I have a heartbreaking statistic to share. Approximately 30% of Holocaust survivors in the United States live at or below the poverty line. They are facing significant challenges with high medical costs, housing, and food insecurity. This is why the Jewish Federation of Greater Raleigh offers services specific to Holocaust survivors. As the Federation’s Senior Services Social Worker, I have the privilege of working directly with those who depend on us for daily needs like meal preparation, transportation, and most importantly, connection.

It is because of you, and your support of the Federation, that this work is possible. On behalf of those I work with every day, thank you.

Today, your support makes it possible for us to care for 12 Holocaust survivors in the Greater Raleigh area, ranging in age from 85 to 101. This includes four individuals who came to us for the first time this year. Each new connection represents not just a service provided, but a life touched and supported in meaningful ways.

I provide annual assessments for our survivors to receive assistance from the National Holocaust Survivors Home Care Program. This program assists with activities of daily living such as meal preparation, transportation, and light housekeeping. While some support may be available through Medicaid, it is often limited or inaccessible. Your support is critical in filling these gaps and allowing survivors to remain safely and independently in their homes.

Your generosity also powers our partnership with KAVOD SHEF, providing financial assistance for utilities, medical expenses, emergency groceries, and personal care items. For many survivors who do not have family nearby, this support is not just helpful—it is essential to their daily lives and well-being.

Federation’s support of our community members goes beyond basic needs and focuses on quality of life. We connect survivors with food pantry support, Mitzvah Meals, and meaningful human connection. For example, one of our survivors receives weekly friendly visits, calls, and text messages from a volunteer. These moments of connection bring comfort, companionship, and dignity. For survivors living in isolated conditions, it’s also a powerful reminder that they are still a part of our community.

Holocaust survivors continue to inspire us every day with their resilience. As this population ages, their needs grow more urgent. Your support ensures that these individuals, who have endured so much, are not forgotten. Our Federation ensures that they are cared for with compassion, respect, and honor.

Thank you for making this work possible.

Q: How long have you lived in Raleigh? What brought you here?

A: I’ve lived in Raleigh for over 16 years, but the story of how I got here is just as important as how long I’ve stayed.

I grew up on Long Island in a large, deeply rooted Jewish community where connection and identity were built in—you didn’t have to think about it; it just existed around you. When I moved south, first spending time in places like Ann Arbor and then ultimately Raleigh, I experienced something very different. Community wasn’t automatic—it had to be built.

I originally came to Raleigh to join my brother, who went to Duke, because we saw an opportunity not just to start a business, but to build a life here together. Between RTP and the universities, there was incredible talent and energy, and it felt like the kind of place where you could build something meaningful. What I didn’t expect was how much the community side of that would shape me.

Over time, Raleigh became more than just a place to start a business—it became a place where I felt a responsibility to contribute. I’ve been part of helping grow and connect the young Jewish community here, not through one specific role, but by being someone who brings people together, asks questions, and helps others find where they fit.

Living in both large and smaller Jewish communities has given me perspective: strong community doesn’t happen by default—it’s built through relationships, intention, and people who are willing to show up. That’s what has kept me here.

Q: What is your professional background?

A: My background is rooted in marketing, technology, and building things from the ground up.

I studied business marketing management at Indiana University, and early on I was drawn to the intersection of technology and human behavior—how people discover things, what makes them take action, and how systems can be built to support that. That led me to Google, where I was part of the early wave of online advertising. It was a moment in time where digital marketing was still being defined, and I got to see firsthand how powerful it could be when done right.

But I’ve always had a builder mindset. I didn’t just want to optimize within a system—I wanted to create something of my own.

Today, I lead VentureXpert Advisors, where I work with businesses and entrepreneurs on growth strategy, digital marketing, and building scalable systems that drive real results. My approach is hands-on and grounded in execution—helping companies not just think differently, but operate differently.

Alongside that, I lead Auction Experts, a company I built to specifically serve the auction industry. We help auctioneers modernize how they show up online—transforming their websites into high-performing marketing platforms that attract new bidders and drive meaningful business growth. It’s a distinct approach from traditional industry solutions, and one that has helped our clients stand out and scale in increasingly competitive markets.

Across both businesses, my focus is on building systems that create long-term value. I love working at the intersection of strategy, creativity, and people—helping others bring a vision to life in a way that is both practical and impactful.

Entrepreneurship has also shaped how I think about leadership. It’s taught me how to navigate uncertainty, trust my instincts, and stay committed to a vision even before it fully exists. That same mindset carries into how I show up in community spaces—always looking for ways to build, connect, and create something that lasts.

Q: What is National Young Leadership Cabinet? How did you get involved?

A: National Young Leadership Cabinet is a highly selective, five-year leadership development program through the Jewish Federations of North America that brings together emerging leaders from across the country who are deeply committed to strengthening Jewish life.

The program combines leadership development, education, and connection through domestic retreats, international study missions, and advocacy opportunities. It also includes a strong philanthropic commitment—members contribute a minimum of $5,000 annually to their local Federation throughout the program.

At its core, Cabinet brings together thoughtful leaders to exchange ideas, learn from one another, and better understand how Federation systems operate and create impact. It’s an opportunity to gain perspective, share strategies, and bring those insights back to strengthen your local community.

I was introduced to the program by a friend in Houston, and it immediately resonated with me. I’m naturally entrepreneurial and always interested in how different communities approach growth and engagement. The opportunity to learn alongside other leaders, build meaningful relationships, and step more intentionally into the nonprofit space felt like the right next step for me.

Q: What will you be doing as part of NYLC?

A: As part of Cabinet, I’ll be joining a cohort of leaders from across North America and participating in a multi-year experience focused on leadership development, education, and connection.

It begins with the annual Cabinet Retreat, where members come together for several days of learning, discussion, and relationship-building. From there, there are opportunities to participate in international study missions—particularly to Israel and other global Jewish communities—to better understand the impact of Federation philanthropy and the broader ecosystem we’re part of.

There are also opportunities to engage in advocacy, connect with leaders across the country, and gain deeper insight into key areas like community building, public affairs, and global Jewish initiatives.

What I’m most excited about is being in a room with people who are all thinking about similar questions—how to lead more effectively, how to build stronger communities, and how to create meaningful, lasting impact—and then bringing those insights back to Raleigh in a way that continues to strengthen and grow our local community.

Q: What are you looking forward to about the experience? What do you hope to get out of it?

A: What I’m most looking forward to is the opportunity to connect with thoughtful, driven leaders from across the country and around the world who are all committed to strengthening Jewish life in their own communities.

I’m at a point in my life where I want to be more intentional about how I grow as a leader—especially in the nonprofit and philanthropic space. Cabinet offers the chance to learn from different perspectives, gain a deeper understanding of how Federation operates, and be exposed to ideas and strategies that are working in other communities.

I also see this as an opportunity to help shape what the future of our local community can look like. I want to challenge what’s been done, think bigger about what’s possible, and help create a more inclusive path forward for people with different perspectives and ways of engaging. It’s important to me that we’re not just doing things because they’ve always been done that way, but instead approaching our organizations with intention—thinking strategically, operating effectively, and building in a way that allows everyone to succeed together.

Having access to Cabinet will give me the perspective, tools, and relationships to be a stronger, more thoughtful leader for our community, and to bring back ideas that can help us continue to grow in meaningful and lasting ways.

Q: What do you want people to understand about NYLC, or getting involved with your local Federation?

A: I think one of the biggest misconceptions is that getting involved in leadership or philanthropy requires a certain title, level of experience, or stage of life—but that hasn’t been my experience.

My leadership style has always been more relational than formal. It starts with showing up, building connections, and helping people see where they fit. I’ve found that both peers and established leaders often just need perspective—how to engage, where to start, or how to take the next step—and I’ve naturally stepped into that role as a connector and sounding board within the community.

I also care deeply about demystifying leadership and philanthropy. Engagement doesn’t require following set steps or instructions.  Programs like Cabinet are about taking your interests and learning the skills you need to make a meaningful difference in that area of your community. The more we create flexible, accessible pathways, the more people feel empowered to step in—because more restriction often leads to less engagement.

At the end of the day, the goal is to bridge that gap. When leadership and philanthropy feel approachable and relevant, it creates stronger connections and a more vibrant, sustainable community. There’s real opportunity to learn, contribute, and help shape what comes next—and that starts with simply getting involved.

If you are interested in learning more about National Young Leadership Cabinet, contact Tamara Zishuk at tamara.zishuk@shalomraleigh.org.

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend FedPro. Hosted by Jewish Federations of North America, FedPro is a biannual conference where Federation professionals come together to learn best practices, strengthen our networks, and engage honestly with the issues facing our global Jewish community. It’s equal parts professional development, community‑building, and collective visioning.

As a part of my first FedPro, I wore two hats at this conference, and each one shaped the experience in its own meaningful way.

Hat One: Catalyst Cohort Participant

This was the reason I was able to attend FedPro in the first place. A few months ago, I was selected as a part of a small national cohort in partnership with Jewish Federations of North America and Repair the World. The cohort is a six-month intensive that equips Federation professionals with training, funding, and community‑building opportunities to create young adult programming rooted in Jewish learning and volunteerism. At the end of the cohort, we pick a volunteer initiative to support in our local community, and design a plan of action for how Federation will support that local need.

As a Catalyst cohort participant, my focus at FedPro was on experiencing service learning first hand, and then using this experience to bring the knowledge back home. Most of my breakout sessions explored how we integrate Jewish values into service, and how text study can inform meaningful, ethical community engagement.

One of the most impactful parts of the program was a day of volunteering with the local community. We partnered with Arizona Jews for Justice and Valley Beit Midrash to support an already existing initiative of providing essential goods to the local unhoused community. The 11 of us in my cohort hopped on a brightly colored bus filled with sandwiches, snacks, and waters, and stopped in densely populated areas where we delivered food, had conversations, and just sat with people to listen to their stories and hear what they needed. We were offering dignity to this community in small, human ways: serving meals, listening to stories, sharing genuine conversation and meeting multiple needs at once - helping a community meet the basic needs of physical nourishment, while also attempting to nourish through connection and conversation.

Hat Two: Greater Raleigh’s Local Federation Representative

This hat is the reason FedPro exists, to share the work we all do within the Federation world and bring back our learnings to our home communities. The way I saw it, my job at this conference was to be a sponge, and absorb as much information as possible to take back to our Federation. I feel lucky that I was able to represent our community, and I think we all deserve to benefit from the learnings.

The breakout sessions were meaningful, but the real impact often came from the in‑between moments: the spontaneous “let’s follow up” after hearing a great idea from another Federation professional, the instant recognition of shared communal challenges, and the constant meeting and idea sharing with new thought partners every coffee break. Each interaction offered a fresh insight, a new perspective, or a sparked an idea that we can bring back to Greater Raleigh.

And attending simply brought visibility of Greater Raleigh on a national stage. Just by being there, other professionals see that we are a part of the broader Federation movement shaping Jewish life across the country. That visibility became especially real when Federations CEO Eric Fingerhut recognized our Federation, alongside the other North Carolina Federations during the main plenary for our work standing up against hate and for collaborating on an open letter denouncing antisemitism. Moments like that reminded me that what we’re doing at home resonates far beyond our small community.

FedPro reminded me that while our work is rooted locally, we’re part of a national movement that shares challenges, celebrates wins, and sparks relationships and ideas I’m excited to bring home and pursue side by side with our team and our Greater Raleigh community.

Sitting around the table at Goshan in Tel Aviv on our first night in Israel, our group began framing what this trip would really be about. Israel, we were told, is three things at once: a holy land, a modern country, and the Third Jewish Commonwealth (only the third time in history that Jews can govern themselves freely). Beyond geography and politics, we explored a deeper definition of history: not just what happened, but the memories and experiences that shape our next decisions. That idea stayed with me throughout the entire trip. 

From Sand Dunes to Start-Up Nation 

We began with a walking tour of Tel Aviv, a city literally born from sand dunes in 1909 when sixty families left Jaffa to build something radically new. Their dream was a modern Jewish city like “the New York of the Middle East.” As Shimon Peres once said, “Tel Aviv is the first start-up.” Not because of tech, but because it represented the courage to change reality without abandoning dreams. 

In neighborhoods like Neve Tzedek, we learned how early Zionists pushed back against old-world rabbinic Judaism and reimagined it as a national identity, not just a religion. They built schools for girls, playgrounds where boys and girls played together, and cultural institutions similar to modern-day JCCs instead of just synagogues.  

Later, on a graffiti tour of Tel Aviv, we saw how that same spirit lives today. After October 7, artists transformed walls into spaces of hope and storytelling. The “Walls of Hope” depicted who the hostages are, not just as a memorial. Murals around the city honored heroes like the female border observers who warned something was wrong before anyone listened or those who stood up to defend their kibbutzim. In Israel, art isn’t decoration, it’s memory in public space. 

Desert Lessons and Community in Yerucham 

On Day Three, we hiked through Ein Avdat, walking paths the Israelites once traveled before entering the land. We learned that the Torah was given in the desert so it would belong to everyone. A people born in the desert is a people born of the ten commandments, representing responsibility and morality. 

From there we visited Paula and David Ben-Gurion’s graves, watched sunset over Maktesh Gadol, and ended the day at Machsan 52 Community Center in Yerucham. Yerucham is a low-socioeconomic city, yet Machsan 52 is its heartbeat for youth. With just two full-time staff, shin-shin volunteers, and teen councils, they serve as the main gathering space for local kids through music, theater, and leadership programs. What struck me most was how youth voice drives the center: teens decide programming, organize activities, and shape their own community. It was reminder that Jewish community building looks different everywhere, but the values remain the same. 

Holding Space for At-Risk Youth 

Another powerful stop was Shanti House, which supports at-risk youth ages 14–21 in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and the desert. Serving up to fifty teens at a time in its desert location, Shanti provides structure, safety, education, therapy, and dignity. Youth arrive from tough times and have the chance to experience the fun of life again. They receive support not from pity, but from belief in their potential. What moved me was their philosophy that staff aren’t there to feel sorry for kids; they’re there to walk alongside them. Many counselors are Shanti graduates themselves. From therapeutic surfing to summer programs, Shanti helps teens rebuild themselves, instead of rescuing them. 

October 7: Memory in Real Time 

Visiting the site of the Nova Music Festival, October 7 became real, not just a date. We read stories, saw faces, and learned how Hamas not only attacked the festival but also ambushed cars along Road 232. At another memorial, destroyed vehicles told silent stories, like a pile of shoes at a Holocaust memorial. Each of us chose someone who died, learned their story, and shared it aloud. Then we said the Mourner’s Kaddish together. It was one of the most emotional moments of the trip and collective memory became collective responsibility. 

Later, we met with a leader from Tireinu, an organization working to help young adults repopulate and rebuild southern kibbutzim after October 7. After a day full of grief, Tireinu offered opportunities for hope and action. 

Jewish Peoplehood and Shared Society 

At ANU, the Museum of the Jewish People, we explored Jewish identity from ancient times to modern pop culture. We saw exhibits on music, humor, food, film, art, and activism. Anu told us that Judaism is not only land and space, but time and values that pass through generations. 

We also visited an Arab-Israeli Community Center in Jaffa, where we met Vera, a Christian Arab Palestinian Israeli. Her story was complicated and human. She spoke about living between identities, gentrification, language barriers, and community responsibility. What stayed with me most was her belief that change starts locally, and people build trust long before governments do. She explained that education, relationships, and daily cooperation are what allow a shared city like Jaffa to function at all. It was one of the most honest conversations of the trip and led to meaningful discussion within our cohort afterwards. 

Shlichim, Healing, and Global Responsibility 

One especially meaningful moment for me was reconnecting with Ola and Viola, our camp shlichim from summer 2025, over Shabbat coffee and a walk along the Tel Aviv beach. Seeing familiar faces from camp in Israel blended my professional world at home and the living reality of Israel. It reminded me that through camp and connections, Israel isn’t abstract for our youth and teens; it becomes personal, relational, and very real. 

At Save a Child’s Heart, we saw what global Jewish responsibility looks like in action. The organization brings children from over 75 countries to Israel for life-saving cardiac procedures, free of charge. Families live in a shared home while kids rotate between the hospital and programming. Caregivers cook meals from their home cultures, volunteers run activities, doctors train professionals to take skills back to their countries. It’s truly a community partnership. Over 8,000 children’s lives have been transformed there, and each one carries Israel back to the world with them. 

Youth, Teen, and Young Adult Leadership in Action 

We met teens at Beit Israel Mechina, a pre-army gap-year program and discussed identity, responsibility, and Israeli teens’ connection to diaspora Jews. At Krembo Wings, youth with and without disabilities lead programs together, not as caretakers, but as friends. With over 8,000 active members, they truly live their motto of “Youth Leading Youth”. 

Our visit to Ma’aleh School of Television, Film, and the Arts showed how Israeli college students use storytelling to explore real dilemmas like checkpoints, social belonging, culture clashes, and humor. Their films embraced the complexity of life in Israel and told very real stories of the people who live there. 

Jerusalem: Sacred Space and Shared Stories 

In Jerusalem, everything felt like ascent. We studied why this city matters so deeply to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam by standing at the Western Wall, inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and near the Dome of the Rock. We explored how one small hill carries three spiritual universes. Seeing the three holy sites side by side made it impossible to reduce Jerusalem to one narrative. Faith, power, longing, and identity are layered on the same stones. 

From the Broad Wall of King Hezekiah to the Old City quarters, we learned how survival, empire, and religion shaped the city. It is the story of history and modernity woven together. We ended at the National Library of Israel, a “well of knowledge” holding over five million books, which reminds us that ideas, culture, and education are as powerful as borders. The library is open to all as a place of learning and gathering. 

The West Bank: Complexity Without Easy Answers 

Our day in the West Bank was about understanding complexity, not solving it. We learned about Zones A, B, and C from the Oslo Accords and what it means for daily life, governance, and identity. We talked openly about the tension between Israel being Jewish, secure, and democratic, and how difficult it is for the three to coexist at once. 

We visited Qasr el Yehud, Jesus's baptismal site and the Isreali-Jordan border on the Jordan River. Waving to the people just across the way, visting the same site we were over in Jordan, reminded me why peace is so important on a human level. While borders may be political, humans can have similar experiences no matter what country they are in. Later we toured Psagot Winery and created a musical percussion circle at a Canaanite restaurant. The day wasn’t about choosing sides or soliving problems. It was about seeing the human, political, and geographic layers that make this conflict so enduring and so emotional. 

Yad Vashem: Memory as Responsibility 

At Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial, memory resurfaced as the central theme of the trip. While we remembered what happened during this horrific time, we confronted the dilemmas Jews faced: trade family heirlooms for food, risk your child’s life to sneak outside a ghetto, or hold onto dignity when survival itself is uncertain. We talked about how the generation that survived often stayed silent, and how the next generation insisted that this happened to the Jews. It must be remembered actively, not passively. Walking through Yad Vashem reframed everything else we had seen. Israel isn’t only a state, it’s a response to memory, trauma, courage, and the refusal to let others write Jewish history for us. 

Final Reflections 

Traveling with the Merrin Teen Professional Cohort wasn’t just about seeing Israel. It was about understanding how land, culture, youth work, and memory intersect. Of the many things I took with me, two stand out. First, youth work is nation building. Whether at Shanti House, Krembo Wings, Save a Child’s Heart, or home here in Raleigh, youth and teens aren’t just being impacted. They are being trusted, empowered, and shaped into leaders of a complicated future. Second, a JCC is not a building, it’s a values engine. Machsan 52, Arab-Israeli community centers, and even graffiti walls function as places where identity is practiced, not preached. We must continue to create spaces for our youth and teens to figure out who they want to be and how they want to impact the world. 

Israel lives in tension: history and hope, grief and creativity, survival and rebuilding. Walking between those spaces reminded me why investing in our future isn’t optional; it’s how people decide who they become next. After this journey, I’m more certain than ever: the future of Jewish community, in Israel and the diaspora, is already being written by our youth and teens.

Late last week, Voice4Israel broke the news about leaders of the North Carolina Democratic Party's Muslim Caucus making hateful, public comments such as describing Zionists as "Nazis" and "a threat to humanity." In response, the Jewish Federations of North Carolina have sent a joint letter to Governor Josh Stein and many other leaders in the North Carolina Democratic Party. You can read the text of the letter below.

Dear Governor Stein, North Carolina Democratic Party Leadership, and Democratic Elected Officials of the State of North Carolina,

We write jointly as the CEOs of the Jewish Federations of Charlotte, Greensboro, and Raleigh, and Jewish for Good in Durham. Together, our organizations represent and serve Jewish communities across North Carolina through security coordination, education, civic partnership, and community relations. We are compelled to address an urgent and serious matter.

Recent public statements by a North Carolina Democratic Party caucus leader describing Zionists as “Nazis” and “a threat to humanity” are not merely offensive political speech. They constitute dangerous antisemitic rhetoric that places Jewish communities at heightened risk and further destabilizes an already volatile environment. Language of this nature is historically loaded, morally reckless, and socially inflammatory.

As Jews in North Carolina who support the existence of the State of Israel, and who represent broad cross-sections of our state’s Jewish population, we find this language hate-filled, insensitive, inflammatory, and threatening. It is incompatible with the standards of responsible civic leadership and it should disqualify any individual from holding a leadership role within a political party structure. Immediate corrective action is required.

Equating Zionism with Nazism is a recognized form of Holocaust distortion and inversion. It weaponizes the memory of genocide against the very people who were its primary victims and targets a core component of Jewish identity for the overwhelming majority of Jews. For most Jewish community members, Zionism is directly tied to peoplehood, history, and the right of Jewish self-determination. Casting Zionists as enemies of humanity functions, in practice, as the stigmatization of much of the Jewish community itself.

This is not simply our view of what is morally unacceptable. North Carolina has formally adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism into state law through the Shalom Act (HB 942). The IHRA definition includes as an illustrative example of antisemitism “drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.” Publicly branding “Zionists” as “Nazis” operates in the same lane of Holocaust inversion and demonization, and it predictably fuels hostility toward Jewish North Carolinians.

We are already operating in a period of elevated antisemitic incidents across North Carolina, including harassment, vandalism, and threats. Rhetoric that demonizes Zionists in absolute and dehumanizing terms does not remain theoretical. It contributes to real-world hostility and increases security concerns for Jewish institutions, schools, and community spaces. The effect is concrete, not abstract.

This concern does not arise in isolation. Last year, North Carolina Jewish communal executives met directly with Party Chair Anderson Clayton regarding harmful resolutions and rhetoric that created significant distress within the Jewish community. That prior engagement reflects our consistent preference for dialogue and partnership. It also underscores a pattern that now requires a firmer and more public response. When party-affiliated spaces are perceived by Jewish constituents as increasingly unwelcoming or hostile to core elements of Jewish identity, confidence and participation erode.

Silence or procedural distancing is not an adequate response. Leadership requires moral clarity and decisive action.

We therefore call for the following:

• A direct and public condemnation from state Democratic Party leadership of these statements and the antisemitic framing they employ

• Immediate and clear corrective action regarding the individual holding a party leadership role who made these statements

• An explicit reaffirmation that Holocaust inversion, antisemitic tropes, and the demonization of Jewish self-determination have no place in party leadership or party-affiliated structures

• Prompt engagement with North Carolina Jewish communal leadership to address the damage done and the safety concerns created

This is not a partisan appeal. It is a civic and moral one. Jewish communities across our state must know, without ambiguity, that elected officials and party leaders reject rhetoric that vilifies them through historical distortion and collective accusation.

We are ready to engage directly and immediately. The seriousness of this moment warrants nothing less. Sincerely,

Adam Kolett

Chief Executive Officer

Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte

Glenda Bernhardt

Chief Executive Officer

Jewish Federation of Greater Greensboro

Jill Madsen

Chief Executive Officer

Jewish for Good, Durham

Seth Malin

Chief Executive Officer

Jewish Federation of Greater Raleigh

Repair the World and Jewish Federations of North America today launched the fourth cohort of The Catalyst, a professional development initiative that equips Federation professionals with the skills to design and deliver engaging Jewish service programs for young Jewish volunteers. Service in support of social change is vital to flourishing Jewish communities and inspired Jewish lives, and The Catalyst empowers professionals to bring that vision to life.

Tamara Zishuk Lerner, Senior Manager of Programs and Development for the Jewish Federation of Greater Raleigh, has been named as part of the fourth cohort. The latest group includes 11 Federation professionals from across the United States and Canada who are committed to making Jewish service a powerful entry point into Jewish life in their communities. Over five months, the fellows will explore Repair the World’s best-in-class curriculum led by Repair educators, engage in community building, participate in an in-person Jewish service and learning experience at Jewish Federations’ FedPro conference, and receive microgrant funding of up to $7,000 to pilot a new service initiative or expand an existing one.

“Being part of this national cohort allows the Jewish Federation of Greater Raleigh to be part of something bigger, while also shining a light on the growth and impact our community continues to make,” said Zishuk Lerner. “Our Federation was founded on social services and volunteerism, and returning to those roots, by designing a service-learning program that connects our Jewish network to the broader local ecosystem, helps us deepen our impact and strengthens our community from within.”

"We're thrilled to welcome this exceptional group of professionals who are dedicated to strengthening their communities through Jewish service and learning," said Shana Bloom, Chief Program Officer at Repair the World. "As proud partners with Jewish Federations, we’re equipping Jewish community leaders with the expertise and resources to engage the next generation of volunteers in Jewish service and make Jewish service a cornerstone of Jewish life.”

The program emphasizes Repair the World's approach to service: hands-on action that meets pressing local needs like food insecurity, poverty, and homelessness, paired with Jewish learning, issue area education, and reflection. The Catalyst program empowers Federation professionals to create joyful Jewish experiences through service and learning, connecting young adults with Jewish life while building purpose, community, and belonging-all while creating real change in their communities. 

"Jewish Federations are committed to investing in the professional development of our staff, ensuring they have the tools to engage and inspire their communities," said Hannah Miranda Miller, Director of Volunteer Initiatives and Global Service at Jewish Federations of North America. "The Catalyst program is a powerful example of how we can work together to build a more vibrant Jewish future grounded in service."

Jewish Federations of North America is a proud partner in the Jewish Service Alliance, Repair the World’s coalition of more than 60 organizations mobilizing tens of thousands annually in impactful Jewish service. Through programs like The Catalyst, we’re empowering flourishing Jewish communities that serve in pursuit of a just world. 

About Jewish Federations of North America: Jewish Federations of North America are the backbone of the organized Jewish community in the US and Canada, representing over 350 Jewish communities. They raise and distribute more than $2 billion annually and through planned giving and endowment programs to build flourishing Jewish communities at home, in Israel, and around the world.

About Repair the World: Repair the World mobilizes Jews and their communities to take action to pursue a just world, igniting a lifelong commitment to service. We believe service in support of social change is vital to a flourishing Jewish community and an inspired Jewish life. For more information, visit www.werepair.org.

The slate has been nominated by the current board of Trustees, and will be voted on at Jewish Federation’s Annual Gathering, December 10, 2025, which will be held at Temple Beth Or.

Board members engage in goal setting, strategic planning, fundraising and development, program support, and crisis management. The Board ensures that we follow our mission to serve the needs of our community, and act as responsible stewards of community resources.

Federation is proud to announce our slate for 2026 Board of Trustees:

Officers (Executive Committee)           

Deborah Rosenzweig, President

Open - First Vice President

Robin Talley, Secretary

Erin Kramer, VP Strategic Planning

Amy Bush**, VP Development

Eric Lamb, VP Governance       

Sarah Moessinger, VP Finance                

**Past President

At-Large Board Members                          

Justin Bender 

Seth Cohen

Jamie Eliahu**       

Debbie Granick

Mat Krantz     

Linda Mildwurf        

Eric Morse     

**Past President

Incoming At-Large Board Members

Yakov Aingorn     

Jacquelline Deitch

Scott Finkelstein

Lori Howell       

Uri Krieger

Mindy Oberhardt 

Ex-Officio Member

Craig Meddin*

*Immediate Past President

Lifetime Honorary Board Members

 Carole Guld

Doug Kahn

Eileen Schwartz (z”l)

End of Term

Diane Bellamy

Jennifer Fishman

Jasmine Medoff

Did you know that the “Cotton-Eyed Joe” dance looks different depending on where you are in the country? That’s just one of the many fun things I discovered last week at JCC A’s Professional Conference (ProCon) in Minneapolis!

As part of the Merrin Teen Professionals Fellowship, I joined eleven other JCC professionals from across North America for a week of learning and connection. Before and after the main conference, our cohort gathered to explore leadership through a Jewish lens, discussing communication, integrity, and adaptability. We also examinined what it means to model those traits for the teens we serve.

We had the opportunity to meet with past Merrin fellows and seasoned leaders within the JCC movement who shared lessons from their careers, including what’s worked, what hasn’t, and how to guide teens with purpose and care. A highlight was hearing from Barak Hermann, the new President and CEO of the JCC Association, about his inspiring vision for the future of the JCC movement and the vital role that youth and teens play in shaping it.

Once ProCon officially began, more than 600 professionals from JCCs across the country came together to learn, share, and celebrate. In the camp professionals’ peer community, we swapped success stories, brainstormed creative solutions, and discussed strategies to prevent burnout while ensuring the future of Jewish day camping remains bright and meaningful.

I also participated in an intensive workshop, “Lead Like a Pro: Supervision Skills for Real Life at the JCC,” where we dove into what makes a great supervisor. We talked about coaching and motivating staff, giving feedback effectively, having tough conversations with empathy, and fostering a culture of accountability and growth.

Beyond the sessions, ProCon was filled with moments of joy and connection, from singing with artist-in-residence Rick Recht to dancing at the “JCC Block Party.” Each experience reminded me why I love being part of this community of passionate Jewish professionals.

This week reignited my sense of purpose and gave me new tools and ideas to bring back to Raleigh. I’m excited to strengthen the programs and relationships we’re building at the Jewish Federation of Greater Raleigh. We are helping local youth, teens, and families to feel inspired, connected, and proud to be part of a vibrant Jewish community right here at home.

Over the past few months, I have used these Friday emails to inform and educate, but right now thousands of families across North Carolina are facing an uncertain future and need our help. The federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program — which for years has helped low-income households afford groceries — is currently in a state of limbo due to the government shutdown.

For the 1.4 million North Carolinians who rely on these benefits, this means one simple, devastating truth: they may not know where their next meal will come from. The Jewish Federation of Greater Raleigh is ready to take the lead and play a vital role in stepping into that gap, providing essential support, ensuring dignity for those in need, and mobilizing the community to respond.

At the Jewish Federation of Greater Raleigh, we believe that no one should go hungry. The Jewish values of tzedakah (righteous giving) and tikkun olam (repairing the world) call us to act — to ensure that every person in our community can live with dignity, security, and hope.

The loss of SNAP support is already placing a tremendous strain on local food banks, including our Jewish Family Services Food pantry. Food banks estimate that for every single meal they provide, SNAP provides nine. With that vital lifeline on hold, the demand for emergency food and financial assistance is growing daily.

To aid in this, our JFS Food Assistance program is taking the necessary steps to help those in our community.

1. Increasing stock of shelf stable foods in the JFS Food Pantry

2. Adding additional days and times for food pantry drop off and pick up

3. Increasing volunteer hours to help restock the shelves or deliver meals as needed

We are stepping up to meet this moment — but we can’t do it alone. Here’s how YOU can help:

Donate Food

What should you donate to our food pantry? We take out all the guess work! Donate from our Food Pantry Wish List, then drop it off during our extended hours.

Donate Funds Today

Every dollar you give allows us to purchase nutritious food in bulk, keep pantry shelves stocked, and provide emergency financial assistance to families suddenly without support. Your gift makes an immediate impact. Donate now!

Volunteer Your Time
Help us organize, pack, and distribute food through our JFS Food Pantry. A few hours of your time can bring relief — and hope — to someone struggling to feed their family. Volunteer here!

Host a Food Drive

Rally your synagogue, school, or neighborhood to collect shelf-stable foods, hygiene items, and household essentials. Together, we can fill the shelves for those who suddenly have nowhere else to turn. Contact Ilene Mlot at ilene.mlot@shalomraleigh.org for more information!

Spread the Word
Share this message with friends and family. The more people who understand the urgent need, the more lives we can touch. Share our posts on Facebook and Instagram!

When government assistance falls short, community must step in. Together, we can make sure that no one in Wake County or beyond goes to bed hungry.

Thank you for being part of a compassionate Jewish community that lives its values through action. Your support keeps hope alive and sustains our neighbors in their time of need. Donate now!

Your generosity allows us to continue our hard work of bringing connection, care, and community to Greater Raleigh.

Congratulations to the Challah Back Girls on winning the Golden Microphone Trophy for their sparkling performance of Taylor Swift! They received the top honor from judges Arthur Gordon, Stuart Schwartz, and Carole Guld. We want to give a special thanks to ALL the lip sync acts for their hard work, creativity, and enthusiasm.

• The Challah Back Girls: Samantha Brody, Laura Guld, and Taylor Price

• Don’t You Fuhgeddabout Me: Graham Satisky & Jonathan Wertheim

• Orna & the Tchotcheke Chicks: Orna Drawas, Mindy Oberhardt, Roberta Blumberg, Sharon Lewis, and Andy Weissel

We are so grateful for our event co-chairs, Jeremy & Liza Deckelbaum and Kellie Falk & Joe Patterson for their leadership.

Thank you to Michael Guld for returning as our emcee for the evening.

Thank you to Derek Crayton of Bread and Butter Catering for their help in providing Kosher meals for guests who requested them.

Thank you to our sponsors! Your support ensured that this a magical night for all of our guests.

Finally, thank you to our Board of Trustees, staff and community guests for your support of our Jewish Federation. Together, we are building a bright future for the Greater Raleigh Jewish community.

November 3 The Postcard by Anne Berest                   
December 8 The Lovely One by Ketanji Brown Jackson
January 5 The Third Daughter by Talia Carner
February 2 The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali
March 2 The Glassmaker by Tracy Chevalier
April 13 When Women Ran 5th Avenue by Julie Satow
May 4 The Magician’s Assistant by Ann Patchett
June 1 Atomic City Girls by Janet Beard

It’s September, and two things are true: the new school year is in full swing, and sadly, antisemitism and bullying remain a troubling reality within the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS).

For many parents with children in grades K–12, understanding and navigating the school system when a bullying or antisemitic incident occurs can be overwhelming and confusing. To address this, members of our professional staff and volunteers from our Jewish Community Relations Council have been working closely with WCPSS to create a toolkit for parents.

This toolkit is designed to help parents raising Jewish children better understand the policies, procedures, and available resources when responding to bullying or antisemitic incidents. It will be housed on the Jewish Federation of Greater Raleigh’s website, and we are coordinating with Jewish organizations across the county to ensure the toolkit is widely shared and linked on their platforms as well.

To view the toolkit, click here.

We hope you share our belief that this will be an important step in helping parents advocate for their children and feel supported throughout the school year.

Q: Where are you from? What brought you to Raleigh?

A: I grew up in Springfield, NJ. My husband and I lived in West New York, NJ when we first got married and moved to Marlboro, NJ just before we had our first child. We were there for about a year when my husband got a great job opportunity in North Carolina. That brought us to Raleigh when my daughter was one, and we’ve been here 30 years.

Q:  What is your educational and professional background?

A: I went to the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University. I was a screenwriting major, and after graduation I worked in television marketing. I interned at MTV and worked at several different companies, including one where I met my husband on the company softball team. I became a stay-at-home mom when I had my first child.

Q: When did you first become interested in novel writing?

A: I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was five. When my second child was two years old, I hadn’t been writing for about five years and the urge was super strong. My mom had passed away, and I always knew I wanted to write about her experiences during the war. Her passing is what inspired me to start writing a book. The Lost Baker of Vienna is my debut novel, but I wrote five completed manuscripts before it. It’s been a 25-year journey.

In 2019, I received my Master’s in Fiction Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. While in the program, I studied from home with a faculty mentor and went to campus for ten days twice a year for full writing residencies. One of those residencies took place in Slovenia during the summer of 2018. It was a remarkable experience. I was there for two weeks with other students and faculty. My husband came and met me so that we could travel around Europe, and the first place we went was Vienna. I wasn’t writing this book yet, but I knew that my family had been refugees in Vienna trying desperately to get to family in the United States. We went to Vienna for research, even though it would be another two years before I began writing.

Q:  What was your relationship to Jewish history and culture growing up?

A: We were a Jewish family. My parents were pretty observant, especially my mom. I grew up in an Orthodox synagogue and we went to Shabbat services and celebrated the holidays. As I got older, I realized I could decide my own relationship with Judaism and religion. Before my family and I moved here, I decided to keep a kosher home. We had two sets of dishes, and there were five kosher butchers in our area of New Jersey. It was pretty easy to keep kosher there. One of the first things we did when arriving in Raleigh was join Beth Meyer Synagogue, where we are still members. I wanted that spiritual Jewish place that felt like home.

Q:  What inspired you to write this novel?

A: I always knew my mom was a Holocaust survivor. There was never an “a-ha moment” where I realized this. I have a photograph of my mom at four years old that sat in our den, and I knew the only reason we had it was because it had been sent to relatives in the U.S. before the war. In elementary school we started learning about Anne Frank, and I knew that my mother had a similar experience.

My mom didn’t talk about it much, so we had to connect the dots based on our family’s migration story. There was a lot I didn’t know. In college, I decided that I was going to interview my mom for a paper for a Jewish Studies class. We talked for hours, and it was the first time my mom really opened up to me about her experiences. Even though I had a general idea of what she went through, this was the first time I learned about the Vilna ghetto, the details of her family hiding after the ghetto was liquidated, and that they were captured. She told me how my grandfather was killed, the conditions of the concentration camp, and how they were stuck in Vienna for two years.

It was my grandmother’s mission to get everyone to my grandfather’s remaining family in the U.S. She went to the American consulate every day as she attempted to make contact with the family. My grandmother even encouraged my mom and aunt to date, because as she put it, “We are three women alone in this city and we need protection.” That stuck with me; even after the war they were still in danger as refugees. This novel focuses on the refugee experience in Vienna during that time.

Q: How is your family reacting to the novel’s release?

A: My mom, aunt, and grandmother have passed away. Thankfully, my immediate family and cousins are incredibly supportive. I sent finished copies to them, and they sent me the most beautiful text messages after reading the book. It’s very fulfilling. They know I wrote this book to honor my family’s experiences and resilience. We are in awe of their strength. They were able to build their lives back, move forward, fall in love, and have children.

The main character, Chana, is inspired by my mother, aunt, and grandmother—the strongest women I have ever known—and I’ve taken their strength and poured it into her. Many of Chana’s stories are informed by my family’s stories. The rest is filled out with research.

Q: Why do you think this message is so important right now?

A: I didn’t write the book to the moment. I always knew I would write about these experiences, but I struggled over whether to write fiction or nonfiction. I needed to be emotionally ready to write the book, and be a strong writer and researcher as well. I got sick with COVID in March 2020 and it took me time to recover. When I was sick, I realized I had to write this book now. If something happened to me, I couldn’t let these family stories die with them.

The book is about how war affects families for generations. It’s also about hope. This is, sadly, speaking to the moment as antisemitism is on the rise. It’s interesting to me that people have told me how much my book is needed now. I want people to take away the message that in the end, love will win.

Q: What advice do you have for people who are interested in writing their family’s stories for an audience?

A: If you want to write a fictional version, which is what I did, research the locations where your family lived. Look at the place and what happened there. That’s a great place to learn what was happening at the time. Then you can research what life was like during and before the war. Was the family in a ghetto? A concentration camp? What happened after? That will provide a vast amount of information about what life was like for your relatives.

Even when I wasn’t ready to write, I was doing research. Once I was ready to write, I was able to complete the first draft quickly because I had all that research done. Most of the book takes place after the war, and this is a time that’s rarely seen in historical fiction.

One final piece of advice I have is that if you are writing from a fictional point of view, remind yourself that this is fiction. It’s OK to let go of certain moments because you are writing a fictional story.

Q: Is there anything else you want readers to understand about your book?

A: I am a former food writer and covered the Triangle restaurant scene for IndyWeek for a couple of years. The present-day character in the novel, Zoe, visits Vienna as a food writer in 2018. I include the details about baking techniques because researching that for the book brought me so much joy, and it added so much light to the novel, providing balance with the darker elements of the story.

The Lost Baker of Vienna by Sharon Kurtzman is available for purchase at Quail Ridge Books, Amazon, or wherever you prefer to buy your books. Join us for a reception and author talk with Kurtzman on Tuesday, September 16 at Beth Meyer Synagogue. To register, click here.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Raleigh is currently seeking community-minded, visionary leaders to serve on our Board of Directors.

Board members commit to one in-person meeting per month, typically on Wednesdays at the David R. Kahn Community Campus.

Board members must also participate in committee work as needed, attend periodic community events, and support our fundraising efforts. The funds raised support the work of the Jewish Federation, Jewish Family Services, Jewish Community Center, Camp JCC, and PJ Library.

We are interested in having board members from a broad range of demographics, interests, and areas of expertise. We encourage you to apply!

Click here to learn more and apply!

Q: Where are you from, and what brought you here?

A: I grew up in Chapel Hill. My parents are both from Chicago, and we moved to the Triangle when I was five. My father is also a doctor, and he came here to practice. I went to undergrad and medical school at UNC and then Vanderbilt University for my residency and fellowship. After that, I returned here and joined the faculty at Duke.

I’m a head and neck surgeon who focuses on voice, airway, and swallowing disorders. I’m a  Professor of Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences at Duke University Medical School and conduct research in these areas.

Q: What is your involvement in the Jewish community?

A: I grew up going to Judea Reform Congregation in Durham, where I had my bar mitzvah. I’ve been a member of Beth Meyer Synagogue since I returned to Raleigh in 2006, and I’m on the board of the Jewish Federation of Greater Raleigh. I’m passionate about supporting our Jewish community, being proudly Jewish, and helping our JCRC, which has been very rewarding. I have also joined the board of NC Hillel.

Q: Before recent events, had you encountered antisemitism in the medical field during your study and practice?

A: I didn’t personally encounter antisemitism in my practice prior to October 7. Sometimes patients ask me where I am from, and saying “Chapel Hill” or “Chicago” just leads to more questions. It’s happened enough times to know what they mean. I don’t hide my identity and tell them I am Jewish. I’ve also had patients who were extremely supportive. After the Pittsburgh shooting, many patients asked how I was doing. They really cared.

In the medical field at large, there’s always been quotas for medical students and doctors. That’s why there are specifically Jewish hospitals in major cities with names like “Mount Sinai.” Jewish doctors created opportunities that they were denied in other places.

Q: How has that changed since October 7?

A: Since October 7, antisemitism has exploded among organizations, medical schools, and individual healthcare practitioners. Institutions have been boycotting and cancelling anything related to Israel, such as collaborations in research and fellowships.

We have seen an increase in attacks on individual healthcare professionals. There was one incident that made the news where a group of Jewish therapists were “doxxed.” Someone came into a Facebook group and asked who would be willing to treat a patient with Zionist beliefs. When therapists volunteered themselves in good faith, they ended up being added to a blacklist that claimed to warn patients of white supremacist therapists. While I cannot share the details, I personally have experienced antisemitism within the healthcare setting since October 7.

There have also been social media posts by doctors, nurses, and medical students that are extremely hateful in nature. Individuals have made posts denying sexual assault by Hamas terrorists on October 7. These are your future care providers. They are making hateful, outrageous statements, and these are people who are going to be caring for you. This is scary.

We know that medicine is not immune to terrible beliefs and being involved in terrible things. Physicians were one of the most common professions to support the Nazi Party during the Holocaust. That’s why it is of vital importance to stop hate when we see it among colleagues.

Q: What have you been doing to respond to antisemitism in medicine?

A: I’ve joined a new, amazing organization called the American Jewish Medical Association (AJMA), and one of their main missions is supporting all Jewish healthcare professionals including healthcare learners from residents, medical students, and now pre-health students and fighting antisemitism in healthcare fields. They have great resources, and I’ve met incredible medical student leaders and other healthcare professionals both nationally and at UNC and Duke who are involved locally. AJMA raises awareness, provides valuable advocacy, supports educational and scholarly efforts, and collaborates with many organizations such as JFNA, Hadassah, and the Brandeis Center, to name a few, to address antisemitism to keep hate out of healthcare. For example, the Federation of Israeli Medical Students was expelled from the International Federation of Medical Student Associations. AJMA was instrumental in efforts that reversed this exclusion. Locally, we’ve responded to problematic incidents at universities.

I’ve also joined the board of the American Healthcare Professionals and Friends for Medicine in Israel (APF). This is an organization of US and Canadian healthcare professionals dedicated to safeguarding Israel’s emergency preparedness and helps Israeli healthcare providers to train in North America and then return to leadership positions within Israeli medical institutions. I went on a medical mission trip to Israel with the APF February 2024 and spoke about my experiences at a panel hosted by the Jewish Federation. The mission was one of the most meaningful things I’ve ever done. The medical specialty training in the US and Canada is vital as subspecialty training requires innovation and high volume patient care. This training includes Israelis of all backgrounds. My department at Duke also has a relationship with the Hadassah Medical Center Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery. I had an Israeli Arab resident rotate with me for four weeks at the beginning of the war, and an Israeli Jewish resident is coming for two weeks in August. It’s hard for Israelis to collaborate, because they have been excluded from many professional organizations and opportunities.

I have also joined the Duke Provost Initiative on the Middle East where I have tried to use my voice as a Professor at Duke to make things better.  I have been able to voice concerns to Duke leadership with positive response and action. I also served on a panel where I shared the impact of October 7 on Israeli society, especially the remarkable medical response with its resilience and humanism, with healthcare teams of Jews, Arabs, Christians, and Druze caring for all patients regardless of who they are.

On November 11, 2025, I’m bringing in Dr. Hedy Wald of Brown University to give talks to our students, faculty, staff, and greater community. She’s an expert on the role of medicine in the Holocaust, and she will be speaking about this and its contemporary relevance with support from the Duke University Provost’s Initiative on the Middle East, Center for Jewish Studies, and Trent Center for Bioethics, Humanities & History of Medicine. I’ve really enjoyed collaborating with and learning from her, and I’m excited for other people to benefit from her expertise.

A few months ago, Dr. Wald and I had a paper published in Bioethics Today. The topic was “Safeguarding Humanism in Healthcare: No Space for Antisemitism in Medicine.” Getting this and other related topics published in non-Jewish outlets has been very challenging.

Q: How can medical professionals get involved?

A: Support the American Jewish Medical Association. Any healthcare professional or learner of any field can join. It’s an amazing group of people and a supportive environment. They have scholarly articles, essays, connections with other organizations, and can connect you to webinars and mission trips to Israel. They have facilitated talks on topics like October 7’s impact on Israeli academia, sexual violence in the aftermath of October 7, and traumatic invalidation in the Jewish community. We have a North Carolina chapter of AJMA, and I’d love to find more local healthcare providers to join. I also recommend supporting the APF. Israel is a small country, and to have top notch healthcare, Israeli fellows need to go somewhere where they can have high volume exposure in their area of expertise. APF has been supporting that for decades. They’ve got a nurse practitioner program, which is a new field in Israel, and we have to help train and build these collaborations which are more important now than ever.

Q: What do you want our readers to understand?

A: The job of the healthcare provider is to take care of the patient in front of you. We need to make sure that we have the moral clarity to continue to do that and to continue to train providers to do that. Antisemitism threatens all of that. Research collaborations are being cancelled, and boycotts are affecting programs and innovations that benefit everyone. We need to call it out and make sure that we are upholding our most important values as healthcare providers.

Dear Greater Raleigh Jewish Community,

During the Amidah (The Standing Prayer), my father (z"l) and his best friend had a long-standing (no pun intended) tradition of remaining standing until the very last person in the sanctuary was finished. Then, and only then, would they sit down. This was, of course, so that no person was left standing alone while praying.

As my first week as CEO comes to a close and with Shabbat beginning in just a few hours, I find myself finally having time to reflect on what got me to this point in my life and my career. Maybe it was the events of October 7 or the flood of antisemitism following that led me back to working for a Jewish organization. I know that it impacted my decision, but my Jewish identity was formed long before that.

Was it because my mother taught preschool for the JCC in Cherry Hill, NJ and art for a local synagogue? Was it the basketball league and soccer at the JCC, or going every summer to the JCC camp? Was it the NFTY youth group camaraderie, events and trips to Camp Harlem in Pennsylvania? Perhaps, but I know the 10 years I spent involved at all levels of the JCC Maccabi Games helped me form so many Jewish experiences and memories that I can’t even count.

I’m sure it is because of those experiences and so many more that I was drawn to work in the nonprofit and Jewish sector, having worked for JCCs, synagogues, Federations, and even a Jewish nursing home.

We are all the sum of our life experiences.

Which leads me to today. Packing up all my belongings, driving 1200 miles from Texas to Raleigh, moving to a new city, and starting a new job. I am certain I wouldn’t do any, or all of that, if I didn’t believe in what I was doing, or where I was doing it.

I see true passion in the Jewish community of Greater Raleigh and so much potential! No one can do it alone and it is going to take all of your support.

This core value—that no one should stand alone—is at the heart of everything we do at the Jewish Federation of Greater Raleigh. Whether it’s supporting the people of Israel or caring for seniors in our own community, we believe in standing together. We do this not only for those in our community, but for those in other US cities, in Israel and around the world.

I look forward to meeting and working with all of you.

L’Shalom,

Seth Malin

CEO

Jewish Federation of Greater Raleigh

As President of the Board of Trustees, I’m excited to share important news as we build toward our future – the selection of Seth Malin as the Jewish Federation of Greater Raleigh’s new CEO.

With the expert partnership of Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), our Jewish Federation launched a national search for our next executive leader. We met with many exceptional candidates—each one bringing passion, experience, and vision. I’m deeply grateful to our dedicated search committee and local Jewish community leadership, and to the team at JFNA for their professionalism and guidance throughout this process.

I’m proud to announce that Seth has accepted the position of Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Federation of Greater Raleigh. Seth will officially join us in late-June, after relocating from Houston.

Seth brings more than 25 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, including a strong and inspiring history in the Jewish community. His previous roles include Assistant Vice President at the Jewish Federation of Broward County, Director of Development at Seven Acres Jewish Senior Care Services, and Director of the JCC Maccabi Games at the Jewish Community Center of Houston.

Most recently, he served as Executive Director of Educational Programs Inspiring Communities, where he led a team of more than 50 staff and managed a multi-million dollar annual budget while stewarding significant capital investments and major donor relationships.

Seth is a Certified Nonprofit Executive (CNE), Certified Development Executive (CDE), and Certified Nonprofit Consultant (CNC). Beyond his credentials, he is known for his hands-on leadership, his deep commitment to mission-driven work, and his ability to build strong relationships within and beyond the Jewish community.

And when he’s not building communities, you might find him on the soccer field—Seth is also a U.S. Soccer Federation referee.

I also want to take a moment to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Robin Talley, who graciously stepped in as Interim CEO during this transition. With Seth joining us, Robin will resume her role on the Board of Trustees—we are so thankful for her leadership and continued service.

We’re thrilled to welcome Seth to Greater Raleigh and look forward to the energy, integrity, and vision he’ll bring to our Federation family.

Shabbat Shalom,

Craig Meddin

President, Board of Trustees

Q: Where did you grow up?

Olga: I grew up in a small town in Russia before moving to Israel. I spent my high school years in Herzilya.

Violet: I grew up in Ashkelon in Israel.

Q: What are your jobs at camp?

Viola: I am a Rikud specialist. I will be teaching Israeli dance.

Olga: I am a Tarbut specialist. I will be teaching about Israeli culture.

Q: What are you looking forward to this summer at camp?

Olga: I’m looking forward to being with the kids. I want to give them information and answer their questions about Israeli culture and life in Israel. I want to share with them my experience, and I’m looking forward to learning something from the kids and other counselors as well. I love when we can share those experiences with each other and listening to them talk about their Jewish life here. It’s interesting for me.

Violet: I came here because I love children and the Jewish community here in America. I expect a great experience with the kids and counselors. I see it as my mission to bring the beauty of Israel to here, especially with everything going on now. I want to show them the beautiful and real side of Israel.

Q: What are your plans for after this summer?

Violet: I’m going to travel. The ending will be in New York.

Olga: I am going to travel as well, to Costa Rica and California and New York with my boyfriend. I’ll also meet my cousin in California.

Q: What do you like to do for fun?

Violet: I like to dance and do Pilates. I like to go to the beach, and I like to draw.

Olga: I do yoga and read books, the classics.

Q: What is your favorite summer treat?

Olga: Ice cream—Pistachio ice cream!

Viola: I also love ice cream, but I like everything with chocolate.

Q: Is there anything you would like our readers to understand about you, camp, or Israel?

Viola: We are happy to hear from everybody about their life here. We don’t know much about Jewish life outside of Israel, and I’ve been surprised by a lot.

Olga: Every Israeli Jew has their own story. It’s really interesting how American Jewish communities are when they are so far from Israel. Here [Jewish life] is changed, and in Israel they’ve stayed with a lot of old ways. It’s important for us to share this knowledge and the changes, from our Jewish experience and from the American Jewish experience. The religion, the lifestyle. It’s important to share. For example, Reform Judaism is so spread out here. In Israel, I would never see a girl wearing a kippah or putting on tefillin. They prioritize other values from Orthodox Judaism. Israeli Jews don’t pay attention to this.

We are still looking for families to host our Israeli counselors this summer. To learn more, click here.

Q: What is your background?

A: I was born and raised in Skokie, IL, which has a large, strong Jewish community. I always wanted to be a rabbi because I saw how important they were in the life of the community. I went to school in Detroit, Israel, and New York. In New York, I caught the bug for getting involved in Jewish communal work. I realized I didn’t need a pulpit to make a difference.

I eventually moved back to Chicago in 2009, and everyone said I needed to network. I joined several Chambers of Commerce and discovered that in the Jewish community, it’s just a matter of connecting the dots. I put together a lunch at a kosher pizza place, thinking that 25 people would show up. Instead, 75 people showed up! That was my introduction to continued involvement in Jewish community organizing. I started Jewish B2B Networking for Jewish business owners to connect. In the midst of a recession, I loved the opportunity to help small businesses. I got a Master of Arts in Jewish Professional Studies at the Spertus Institute in Chicago, and I thought that’s where I would continue to stay. Then the Army came up.

Q: Why did you want to become an army chaplain?

A: I started in the Army as a Military Police Officer. I arrived at Fort Benning, GA and went to Jewish religious services. It turned out I was the only person who could lead services. I had those skills after going to Jewish day school in my childhood. People kept assuming I was going to be a chaplain, and I fought it for a while instead of doing what came naturally. I was a Jewish lay leader and got deployed several times.

Then, I was sent to Texas and a Baptist chaplain asked me to meet him in an abandoned building. It turned out to be an old Jewish chapel with a Torah scroll that had been misplaced. That’s when I knew that I wanted to be a chaplain. That was the moment I realized the need that exists, because there are only approximately 12 Jewish active-duty chaplains in the Army. It’s also about the people that got me in, and keep me in. Now I’m a rabbi, a paratrooper, and I serve the world’s largest military base.

Q: What is the process for becoming a chaplain?

A: Chaplaincy requires three qualifications. The first part is the education. You need an MA in Theology or Divinity with a minimum of 72 credit hours. The second part is that you have to be endorsed by your ecclesiastical organization. JWB Jewish Chaplains Council is the main one for Jewish chaplains. You have to be a religious leader in good standing. You also have to qualify for the Army.

The whole process took me 3 ½ years–all while deployed, and mostly in the Middle East. I did some part of my studies in 22 countries. I get to say I did rabbinical school in Syria! Thankfully, COVID made it easier for the schools to embrace remote learning. I got my ordination through the Academy for Jewish Religion in Yonkers, NY.

Q: What is the most rewarding part of the job?

A: The opportunity to take care of people where they are at—in life and professionally. I’m a unit chaplain within the 82nd Airborne Division. I take care of my soldiers in good times and bad times. We are the only role in the military with full confidentiality. It’s the best job, because you get to take care of people.

I am the rabbi for Fort Bragg, which is the largest military base by troop density, and for Beth Israel Congregation in Fayetteville. I am also an educator. I advise commanders when something might impact the Jewish community. I have many non-Jewish soldiers who call me their rabbi, when they have never met another Jew in their life. I look at my uniform with a patch saying “US Army” on one side and a patch with the 10 Commandments on the other, and I can’t believe I have the coolest job in the world!

Q: What is the most challenging part of the job?

A: All of the same things. We have the largest number of deployed units in the military. The stressors that we put on our paratroopers are massive. The stress is 24/7. I deploy with them and train with them. It’s a lot for me, and more importantly, it’s a lot for them. It’s tough. because you see folks through their ups and downs. I’ve never been in a unit like this, where we train as hard as we do. Being the only rabbi can be lonely. I’m the person that the unit leaders, hospital leaders, fire department, police department, and mayor call regarding questions about Jewish matters.

Q: What is the Jewish community like in Fayetteville and on the base?

A: When I arrived, there was a rabbi at Beth Israel who has since retired. Beth Israel has a beautiful campus, active religious school, weekly Shabbat services and holiday programming. For a small community, it is very active. It’s enhanced by the transient nature of Fort Bragg. That’s what brings children into the religious school.

There’s a lot of crossover between on-base and off-base. We also have Friday night services on the base, where we have great participation. We just had a baby naming and we have a wedding coming up. There are currently 250 Jewish service members. My goal is to ensure that the fence and the gates at the perimeter at Fort Bragg are just small security measures. We are one Jewish community, and we are not divided.

Q: What are your goals for your time there?

A: I’m expecting to be here for 4-5 years. My goal is to have continuity in the Jewish community. Before I arrived, there was a gap of about a year since the last rabbi left.

We do Passover Seders. We did an October 7th commemoration. We are working with the commissary to provide challah and kosher meat for the first time. I want to ensure that Jews who come to Fort Bragg find a hospitable community, and that their time here is not a break in their Jewish life or participation. I want them to be able to live full Jewish lives while on assignment there.

Q: What do you want civilians to understand about Jewish life in the Army?

A: There have been chaplains in the army for 250 years, going all the way back to George Washington. Rabbis and Jewish chaplains have been around for much of that time. We have had substantial Jewish participation in every major conflict in our nation’s history. Jewish chaplains have been alongside Jewish service members every step of the way. I want civilians to understand that all service is important. I believe you can be Jewish and proud while serving in the military, in all branches. Jewish chaplains have a unique role. The US Military has said they want representation, and they want everyone to have access to their own religious services and professionals. I want to see pluralistic Jewish chaplains in all branches of the military. For Jewish communal members who want to serve, I’m happy to talk to them!

To learn more about chaplaincy or Jewish life at Fort Bragg, contact Rabbi Scott Klein at scott.i.klein.mil@army.mil.

Q: What is the Israeli community like in the Triangle?

A: I’d say it’s a very connected community. It’s not huge—we estimate there are around 200 to 250 Israeli families in the area. It’s also relatively new, which is actually really nice. People genuinely want to come together and get to know one another. We’re not concentrated in just Raleigh or Durham—we’re spread throughout the Triangle, which gives us a great opportunity to build bridges and create connections across the region.

Q: How has the Israeli community and its needs changed since October 7?

Since October 7, the Israeli community here has needed a great deal of support. Almost all of us knew someone in Israel who was injured, killed, or serving in the army. There was an overwhelming need to connect—with each other and with the broader Jewish community. As the war went on, being together felt like a source of safety and comfort.

We were looking for a sense of security—for people who understood what we were going through. Someone to cry with, to lean on, and even to share moments of joy with. We also wanted a space where we could talk openly about Israel without fear, where we didn’t have to hide being Jewish or Israeli.

At the same time, we felt an urgent need to stand up against the rising antisemitism and the wave of hate directed at Israel. Many of us were shocked by how quickly the world turned against us. Coming together gave us strength—not only to support each other emotionally, but also to speak up and push back against misinformation and hate.

Q: How did the idea for Beit Am come about?

A: It actually started with a group of Israeli moms here in the Triangle who were planning activities for their kids and looking for ways for parents to connect. Their goal was to create a kind of home away from home—not a physical space, but something that would bring people together through shared culture, language, and community.

At some point, one of them got connected with the World Zionist Organization, and they introduced the idea of Beit Am. The concept already exists in other parts of the U.S. and around the world, usually as part of a school, a Federation, or a synagogue. But this group thought—why not adapt it to what our community really needs here?

They had already started working on it before October 7, but after that, the need became so much more real. They started by reaching out to other Israelis, sharing the idea, and asking who wanted to be involved. That’s how the va’ad—kind of like an unofficial board—came together. Everyone on the va’ad volunteers their time, and from there, we created smaller va’adot (committees) to focus on the things we saw were really needed.

Each va’ada has someone from the main va’ad helping lead it. For example, I’m part of the committee that focuses on connecting the Israeli and American Jewish communities. We plan events, partner with local Jewish organizations, and look for ways to bridge the two groups.

There’s a committee for holidays and cultural events, one for media and communications that handles the website and publicity, a financial committee that manages our budget, and a youth committee that creates activities specifically for teens.

We also have a really important committee for new Israeli families who are moving to the area—most of them are coming straight from Israel. We help them with information before the move, and once they arrive, we try to make sure they feel supported and not alone. We even connect them with families who have kids the same age, so they can start building friendships right away.

Q: What are some examples of successful programs?

A: We kicked things off with a really special launch event around Rosh Hashanah, where we celebrated both the holiday and the beginning of Beit Ha’am’s journey. It was the first time so many of us came together with a shared purpose, and it set the tone for everything that followed.

Another highlight was the Wings of Hope women’s gathering at Jewish for Good. It brought Israeli and American Jewish women together in a really warm, meaningful way. We shared stories, built friendships, and created a space for honest connection between the two communities. It was incredibly powerful.

We also held a Yom Ha’Atzmaut party for adults in partnership with the Greater Raleigh Federation, which was a fun and festive way to bring both communities together. And of course, we had a big Yom Ha’Atzmaut picnic earlier this year with over 500 people—it was a beautiful day full of music, food, and family activities.

Q: What’s a challenge that faces the Israeli community?

A: One big challenge is the holidays. In Israel, the whole country celebrates together—everything just stops for the chagim. Here, it’s different. You really have to make an effort to bring that feeling into your home and make sure your kids understand and experience the holidays. It doesn’t just happen around you, so it takes more intention.

Another thing is understanding how Jewish life works here. In Israel, Judaism is part of everyday life, so moving here means adjusting to different structures—like the way synagogues work or how community is organized. It’s a learning curve for a lot of us.

After October 7, we felt a much deeper need—not just a want, but a real need—to connect. To be with other Israelis, but also to build stronger connections with the broader Jewish community here.

Q: What are Beit Am’s future goals?

A: We’re actually thinking about maybe becoming an official nonprofit at some point—it’s definitely something we’ve been talking about. Right now, everything we do is volunteer-based, and while we’re getting some donations, it’s not enough to do everything we want. There’s so much more we’d love to offer the community, but we’re limited by resources.

One of our biggest goals is to build a stronger connection between the Israeli and American Jewish communities. We really want to create that feeling of home—maybe not in the physical sense, but in the sense of culture, language, and just being with people who understand you. A place where Israelis feel like they belong, and where the broader Jewish community feels welcome too.

Q: What resources would be most helpful to Beit Am right now?

A: Honestly, we’re open to anything right now. We’d love to bring in people from the community who have experience or knowledge in different areas—whether it’s parenting, mental health, career development, or even something fun like cooking or art—to come give talks or workshops for the Israeli community. As I mentioned I am part of the committee that focuses on building connections between the Israeli and Jewish American communities, and one of our goals is to invite more Jewish Americans to volunteer and get involved too. We really believe in creating something shared—not just for Israelis, but for the whole community.

Q: Where should people go for more information about Beit Am?

They can check out our website—it’s all in Hebrew for now, but we’re hoping to get an English version up at some point. Sagit Krieger is the manager of Beit Am, and people can always reach out to her or anyone on the va’ad.

And honestly, if anyone wants to volunteer, help out, collaborate on something, or even support us with a donation, they can reach out to any of us. We’d love to have more people involved, especially from the broader Jewish community. You can also talk to anyone on the different va’adot (committees)—we’re all happy to chat and find ways to work together.