A History of Birthright Israel Foundation

In 1999, Birthright Israel was founded on a bold idea: provide the gift of a life-changing trip to Israel to Jewish young adults with the goal of securing—and transforming—the Jewish future. In 2004, Birthright Israel Foundation was created in order to help raise the funds needed to ensure this trip would be available today, tomorrow, and always.

Together, we stand firmly behind our joint mission and vision of offering this educational journey through the Jewish homeland.

Our Approach

Birthright Israel and Birthright Israel Foundation are committed to providing young adults with the gift of connection, community, and a love for the State of Israel. With offices in 11 different cities around the United States, we work to guarantee that the gift of a Birthright Israel trip is available to every Jewish young adult every single year.

Over more than two decades, we have helped raise funds annually in order to send 800,000 young adults and counting on this transformational trip. We believe that we’re not only changing the lives of Jewish young adults, but that we’re also transforming the Jewish future.

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The Lasting Impact of Birthright Israel

85 %
of alumni feel the trip was a life-changing experience
93 %
more likely to feel very connected to Israel than non-participants
84 %
of alumni are raising their children Jewish
54 %
of participants say it’s important to marry someone Jewish

Note: Statistics via Brandeis University Maurice & Marilyn Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies

Board of Directors

Birthright Israel Foundation’s Board of Directors is composed of diverse and talented people from across the country who are dedicated to building a foundation for a strong and vibrant Jewish future. Our board guides our organization and supports our mission through fundraising, working closely with our partners in Israel, and serving as ambassadors by sharing the life-changing power of the Birthright Israel experience.

Executive Committee

Philip de Toledo
Chair
Lori Komisar
Vice Chair
Douglas M. Ross
Vice Chair
Lawrence J. Cohen
Treasurer

Board Members

Sara Aronson
David Barse
Robert A. Clarfeld
Steven J. Fishman
Martin J. Geller
Judy Goodman
John Hoover
Scott Jaffee
Harry Krakowski
Roberta Menzin
Michael Rashes
Russ Robinson
Avery Rosin
Mindy Schneider
Dan Schwab
David Shapira
Barry Swidler
Laura Zebersky

Honorary Board Members

Madlyn Abramson z” l
Dr. Miriam Adelson
Sheldon G. Adelson z” l
Laurie Blitzer
Charles R. Bronfman
Co-Founder
Edgar M. Bronfman z” l
Shawn Evenhaim
Susie Gelman
Chair Emeritus
Michael A. Leven
Joshua Nash
Chair Emeritus
Daniel S. Och
Chair Emeritus
Lynn Schusterman
Jane F. Sherman
Michael H. Steinhardt
Co-Founder
Thomas D. Stern
Chair Emeritus

Staff Leadership

Elias Saratovsky
President & CEO
S. David Shapiro
Chief Financial Officer
Pamela Fertel Weinstein
Chief Marketing Officer
Zhe Yang
Chief Information Officer

Directors Emeriti

Mark Charendoff
Joel Citron
Rachel Gerrol
Marjorie Honickman
Judith A. Levy
Marlene Post
Former Executive Officer
J. Philip Rosen
Former Executive Officer
Wendy Shenfeld
Stephen M. Siderow
Former Executive Officer
Jane F. Wilf

Regional Cabinets & Ambassador Councils

Birthright Israel Foundation has established Regional Cabinets & Ambassador Councils as two ways in which local lay leaders can further strengthen the Foundation’s mission of ensuring that every eligible young Jewish adult is given the opportunity to visit Israel. Cabinet and Ambassador Council members are focused on fundraising efforts including solicitations, prospecting and introductions in their communities. Members also receive Birthright Israel Foundation updates regarding trips, as well as national and local activities. Interested in getting involved? Get in touch with us today!

Atlanta Cabinet

Barak Cohen
Ron Eichel
Viki Freeman
Angel Goldman
Lisa Greenberg
Cathy Selig Kuranoff
Michael Leven
Michelle Leven
Co-Chair
Rob Leven
Co-Chair
Bryan Lewis
Harry Maziar
Sara Meyers
Stuart Meyers
Matthew Oppenheimer
Richard Peretz
Jerry Rosenberg
Ruth Rosenberg
Douglas M. Ross
National Cabinet Chair
Fred Shaftman
Gary Simon
Co-Chair
Michelle Simon
Co-Chair
Michelle Tillem
Jesse Wellner

Long Island Cabinet

Michelle Berger
Barbara Cooper
Erica Donner
Clifford Goldman
Jen Gruber
Jonathon Held
Susan Held
Arlene Horowitz
David Horowitz
Mindy Horowitz
Amy Jaffee
Chair
Scott Jaffee
Michael Lax
Jahn Levin
Sabrina Levin
Erika Lipetz
Patricia Loeb
Alonna Ostad
Michael Ostad
David Pelton
Morty Schaja
Rebecca Schaja
Susie Schulman
Alex Shapses
Lindsay Shapses
Wendy Shenfeld
Scott Smith
David Sterling
Barry Swidler
Chair Emeritus
Frank Zuckerbrot

Los Angeles Cabinet

Kimberly Brooks
Philip de Toledo
Lauren Diamond
Josh Diamond
Rick Entin
Shawn Evenhaim
Daniel Feiner
Steven Fishman
Jodie Fishman
Alicia Goldsmith
Andrew Hauptman
Michael Koss
Aaron Leff
Cary Meadow
Simon Mendelson
Chair
Michael Messinger
Orly Ohebsion
Avery Rosin
Scott Sandler
Darryl Schall
Michael Scott
Toby Waldorf
Melissa Wiczyk
Roee Wiczyk

Los Angeles Ambassador Council

Nancy Beiser
Scott Beiser
Donna Bender
Arthur Bilger
Dahlia Bilger
Alexander Block
Melissa Block
William Comanor
Helgard Field
Irwin Field
Corie Koss
Gary Lazar
Rochelle Levy
Robert Meth
Arline Pepp
Buddy Pepp
Kamyar Shabani

Miami Ambassador Council

Beth Adler
Leslie Adler
Robert Berrin
Nancy Luria Cohen
Nadine Foldes
Barbara Menachem Furman
Fredric Garvett
Ilan Kempler
Roberta Menzin
Sharon Prince
Stuart Rohatiner
Elena Salomon
Lee Sandler
Sheree Savar
Sydney Schaecter
Linda Schechter
Ruth Shere
Howard Socol
Co-Chair
Sharon Socol
Co-Chair

Midwest Ambassador Council

Shelby Anderson
Lisa Broder
Lauren Chazen
Mike Frazin
Mia Kalt
Lori Komisar
Co-Chair
Betsy Krantz
Irwin Levin
Andrew Lucas
Co-Chair
Jason Peltz
Robert Schuckit
Marc Schwartz
Stacy Siwak
Louri Sullivan

New England Cabinet

Sara Aronson
Debby Belt
Sara Bernstein
Raz Evenor
Myrna Freedman
Suzanne Priebatsch
Jill Roberts
Chair

Northwest Ambassador Council

Rabbi Ryan Bauer
Shelley Bensussen
Alex Bernstein
Danny Bernstein
Bobbi Chamberlin
Roselyne Chroman Swig
Amy Friedkin
Alexander Fromm Lurie
Nancy Grand
Lily Kanter
Hilary Karlinsky
Stewart Karlinsky
Joelle Kaufman
Alex Lin-Goldsmith
Rabbi Brian Lurie
Jessica Minkoff
Sheryl Reuben
Chair
David Saxe
Scott Seligman
Jennifer Smorgon
Alayne Sulkin
Howard Zack
Rabbi Jessica Zimmerman Graf

Palm Beach Cabinet

Sara Aronson
Richard Baer
Sandy Baklor
David Brodsky
Amy Dalton
Nathaniel Dalton
Harold Danenberg
Stephen Dephoure
Chris Goldberg
Ray Golden
Linda Golden
Gayle Gross
Bowie Jacobson
Brahm Levine
Judith Levy
Erna Liebovich
Sam Liebovich
Michael Margolis
Ronnie Pertnoy
Chair

Philadelphia Ambassador Council

Alix Ablaza
Edward Baumstein
Connie Berg
Bryna Berman
Sharyn Berman
Co-Chair
Miriam Feldman
Judy Felgoise
Harvey Goldberg
Jeff Green
Jodi Greenblatt
Marjorie Honickman
Susanna Lachs Adler
Gail Norry
Jaclyn Platt
Susan Raynor
Beth Reisboard
Susan Schwartz
Co-Chair
Wendy Singer
Sarah Solomon
Joy Stember
Donna Sternberg
Nancy Wolfson
Andrew Yaffe

South Palm Beach Cabinet

Rosalyn August
Lyn Chasen
Meryl Gallatin
Laurence Goldfarb
Lynne Halpern
Andrea Leven
Michael Leven
Co-Chair
Ed Levine
Lisa Marcus
Tamara Morgenstern
David Pratt
Rhonda Small
Barry Swidler
Co-Chair
Deborah Swidler

Southwest Ambassador Council

David Barish
Allen Bodzy
Leonard Friedman
Evan Gremont
Stuart Prescott
Carol Silverberg

Tri-State Cabinet

Sara Allard
Chair
Jon Drucker
Joe Feshbach
Amy Jaffee
Mark Jurish
Howard Kivell
Isidore Mayrock
Susan Ratner z” l
Sharon Shane
Nick Zerbib

Donate Now

Without your donations to Birthright Israel Foundation, this gift isn’t possible. Secure the Jewish future today by investing in this transformational trip for Jewish young adults.