Committee on Scouting, Bergen Council, Boy Scouts of America.
Eva is a computer consultant and lives in Teaneck with her husband Leo. She is the proud mother of three sons with wonderful partners who have enriched her life with five amazing grandchildren.
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OKLAHOMA CITY
Linda Gardner is currently a co-chair of the 2010 Campaign and a member of the executive committee of the Jewish Federation of Greater Oklahoma City. She is an immediate past president of the Federation, one of the few who, when called upon, agreed to serve a second term. She is also an endowed Ruby Lion.
Aside from her Federation service, Linda is also an active member of Emanuel Synagogue. She serves on the board, the Selection and Oversight committee, and as chair of the annual Passover event. She and her husband, Justin, have participated in countless missions to Israel.
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OMAHA
Dorothy Riekes and her late husband Henry established an endowment fund with the Jewish Federation of Omaha in 1975. She has also been active in many Omaha Jewish institutions aside from Federation, including Beth El Synagogue, the Friedel Jewish Academy, Hadassah, the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society, National Council of Jewish Women, and B’nai B’rith Women.
Dorothy and Henry were presented with the 1990 Jewish Federation of Omaha’s Humanitarian of the Year award. They have three children, nine grandchildren, and 13 great grandchildren.
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ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Debbie Margolis currently serves as vice president of Development at the Jewish Federation of Orange County. In the past she has served as president of Women’s Philanthropy and vice president of Social Action/Outreach. Debbie is also a member of the Chairman’s Circle of Jewish Family Service and is on the steering committee for Women 4 Women: Helping Women Forward.
An active member of her synagogue, Debbie has held several positions on Temple Bat Yahm boards, and was the temple’s “Woman of the Year” in 2004. She and her husband, Jeff, are very active in temple life. Debbie holds a master’s degree in education and taught for nine years before retiring to devote more time to her volunteer work.
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ORLANDO
Henrietta Katzen has been a key leader in the Orlando Jewish Community for over three decades. She has served as a Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando board member, chair of the LOJE, chair of the Lion of Judah Division, and chair of the Major Donors Division. She has volunteered her time and received numerous recognitions from many different organizations, including T.O.P. Jewish Foundation, Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center, the Hebrew Day School, Central Florida Hillel, State of Israel Bonds, Orlando Museum of Art Acquisition Trust, Jewish Museum of Florida, Morse Museum, and Cornell Museum.
Henrietta and her husband, Marc, delight in their children and grandchildren.
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OTTAWA
Bonnie Merovitz has held many leadership positions in the Jewish Federation of Ottawa, including co-chair of the Shalom Welcome Committee, chair of the Women’s Division, co-chair of the State of Israel Bonds Committee, and board member of the Ottawa Jewish Community Foundation. She is currently chair of the Allocations Committee. During her leadership of the Women’s Division in 1992, the Young Women’s Leadership Council was launched.
Bonnie, a LOJE, and her husband, Chuck, established their own endowment fund through the Ottawa Jewish Community Foundation. They have two sons and two grandsons.
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PALM BEACH COUNTY
Barbara Kay is a distinguished leader in the Jewish community. She has served as president of the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County as well as president of the Women’s Division. She is also a member of the Jewish Federations of North America’s board of trustees and the board of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee.
Barbara has been the host of “MOSAIC,” the Federation-sponsored weekly television program broadcast locally on the NBC affiliate, for more than 20 years. She has also produced seven documentaries for JDC. She formerly owned Barbara Gordon Associates, a marketing and advertising firm.
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PALM SPRINGS
Celia Norian is currently chair of the Allocations committee of the Jewish Federation of Palm Springs and Desert Area. She has served in many roles on the Women’s Philanthropy board, including as president, recording secretary, and Campaign vice president. She has also served as recording secretary of the Federation board.
Outside of the Federation, Celia was formerly president of the Arrowhead chapter of Hadassah, and is now a representative of the Hadassah Cabinet in Southern California. Additionally, she is a member of the board of directors at her synagogue, Temple Isaiah. Celia and her husband, Sandy, operate an insurance business.
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PHILADELPHIA
Lana Dishler has served as the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s vice president and secretary. Furthermore, she served as president of the Women’s Leadership board, co-chair of the Federation’s Mitzvah Mania day, co-chair of the Centennial Celebration committee, chair of the Resettlement and Missions committee, and co-chair of the Israel 50 celebration. She recently served on the planning committee for the 2010 Women’s Philanthropy Live It Up committee, and was co-chair of the Women’s Philanthropy Gala.
Apart from Federation work, Lana is a former vice president of HIAS and Council Migration Service. She served as co-chair of the Soviet Jewry Council of Philadelphia and Summit Sunday: the March on Washington for Soviet Jewry. Professionally, Lana is an elementary school teacher and an educational sales representative and consultant. She and her husband, Bernard, have two children and three grandchildren.
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PHOENIX
Sandra Sheinbein has served the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix for many years and in many different roles. She has served as Women’s Department president, Women’s Campaign chair, Federation secretary, and Search Committee chair. She has served on the Federation’s executive committee as well as the executive committee of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Phoenix. For her work, she received the Medal of Honor, the Young Leadership Award, and the Golda Meir Award.
She served on the boards of National Women’s Philanthropy and National Young Leadership. She also has been on the boards of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, AIPAC, Phoenix Hebrew Academy, and the Hillel at Arizona State University. Additionally, she is a member of Phoenix ORT and was National CJF Women’s Division president. Sandra is a LOJE.
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PINELLAS & PASCO COUNTIES, FLORIDA
Marilyn Benjamin is an incredibly active member of the Jewish Federation of Pinellas and Pasco Counties. She has served on both the board of directors and the Overseas Needs Assessment and Distribution committee. Outside Federation, she served on the boards of Congregation B’nai Israel’s Sisterhood, Bayfront Center Foundation, Straight Inc., and PARC (Pinellas Association for Retarded Children). She is an endowed Ruby Lion of Judah and a member of American Friends of Magen David Adom, the Jewish National Fund, Hadassah, and National Council of Jewish Women.
Marilyn, along with her late husband Dr. Philip Benjamin, was one of the founding members of Menorah Manor, a continuing care geriatric and rehabilitation center with a reputation as one of the finest in the United States. Marilyn and Philip received the Federation’s first Yitzhak Rabin Award for Distinguished Community Service.
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PITTSBURGH
Sarita Eisner is currently co-chair of the Lion of Judah program and co-chair of the Voices Project for the United Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh. She is also an active member of Hadassah, having served as president of the Carmel group and the Tikvah group. In 2006 Hadassah recognized Sarita as a Volunteer of Valor.
Her synagogue, Congregation Beth Shalom, has also recognized Sarita’s dedication by awarding her the Nathan Snader Award. In 1994 she was the recipient of the State of Israel Bonds’ Guardian of Peace Award and also received the Jewish Theological Seminary Torah Fund Award.
Sarita and her husband, Milt, have two children and four grandchildren.
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PORTLAND
Elizabeth Menashe served as the first Campaign chair of the then newly revitalized Woman’s Division of the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland (Oregon) in 1984. She went on to hold numerous leadership positions, including as a member of the Federation board, general Campaign chair and first woman president of the Portland Federation. She has been active with multiple organizations in both the Jewish and general communities.
Together with her husband, Reuben, Elizabeth was the most recent recipient of the Stampfer Award, one of the most prestigious awards in the Portland Jewish community.
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RICHMOND
Carole Weinstein has served as chair of the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond’s Women’s Division, as a member of the board, and as a member of the executive committee. Along with her husband, Marcus, she has been a major supporter of the United States Holocaust Museum, the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond, the Virginia Holocaust Museum, Hillel of Richmond and the Carole & Marcus Weinstein JCC.
Carole is also involved in a variety of community activities, such as the Children’s Museum and the University of Richmond. She currently serves on the board of the Library of Virginia, has established a Virginia Poetry Prize, and quietly pursues her writing avocation. She is the vice chair of the Richmond-based Weinstein Properties.
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ROCHESTER
Leslie Crane has served the Jewish Community Federation of Greater Rochester in many different capacities. She is a past president of the Women’s Philanthropy Executive Council, chair of the Partnership 2000 Rochester steering committee, and a member of the LOJE steering committee. She also serves as vice president of the Federation’s board and secretary of the executive committee.
Additionally, Leslie is a board member at Temple Beth El, American ORT, and the National Council of Jewish Women Rochester Section. She worked for the Rochester City School District for 19 years as a certified school social worker. Leslie and her husband, Howard, have three sons.
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SAN ANTONIO
Louise Beldon has served as chair of the Endowment Foundation of the Jewish Federation of San Antonio as well as a member of the Federation board. She has also sat on the boards of the Jewish Community Center and Jewish Day School.
Louise has also served in many organizations outside the Jewish community. Her roles have included chair of the Governors of the Cancer Therapy and Research Center, chair of the Nursing Advisory Council at University of Texas Health Science Center, and co-chair of the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center Foundation. She currently serves as chair of the Underwriting Committee of Avance-San Antonio board of directors, a member of the executive committee of the University of Texas’ Health Science Center, and a board member of the San Antonio Medical Foundation. She was also a founding member of the Women’s Leadership Council of United Way. She was inducted into the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame in 2008.
Louise, a LOJE, has four children and 13 grandchildren with her husband, Michael.
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SAN DIEGO
Elaine Galinson is very active at the United Jewish Federation of San Diego County. She served as a member of the Federation board, member of the executive committee, chair of the Jewish Community Relations Council, chair of the Lion of Judah Division, and chair of Operation Promise in 2006. She is also a board member of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and chair of its Eshel Committee, a member of the executive committee of the San Deigo Jewish Community Foundation, and chair and founding member of the Jewish Women’s Foundation of San Diego County.
Elaine currently serves on the board of the University of California San Diego, president of the Galinson Family Foundation, and vice president of the Glickman Foundation. She has been honored by several organizations, including the Jewish Family Service of San Diego. Elaine and her husband, Murray, have three children and eight grandchildren.
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SAN FRANCISCO
Sunny Kaplan introduced the Lion of Judah pin to the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin, and Sonoma Counties. She also served as president of the Women’s Division. Sunny was the recipient of the 1992 Harvey Koch Leadership Award and the 2006 Judith Chapman Women’s Leadership Award, and is currently the chair of that committee.
Additionally, Sunny helped to start a Jewish day school in San Francisco that just celebrated its 20th anniversary. She has also been very involved with Hatikvah, which helps provide housing for developmentally disabled Jewish adults.
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SARASOTA-MANATEE
Karen Bernstein currently serves as a board member of the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee and as co-chair of the Education committee. Karen and her husband Tommy provided support to build two playgrounds for the Pittsburgh Jewish Community Center and one in Tbilisi, Georgia, all named for her late daughter Marci Lynn Bernstein.
Of her accomplishments in the community, she is most proud of the Marci Lynn Bernstein Foundation Doubles Co-existence Program in which Israeli Jewish and Arab children learn to play tennis together as a team. Karen was also instrumental in bringing the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School to the Sarasota-Manatee community in 2003 and served as co-chair of its board.
Karen, a Lion of Judah, has two children and four grandchildren (with one on the way) with her husband, Tommy.
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SAVANNAH
Sharon Galin is an active member of the Savannah Jewish Federation. She served as General Campaign chair of the 2009 Annual Campaign, and has served in various other Campaign positions. In addition to her commitment to the Federation, she has served on the boards of her synagogue, the Jewish Community Center, the supplemental Jewish school, and a mission providing services to the area’s homeless population.
Sharon works as a tour guide in historic Savannah. She has been married to her husband, Murray, for almost 53 years, and together they have four children and seven grandchildren.
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SILICON VALLEY
Bonnie Slavitt Moore has been involved in the Silicon Valley Jewish community for over 26 years in both lay and professional positions. At the Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley, she sits on the Women’s Philanthropy executive committee, where her portfolio includes serving as Campaign chair of the Lion and LOJE departments. In addition, she is an advisor to the Young Adults Division. She has served as Federation president and Annual Campaign chair, and was Western Region Campaign chair for United Jewish Appeal.
Along with her Federation commitments, Bonnie is vice president of development for the Annual Campaign and president-elect of the Hillel of Silicon Valley. She also serves on the board of the Jewish Educational Service of North American (JESNA) and the board of the School of Education at the American Jewish University (formally the University of Judaism).
A Jewish educator for more than 45 years, Bonnie was founding director of the Council on Jewish Education at the Federation. She and her husband, Jack Moore, have four children and four grandchildren.
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SOUTHERN ARIZONA
Ruth Zales is a vibrant and engaging leader in the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona’s Tucson community. She is currently chair of the Federation’s Overseas Allocations Task Force, and is a past chair of the Women’s Division Campaign and past president of the Women’s Division. On the national level, Ruth is a member of the JFNA board and has been involved with the National Women’s Philanthropy board. She also serves on the board of her synagogue, Temple Emanu-El.
Ruth is a Double Chai Lion of Judah and a LOJE.
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SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY
Abby Belafsky served 14 years on the board of the Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey and was a leader in the Annual Campaign many times. She was president of Federation’s Women’s Division, chair of the Women’s Country Club Division, Women’s Campaign chair, Annual Campaign chair, and co-chair of Women’s Main Event. Abby was also a member of the National Women’s Philanthropy board and, with her husband Bob, chaired a number of Israel missions. She has served on the boards of the Jewish Community Foundation and the Jewish Family and Children’s Service. She and Bob were recipients of the Jewish Federation’s Community Service Award.
Outside the Jewish Community, Abby served on a committee of the local American Diabetes Association. She is a Ruby Lion of Judah as well as a LOJE. Abby and Bob have two daughters and three grandchildren.
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SOUTH PALM BEACH
Ellen R. Sarnoff has served the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County in many capacities. She has been Campaign chair, officer of the board, chair of the Women’s Philanthropy Department, chair of the King David Society, and chair of the Lion of Judah Endowment committee. She currently sits on the National Women’s Philanthropy board.
Outside the Federation, Ellen has served on the boards of the Jewish Association for Residential Care, the Ruth Rales Jewish Family Service, and the National Women’s Philanthropy Major Gifts committee. She presently serves on the board of the Jewish Community Foundation.
In 2008, Ellen was the first recipient of Federations’s prestigious Dorothy P. Seaman Leadership Award. In 2000, she established the Sarnoff Substance Abuse Education Program at JFS. Earlier this year she was honoree at the Boca Grove Pacesetter.
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ST. JOSEPH VALLEY, INDIANA
Lynda Simon has served on the board of the Jewish Federation of St. Joseph Valley, as board vice president, as Campaign chair of the Women’s Division, as Women’s Philanthropy Major Gifts co-chair, and as a member of the Annual Campaign Cabinet. A LOJE herself, she was part of a group of women philanthropists who created the Jewish Women’s Endowment Fund at St. Joseph Valley and she currently chairs its Education and Recruitment committee.
Locally, Lynda is also a dedicated member of Temple Beth-El, currently serving as Events Chair, and also finds time to volunteer weekly at the local Ronald McDonald Family Room. She and her husband, Charles, have two children and four grandchildren.
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ST. LOUIS
Leslie Levitz Litwack currently serves as a Council of Life Member of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, on the board of Federation’s Women’s Connection, and as a member of the Federation Planning and Allocations committee. She has previously served as chair of the National Agencies subcommittee, president and Campaign chair of the Women’s Division, and as chair of Partnership 2000. In addition, she is on the advisory board of National Women’s Philanthropy.
Outside the Federation, Leslie serves on the boards of the Central Agency for Jewish Education and St. Louis Hillel at Washington University. She has also served as chair of the Jewish Community Center Cultural Arts Department and on the boards of the JCC, Jewish Community Relations Council and Jewish Center for Aged. Leslie has won many awards for her service, including the Federation’s Women’s Division Magen Ami Award.
Leslie, a LOJE, has two sons with her husband, Michael.
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ST. PAUL
Diane Smookler presently sits on the board of the United Jewish Fund and Council in Saint Paul. She served most prominently in the Women’s Philanthropy Department, where she has been Campaign chair, chair elect, Worker Training chair, and board chair. Additionally, she and her husband are chairing the 2010 Campaign Gala.
Diane is also very involved with the St. Paul Jewish Community Center, the Jewish Family Service, the local Jewish day school, and her synagogue. She is a proud LOJE.
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TAMPA
Carol Jaffe has been a Lion of Judah since 1998. She has served as a Tampa Jewish Community Center and Federation board member, a founding member and leader of the 1818 Philanthropic Circle (Tampa’s first charitable giving group), and as chair of the Lion of Judah and Women’s Philanthropy departments. She lent her leadership abilities as a co-chair to the Federation’s successful Annual President’s Dinner and has currently turned her attention to being an active board member for Hillel of the Suncoast. She is active in her synagogue, Congregation Kol Ami, and has two children and two grandchildren with her husband, Mark.
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TIDWATER
Telsa Leon is a proud member of the Women’s Cabinet of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater (Southeastern Virginia). She is also very involved with ORT, Hadassah, Beth El Sisterhood at her synagogue, and the Hebrew Academy. Additionally, she created a Russian language library at Temple Israel in Norfolk.
Through creative philanthropy and hands-on activism, Telsa is a role model to her three sons (all Federation and community leaders in their own right), her daughters-in-law, her husband Arnold, and her many friends. She is an Emerald Lion and LOJE.
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TOLDEO
Sandra Romanoff has served in numerous capacities in the local and global Jewish communities, and is a LOJE. She has served as co-chair of the United Jewish Council of Greater Toledo Major Gifts Division, co-chair of the Lion of Judah Division, and is one of the original committee members of Toledo’s Young Leadership Program. Sandra has been both vice president of Special Projects and co-chair for the Donor Program for ORT. At her synagogue, Temple Shomer Emunim, she has served on committees for Sisterhood and the Capital Campaign.
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TORONTO
Fran Sonshine has been involved with the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto in many different capacities. She served as chair of Women’s Campaign and Advocacy, chair of the Lion of Judah Endowment, Annual Campaign chair, and as a member of the board of the Jewish Foundation. She has served on the board of the Canadian Council for Israel and Jewish Advocacy and the Board of Governors at Mt. Sinai Hospital.
Fran is a past chair of the board of Baycrest, a geriatric health care system devoted to enriching the quality of life for the elderly. In 1996, Fran received Hadassah-WIZO’s Volunteer of Distinction award and in 2003 UJA Federation’s Shem Tov Award. She is currently chair of the Canadian Society for Yad Vashem.
Fran and her husband, Ed, are proud of their three children and seven grandchildren.
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WASHINGTON, D.C.
Dede Feinberg sits on the board of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, and has served as president, Campaign chair, Financial Resource Development chair, and Women’s Division chair. Nationally, she is vice-chair of the JFNA board of trustees and the United Israel Appeal. Dede has also chaired JFNA’s Missions Committee, the National Women’s Philanthropy International Lion of Judah Conference, and NWP’s Major Gifts committee. She and her husband, Kenneth, were North American co-chairs for the 2009 JFNA General Assembly.
Outside the Federation, Dede is a member of the Jewish Agency’s Board of Governors and co-chairs both the Jewish Agency for Israel’s Assembly Planning committee and the Jewish Peoplehood Awareness Among Israelis committee. She is also a member of the Hillel board. Dede has received several awards including: National Capital Philanthropy Day Exceptional Volunteer Fundraiser and the Whitney North Seymour Award of Outstanding Public Service.
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WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS
Ruth Webber has served on the Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts executive committee and as chair of the Women’s Campaign. She has also sat on the boards of the Jewish Endowment Foundation and of her synagogue. Ruth served as president of the Springfield Chapter of the National Council of Jewish Women and chaired its Scholarship Committee for many years. She has served on the executive board of the Springfield Symphony and the board of the YWCA of Western Massachusetts. Ruth and her sister-in-law were instrumental in establishing Ruth’s House, a local assisted living facility.
Ruth is a Ruby Lion and an endowed Star of David Lion in Western Massachusetts, and a Lion in South Palm Beach County, where she spends her winters. She is the mother of two daughters and a son (z”l), and has nine grandchildren.
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NATIONAL YOUNG LEADERSHIP CABINET
KWF AWARD RECIPIENT
Lisa Kudish is currently co-vice chair of Campaign for National Young Leadership. She recently led the NYL Cabinet’s opening of the 2011 Campaign year by producing a 25% gift-for-gift increase in women’s giving — a record for Women’s Cabinet!
Lisa was a young leader in Chicago before moving to Miami last year. She is an extraordinary person who cares for family, friends and community in a loving and caring way. She currently serves on the JFNA Marketing committee, and is Campaign vice chair for the Network board of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. Lisa has served in a leadership capacity for several Ben-Gurion Society events, Israel@60, the Leadership Institute Day task force, and Israel Solidarity Day, among others. She also holds leadership positions in other organizations, including Aspiritech, AIPAC, Jewish Council for Youth Services, and CityPAC.
Lisa’s Cabinet chevre selected her for this award not only because of all her achievements, but also because of her very special neshama. Overcoming loss and struggles in her life, she still finds time and patience for others, inspiring her family, friends and community to reach higher, do better, be stronger on behalf of those who have no voice. She has devoted herself to the needs of others, and is truly an eshet chayil—Cabinet's Woman of Valor.