StandWithUs
InternationalConference:
Israel in Focus
January 30 – January 31, 2021
Guest Speakers
Natan Sharansky
Natan Sharansky was born in Donetsk, Ukraine. He was a spokesman for the human rights movement, a Prisoner of Zion and leader in the struggle for the right of Soviet Jews to immigrate to Israel. Subsequent to his request to make aliya, Mr. Sharansky was arrested on trumped up charges of treason and espionage. He was convicted in a Soviet court and served nine years in the Gulag with many stretches in a punishing cell. Following massive public campaigns by the State of Israel, World Jewry and leaders of the free world, Mr. Sharansky was released in 1986, making aliya on the very day of his release.
In his first few years in Israel, Mr. Sharansky established the Zionist Forum to assist Soviet olim in their absorption in Israel. In the 1990's, he established the Yisrael B'Aliyah party in order to accelerate the integration of Russian Jews. He served in four successive Israeli governments, as Minister and Deputy Prime Minister.
In 2018 he received the highest Israeli award - the Israel Prize for promoting Aliyah and the ingathering of the exiles.
Mr. Sharansky is the recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1986 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2006. He is the only living non-American citizen who is the recipient of these two highest American awards. 2009-2018 Natan Sharansky served as Chairman of the Executive of the Jewish Agency for Israel.
In July 2019 Mr. Natan Sharansky became Chair of ISGAP (The Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy).
Mr. Sharansky is also the author of four books: Fear No Evil, The Case for Democracy, Defending Identity and Never Alone: Prison, Politics and My People.
In his first few years in Israel, Mr. Sharansky established the Zionist Forum to assist Soviet olim in their absorption in Israel. In the 1990's, he established the Yisrael B'Aliyah party in order to accelerate the integration of Russian Jews. He served in four successive Israeli governments, as Minister and Deputy Prime Minister.
In 2018 he received the highest Israeli award - the Israel Prize for promoting Aliyah and the ingathering of the exiles.
Mr. Sharansky is the recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1986 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2006. He is the only living non-American citizen who is the recipient of these two highest American awards. 2009-2018 Natan Sharansky served as Chairman of the Executive of the Jewish Agency for Israel.
In July 2019 Mr. Natan Sharansky became Chair of ISGAP (The Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy).
Mr. Sharansky is also the author of four books: Fear No Evil, The Case for Democracy, Defending Identity and Never Alone: Prison, Politics and My People.
Gil Troy
A Distinguished Scholar in North American History at McGill University currently living in Jerusalem, Gil Troy is an award-winning American presidential historian and a leading Zionist activist. In the Foreword to Troy’s latest book, The Zionist Ideas: Visions for the Jewish Homeland – Then, Now, Tomorrow, which was a 2019 National Jewish Book Award Finalist, Natan Sharansky writes: “This magnificent work is the perfect follow-up to Arthur Hertzberg’s classic The Zionist Idea. Combining, like Hertzberg, a scholar’s eye and an activist’s ear, Gil Troy demonstrates that we now live in a world of Zionist Ideas, with many different ways to help Israel flourish as a democratic Jewish state.”
Recently designated an Algemeiner J-100, one of the top 100 people "positively influencing Jewish life," Troy wrote The Age of Clinton: America in the 1990s, and eight other books on the American presidency. One leading historian called Age of Clinton “the best book on the man and his times.” Troy edited and updated another classic, the multi-volume History of American Presidential Campaigns, originally edited by Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. and Fred Israel.
His next book, co-authored with the former Soviet Prisoner of Zion and human rights activist Natan Sharansky, Never Alone: Prison, Politics and My People, will be published in September by PublicAffairs of Hachette – it’s already possible to pre-order the book on Amazon and at fine book stores everywhere.
Troy’s book Moynihan’s Moment: America’s Fight against Zionism as Racism, describes the fall of the UN, the rise of Reagan and the spread of Anti-Zionism. Jewish Ideas Daily designated it one of 2012’s “best books.”
He appeared as a featured commentator on CNN’s popular multipart documentaries, The Eighties, The Nineties, and The 2000s. He has been interviewed on most major North American TV and Radio networks.
Troy has published essays in the American, Canadian, and Israeli media, including writing essays for the New York Times’ “Campaign Stops” in 2012 and 2016. He writes a monthly column for the Daily Beast, “Secret Lives,” putting current events in historical perspective, and writes a weekly column for the Jerusalem Post.
Recently designated an Algemeiner J-100, one of the top 100 people "positively influencing Jewish life," Troy wrote The Age of Clinton: America in the 1990s, and eight other books on the American presidency. One leading historian called Age of Clinton “the best book on the man and his times.” Troy edited and updated another classic, the multi-volume History of American Presidential Campaigns, originally edited by Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. and Fred Israel.
His next book, co-authored with the former Soviet Prisoner of Zion and human rights activist Natan Sharansky, Never Alone: Prison, Politics and My People, will be published in September by PublicAffairs of Hachette – it’s already possible to pre-order the book on Amazon and at fine book stores everywhere.
Troy’s book Moynihan’s Moment: America’s Fight against Zionism as Racism, describes the fall of the UN, the rise of Reagan and the spread of Anti-Zionism. Jewish Ideas Daily designated it one of 2012’s “best books.”
He appeared as a featured commentator on CNN’s popular multipart documentaries, The Eighties, The Nineties, and The 2000s. He has been interviewed on most major North American TV and Radio networks.
Troy has published essays in the American, Canadian, and Israeli media, including writing essays for the New York Times’ “Campaign Stops” in 2012 and 2016. He writes a monthly column for the Daily Beast, “Secret Lives,” putting current events in historical perspective, and writes a weekly column for the Jerusalem Post.
Roz Rothstein
Roz is a co-founder and CEO of StandWithUs. The daughter of Holocaust survivors, Rothstein and her husband Jerry, along with community leader Esther Renzer, sought to strengthen Israel’s image by empowering Israel’s supporters worldwide with innovative educational materials, conferences, fellowships, campaigns, missions to Israel, social media, educational videos, and programs. Since the inception of StandWithUs, the Forward has twice named Rothstein one of the 50 most influential Jews in America, and the Jerusalem Post has twice named her one of the 50 most influential Jews in the world.
Ahdeya Al Sayed
Ahdeya Al Sayed is President of Bahrain Jounalists Association, former media advisor to government ministries.
Fleur Hassan-Nahoum
Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem
Fleur grew up in Gibraltar and studied law at Kings College, London University. She qualified as a barrister in Middle Temple in 1997 and practiced in London before immigrating to Israel in 2001. In Israel she worked at JDC in resource development for Europe and later became the Executive Director of Tikva, a nonprofit organization saving abandoned and abused Jewish children from the Former Soviet Union. In 2011 she set up her own communications consulting business Message Experts and does consulting work for large corporation as well as nonprofit organizations on effective communication strategies. In May 2016 Fleur became a City Councilor in Jerusalem and in February 2017 the leader of the Opposition. In November 2018 Fleur was re-elected to the Jerusalem Municipal Council and was appointed Deputy Mayor for foreign relations economic development and tourism. Fleur is currently the only British politician in Israel and is involved in the advancement of women’s rights and marginalized populations groups in the city, in economic development and the fight for a pluralistic Jerusalem. Fleur is also the Co-Founder of the UAE-Israel Business Council and the Gulf-Israel Women’s Forum.
Fleur grew up in Gibraltar and studied law at Kings College, London University. She qualified as a barrister in Middle Temple in 1997 and practiced in London before immigrating to Israel in 2001. In Israel she worked at JDC in resource development for Europe and later became the Executive Director of Tikva, a nonprofit organization saving abandoned and abused Jewish children from the Former Soviet Union. In 2011 she set up her own communications consulting business Message Experts and does consulting work for large corporation as well as nonprofit organizations on effective communication strategies. In May 2016 Fleur became a City Councilor in Jerusalem and in February 2017 the leader of the Opposition. In November 2018 Fleur was re-elected to the Jerusalem Municipal Council and was appointed Deputy Mayor for foreign relations economic development and tourism. Fleur is currently the only British politician in Israel and is involved in the advancement of women’s rights and marginalized populations groups in the city, in economic development and the fight for a pluralistic Jerusalem. Fleur is also the Co-Founder of the UAE-Israel Business Council and the Gulf-Israel Women’s Forum.
Omar Al Busaidy
Omar Al Busaidy is a Fulbright Scholar currently pursuing his Master’s degree in International Affairs at Florida State University. Omar is a Best-Selling author in his home country the United Arab Emirates and an entrepreneur as well as a member of the US-UAE Public Affairs Committee.
Omar is also a Non-Resident fellow at Trends Research & Advisory a geo-political think tank based in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
His multiple roles have allowed him to achieve several accomplishments, from publishing his self-help book ‘Just Read It’ and his upcoming book on futurism titled “Why Jobs are Robots and Life is for People’, to investing in start ups from the technology to trading industries.
A former Global Shaper at the World Economic Forum, Omar has been invited to mentor students on entrepreneurship, communication and leadership at several universities and conferences across the UAE and around the world.
You may reach Omar on:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/omaralbusaidy
https://twitter.com/omaralbusaidy
https://www.instagram.com/omaralbusaidy
Omar is also a Non-Resident fellow at Trends Research & Advisory a geo-political think tank based in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
His multiple roles have allowed him to achieve several accomplishments, from publishing his self-help book ‘Just Read It’ and his upcoming book on futurism titled “Why Jobs are Robots and Life is for People’, to investing in start ups from the technology to trading industries.
A former Global Shaper at the World Economic Forum, Omar has been invited to mentor students on entrepreneurship, communication and leadership at several universities and conferences across the UAE and around the world.
You may reach Omar on:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/omaralbusaidy
https://twitter.com/omaralbusaidy
https://www.instagram.com/omaralbusaidy
Andre Lajst
André Lajst is a political scientist and the executive director of StandWithUs Brazil. Lajst studied Government Diplomacy and Strategy at IDC Herzliya, specializing in Middle East, Counter Terrorism and National Security. He served for two years as an academic officer in the Israeli Air Force's intelligence research and operations department. After his military service, Lajst earned his master's degree in Counter Terrorism and National Security, also at IDC Herzliya. In addition, he served as a researcher at the International Institute for Counter-terrorism (ICT) where he conducted a research on the influence of Hezbollah and Al Qaeda in Brazil. For many years, Lajst attended Herzliya Conferences (Herzliya Conference - המרכז הבינתחומי הרצליה) and from the International Conference on Counter-Terrorism, both are renowned international security conferences focused on the Middle East. Today, he is a doctoral student at University of Cordoba (Spain) in the area of political and social science, with an emphasis on the Palestinian-Israeli peace process, as well as collaborating with various medias in Israel and Brazil, among them Times of Israel and Folha de São Paulo, on the Middle East, Islamic Terrorism, and the Israeli Arab Peace Process.
Anne Lanski
Anne Lanski currently serves as the Founding CEO of The iCenter. Israel education has been Anne’s personal and professional passion for three decades. As a pioneer in cross cultural education and teen travel to Eastern Europe and Israel, Anne is Founder and former CEO of Shorashim. She is regarded as the seminal figure in making the “mifgash” an essential component of Israel educational programs, and is the recipient of numerous awards for her pioneering work in this field.
Avi Gordon
Avi D. Gordon is the Executive Director of Alums for Campus Fairness-the national alumni network that counters anti-Semitism and anti-Israel rhetoric on campus. Avi has over a decade of experience in the Pro Israel campus community having previously held Director positions at StandWithUs as the East Coast Campus Director and the Emerson Fellowship Director, at AEPi-the international Jewish Fraternity-as the Director of Israel Engagement, and most recently as AJC NY's Associate Director. Avi graduated from Binghamton University in 2010, majoring in Judaic Studies and minoring in International Studies. Originally from Harrisburg, PA, Avi currently resides in South Florida with his family.
Charlotte Korchak
Charlotte Korchak is the Director of International Student Programs at StandWithUs Israel, where she educates and trains students from around the world in Israel activism. Charlotte graduated with a BA in Middle Eastern History from the University of Southern California and has since been working for StandWithUs. Initially serving as the West Coast Campus Coordinator, she then made aliyah and transferred to StandWithUs Israel to become the Diaspora Education Coordinator. In her current role, Charlotte works with over 6,000 students a year from nearly every continent educating them about Israel and training them to be effective activists in their high schools, universities, and communities worldwide. She has quickly become one of the foremost public speakers in her field.
Carly Gammill
Carly Gammill is the Director of the StandWithUs Center for Combating Antisemitism. Carly is a seasoned constitutional litigator with extensive experience handling matters involving free speech and religious liberties. She has assisted an array of clients in vindicating their legal interests, including students and professors, nonprofit organizations, and private citizens seeking access to public forums. In her legal work, Carly has been active in fighting antisemitism, including the anti-Israel, antisemitic BDS campaigns, on campuses, in court, and at the United Nations.
Her passion for this work, especially on campuses, derives in part from her background in the educational field. Prior to law school, Carly taught high school English and American history, seeing firsthand the crucial need for students to learn not only the facts that make up history but also the invaluable lessons that history teaches in the present to help ensure a future where the mistakes of our past are not repeated.
As a non-Jew, Carly's work combating antisemitism also stems from a deep personal conviction that the world--including people of other races and religions--cannot afford to stand by silently while the Jewish people are once again targeted, marginalized, demonized, and harmed. She is dedicated to being a part of the solution in the face of the new manifestations of antisemitism by educating the general public--on campuses and within the community--about antisemitism, exposing it when and where it occurs, and taking the necessary action to curtail its spread.
Her passion for this work, especially on campuses, derives in part from her background in the educational field. Prior to law school, Carly taught high school English and American history, seeing firsthand the crucial need for students to learn not only the facts that make up history but also the invaluable lessons that history teaches in the present to help ensure a future where the mistakes of our past are not repeated.
As a non-Jew, Carly's work combating antisemitism also stems from a deep personal conviction that the world--including people of other races and religions--cannot afford to stand by silently while the Jewish people are once again targeted, marginalized, demonized, and harmed. She is dedicated to being a part of the solution in the face of the new manifestations of antisemitism by educating the general public--on campuses and within the community--about antisemitism, exposing it when and where it occurs, and taking the necessary action to curtail its spread.
Craig Dershowitz
Craig Dershowitz is the Chief Executive Officer of Artists 4 Israel and President of Healing Arts Kits and Healing Ink.
Mr. Dershowitz has worked with over 8,000 artists representing more than 26 different countries on 4 continents showing the power of avant-garde art as a tool for social change and creating a new paradigm in Israeli advocacy. For his work, he was presented the Defender of Israel award, been honored by Prime Minister Netanyahu and has had the Ministry of Public Diplomacy say that Craig is “changing our perceptions of PR and having an impact on our policy and style.”
His most proud accomplishments come from helping people in a real and direct way. Mr. Dershowitz has received the key to the city of Sderot for his work there during wartime as well as been awarded with Challenge Coins from the NYPD and the Orlando Police Department.
Before setting trends in the Israel space, Craig was the Editor in Chief for an internationally distributed graffiti magazine and a writer for VICE. In the private sector, Mr. Dershowitz worked as a special projects manager at Morgan Stanley in the anti-money laundering and terrorist financing prevention group.
Craig splits his time between Los Angeles and Israel.
Mr. Dershowitz has worked with over 8,000 artists representing more than 26 different countries on 4 continents showing the power of avant-garde art as a tool for social change and creating a new paradigm in Israeli advocacy. For his work, he was presented the Defender of Israel award, been honored by Prime Minister Netanyahu and has had the Ministry of Public Diplomacy say that Craig is “changing our perceptions of PR and having an impact on our policy and style.”
His most proud accomplishments come from helping people in a real and direct way. Mr. Dershowitz has received the key to the city of Sderot for his work there during wartime as well as been awarded with Challenge Coins from the NYPD and the Orlando Police Department.
Before setting trends in the Israel space, Craig was the Editor in Chief for an internationally distributed graffiti magazine and a writer for VICE. In the private sector, Mr. Dershowitz worked as a special projects manager at Morgan Stanley in the anti-money laundering and terrorist financing prevention group.
Craig splits his time between Los Angeles and Israel.
Dan Tatar
Dan’s experience in relational engagement is rooted in his own teen Israel experience (led by his then-teacher, Anne Lanski). His time as a professional in the field has focused on fostering meaningful relationships and building creative experiences. Dan’s background as a stage and television actor and passion for educational technology offer a unique perspective on Israel education. He is currently working toward his Master’s Degree in Israel Education at The George Washington University. Dan lives in the suburbs of Chicago with his wife, daughter, and two dogs weighing a collective 25 lbs.
Daniella Schwartz
Media Outreach and Community Development Manager | Los Angeles Office
Daniella is responsible for planning media outreach, programming, and content as well as cultivating Fuente Latina relationships in the California community.
Before joining Fuente Latina, Daniella was part of RAZE, a Latin digital media company launched by actress Sofia Vergara, where she was instrumental in launching their first mobile platform with original content that celebrates the voices and perspectives of Latinos through production and premium video content distribution. Before RAZE, she developed communication strategies through content creation for personalities such as the Kardashians, entrepreneurs, and government figures such as Vicente Fox.
Working in both the United States and Latin America has given Daniella a great cultural and inclusive understanding of brand development, entertainment production, public affairs, corporate communications and public relations in Hispanic and non-Hispanic markets.
The Mexico City native received a BA in International Relations from The University of California, Los Angeles.
Daniella is responsible for planning media outreach, programming, and content as well as cultivating Fuente Latina relationships in the California community.
Before joining Fuente Latina, Daniella was part of RAZE, a Latin digital media company launched by actress Sofia Vergara, where she was instrumental in launching their first mobile platform with original content that celebrates the voices and perspectives of Latinos through production and premium video content distribution. Before RAZE, she developed communication strategies through content creation for personalities such as the Kardashians, entrepreneurs, and government figures such as Vicente Fox.
Working in both the United States and Latin America has given Daniella a great cultural and inclusive understanding of brand development, entertainment production, public affairs, corporate communications and public relations in Hispanic and non-Hispanic markets.
The Mexico City native received a BA in International Relations from The University of California, Los Angeles.
Hussein Aboubakr
Hussein Aboubakr Mansour was born in 1989 in Cairo, Egypt. He was a self-described reclusive Internet nerd, obsessed with comic books and the like. The ultimate villains in the local lore he was steeped in during his youth were the “bloodthirsty Zionists”, so Hussein began to study the supposed enemies of his people.
Hussein studied Hebrew at Cairo University, but did not adapt to the curriculum which was the official anti-Israel and anti-Semitic rhetoric of the regime. Hussein was persecuted by the Egyptian State Police for being the first visitor to check out books and watching films at the Israeli Academic Center of Cairo. In 2010 he was monitored, harassed, and jailed for his studies of Israel. Later the same year, he was suspected of being a "Zionist agent" and was held a military detention facility where he was tortured. When the Egyptian Revolution swept in 2011, Hussein became an organizer in Tahrir Square. By 2012 the secret police of the Muslim Brotherhood regime again began harassing and persecuting Hussein for his contacts with Israelis and writings expressing hopes for coexistence and peace between the two peoples. He received asylum in the United States in 2014 and worked as an Assistant Professor of Hebrew Studies in the Defense Language Institute. He joined StandWithUs in 2019 as an educator.
Hussein studied Hebrew at Cairo University, but did not adapt to the curriculum which was the official anti-Israel and anti-Semitic rhetoric of the regime. Hussein was persecuted by the Egyptian State Police for being the first visitor to check out books and watching films at the Israeli Academic Center of Cairo. In 2010 he was monitored, harassed, and jailed for his studies of Israel. Later the same year, he was suspected of being a "Zionist agent" and was held a military detention facility where he was tortured. When the Egyptian Revolution swept in 2011, Hussein became an organizer in Tahrir Square. By 2012 the secret police of the Muslim Brotherhood regime again began harassing and persecuting Hussein for his contacts with Israelis and writings expressing hopes for coexistence and peace between the two peoples. He received asylum in the United States in 2014 and worked as an Assistant Professor of Hebrew Studies in the Defense Language Institute. He joined StandWithUs in 2019 as an educator.
Joseph Sabag
Joseph Sabag is the Director of Policy and Government Relations at IAC for Action. As an attorney and policy specialist, Joe has been a sought-after consultant for numerous lawmakers at the state and federal levels over the past decade. In just the last 6 years, he has led drafting and successful advocacy of legislation and key policy resolutions supporting Israel and combating anti-Semitism in over two-thirds of the states in America. In Spring 2018, Joe led the way toward South Carolina’s adoption of a first-ever state codification of a uniform definition of anti-Semitism. The prior passage of a similar bill in Bal Harbour, FL was also an initiative he helped lead. In 2015, Joe led the passage of the country’s first anti-BDS law regulating against commercial boycotts of Israel in South Carolina. Since then, similar laws have passed in an additional 25 states. He has been extensively published in national media outlets and the international press. He is an honors graduate of the University of Miami and an all-around nice guy.
Jonathan Bell
Jonathan Bell is the Associate Director of the StandWithUs Saidoff Legal Department, joining StandWithUs in January 2018 with over a decade of Jewish non-profit lay leadership and professional experience. At StandWithUs, Jonathan provides legal resources to pro-Israel students and community activists combating antisemitism and anti-Israel activity on campuses and in communities nationwide. Jonathan graduated magna cum laude from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and earned his undergraduate degree in History and Political Science from the University of Wisconsin. Jonathan enjoys running, playing softball, cheering on the Badgers and spending quality time with his wife and son.
Max Samarov
Max grew up in Boston and is a first-generation American. His parents fled to Israel from the Soviet Union to escape the racism and discrimination Jews faced there. Although Max now lives in Southern California he has traveled to Israel and lived there for extended periods throughout his life. Max graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 2011 with a degree in political science and international relations. He interned at the office of Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) before joining StandWithUs in 2012. The focus of his research is Israel, the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, and the discourse about these issues on campuses. He has also spent the last six years helping to educate, organize, and empower students and others across North America in the struggle against anti-Israel boycotts and other forms of bigotry. Max has been quoted by many media outlets, including the Associated Press, Inside Higher Ed, Haaretz, and Israel’s Channel 10, and his articles have been published in the Huffington Post, the Jerusalem Post, the Times of Israel, The Tower, and the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles. He also contributed a chapter to The Anti-Israel Agenda: the Political War on the Jewish State, a book published in August 2017.
Michael Dickson
Michael Dickson is Executive Director of StandWithUs-Israel. Michael leads a dynamic team at StandWithUs in Jerusalem which includes pioneering innovative Israel educational initiatives, running campaigns to counter discriminatory BDS boycotts of Israel, oversight of digital operations and hosting delegations of politicians, diplomats, academics and other people of influence in Israel.
Michael holds a Bachelor’s degree from University College London (UCL) and diplomas in Management and Project Management. Born in the UK, Michael made Aliyah to Israel in 2006 from London as the Second Lebanon War ended, together with his wife and two young children – they now have five children and live in central Israel.
Michael regularly addresses audiences and broadcasts on issues pertaining to Israel and public diplomacy. He is an accomplished writer, with many published articles, TV appearances and and is the author of the new book ISRESILIENCE - What Israelis Can Teach the World.
Under Michael’s leadership, StandWithUs’s operation in Israel has grown exponentially, empowering people in Israel and internationally to be active advocates for Israel and countering efforts to impose commercial, academic and cultural boycotts on Israel. Michael oversaw the construction of the new StandWithUs Educational Center in Jerusalem, opposite the King David Hotel. The site hosts tens of thousands of students and tourists each year, participating in educational programs.
Michael is a Senior Fellow at the Center for International Communication (CIC) of Bar Ilan University, is an Honorary member of Alpha Epsilon Pi, and was appointed to the Spectrum Forum of leading Executive Directors in Israel under the age of 40. He was named by JTA as the 14th most influential Jew on Twitter and also one of the “30 Israelis Making a Difference” by Channel 10 TV at a ceremony at the President of Israel’s Residence. Michael was cited in the Top 30 of "The Aliyah 100 List" of British immigrants to Israel, as one of the "flag bearers who shaped the state of Israel and made a significant contribution". In 2019, he won the prestigious “Bonei Zion” (“Builders is Zion”) Prize, which was awarded by Nefesh B’Nefesh at the City of David.
Michael continues to be an energetic, influential and active voice for Israel to the world.
Michael holds a Bachelor’s degree from University College London (UCL) and diplomas in Management and Project Management. Born in the UK, Michael made Aliyah to Israel in 2006 from London as the Second Lebanon War ended, together with his wife and two young children – they now have five children and live in central Israel.
Michael regularly addresses audiences and broadcasts on issues pertaining to Israel and public diplomacy. He is an accomplished writer, with many published articles, TV appearances and and is the author of the new book ISRESILIENCE - What Israelis Can Teach the World.
Under Michael’s leadership, StandWithUs’s operation in Israel has grown exponentially, empowering people in Israel and internationally to be active advocates for Israel and countering efforts to impose commercial, academic and cultural boycotts on Israel. Michael oversaw the construction of the new StandWithUs Educational Center in Jerusalem, opposite the King David Hotel. The site hosts tens of thousands of students and tourists each year, participating in educational programs.
Michael is a Senior Fellow at the Center for International Communication (CIC) of Bar Ilan University, is an Honorary member of Alpha Epsilon Pi, and was appointed to the Spectrum Forum of leading Executive Directors in Israel under the age of 40. He was named by JTA as the 14th most influential Jew on Twitter and also one of the “30 Israelis Making a Difference” by Channel 10 TV at a ceremony at the President of Israel’s Residence. Michael was cited in the Top 30 of "The Aliyah 100 List" of British immigrants to Israel, as one of the "flag bearers who shaped the state of Israel and made a significant contribution". In 2019, he won the prestigious “Bonei Zion” (“Builders is Zion”) Prize, which was awarded by Nefesh B’Nefesh at the City of David.
Michael continues to be an energetic, influential and active voice for Israel to the world.
Michael Soberman
Michael is a Senior Educational Consultant for The iCenter. Prior to that, Michael was the Vice President of Canada Israel Experience and Next Generation Initiatives at the Jewish Federations of Canada – UIA. Canada Israel Experience is the Federations’ Israel Experience arm that is committed to maximizing the number of Canadian teenagers and young adults traveling to Israel on program such as Birthright Israel, the March of the Living and high school/youth movement programs. Michael has been invited to speak all over the world on topics of the Israel experience, Birthright Israel, next generation and experiential education. Michael holds a Bachelor of Arts from York University, a Juris Doctor from Osgoode Hall Law School, a Bachelor of Education from the University of Toronto, and an Executive Master's of Arts in Jewish Professional Studies from Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership. Michael is married to Rebecca, and they have a daughter named Jordyn and son named Joshua.
Mina Rush
Mina Rush is the Director of Middle School Education and Programming for StandWithUs. Her passions are Jewish continuity and Israel. She believes that a strong foundation and connection to Israel must be formed during the critical developmental stage of middle school in a way that is relevant for the youth of today. Together with a team of exemplary educators, she developed a cutting edge, experiential middle school curriculum called LINK – Discovering Your Israel Connection which is currently being implemented in schools nationwide.
Miri Kornfeld Nauss
Miri Kornfeld, originally from Denver, Colorado, immediately found her passion for promoting Israel on college campuses when she began attending UCLA. Her involvement in Israel advocacy remained her top priority, and she became the president of Bruins for Israel, UCLA's pro-Israel organization, in her senior year. Upon graduating, Miri joined the StandWithUs team as the executive director of high school affairs in North America. Miri focuses on promoting education about Israel to high school students, providing them with the support and tools they will need to become leaders and Israel advocates on their future college campuses and in their communities.
Mona Golabek
Mona Golabek is the internationally acclaimed concert pianist, author, and storyteller. She is the daughter of Lisa Jura, a child piano prodigy born in Vienna, Austria, who came to England as a refugee in 1938 as part of the Kindertransport rescue operation. Her father, Michel Golabek, was a French resistance fighter, who received the Croix de Guerre. Mona’s grandparents died at Auschwitz.
Mona, deeply inspired by her mother's story and the last words her mother heard at the train station - “Hold on to your music…. it will be your best friend”, became a concert pianist and has performed with major conductors and orchestras worldwide.
The Grammy nominee and prolific recording artist has been the subject of several documentaries including Concerto for Mona with conductor Zubin Mehta.
Her mother is the subject of Ms. Golabek’s acclaimed book, The Children of Willesden Lane, now in pre production for a major feature film.
In 2012, Mona made her debut in The Pianist of Willesden Lane, adapted from the book. The production, directed by Hershey Felder, has been celebrated by critics and audiences across the globe, with sold out theatrical runs in New York and London. Ms. Golabek has received Best Actress Nominations from the New York Drama Desk and Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle.
In 2003, Ms. Golabek formed the Hold On To Your Music Foundation. To date, more than one million students and families have experienced the WILLESDEN READ – the educational mission devoted to spreading the message of her mother’s story. Now, in a unique and groundbreaking partnership with the USC Shoah Foundation, she brings the educational mission and her mother’s story to students and communities across the globe.
Mona, deeply inspired by her mother's story and the last words her mother heard at the train station - “Hold on to your music…. it will be your best friend”, became a concert pianist and has performed with major conductors and orchestras worldwide.
The Grammy nominee and prolific recording artist has been the subject of several documentaries including Concerto for Mona with conductor Zubin Mehta.
Her mother is the subject of Ms. Golabek’s acclaimed book, The Children of Willesden Lane, now in pre production for a major feature film.
In 2012, Mona made her debut in The Pianist of Willesden Lane, adapted from the book. The production, directed by Hershey Felder, has been celebrated by critics and audiences across the globe, with sold out theatrical runs in New York and London. Ms. Golabek has received Best Actress Nominations from the New York Drama Desk and Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle.
In 2003, Ms. Golabek formed the Hold On To Your Music Foundation. To date, more than one million students and families have experienced the WILLESDEN READ – the educational mission devoted to spreading the message of her mother’s story. Now, in a unique and groundbreaking partnership with the USC Shoah Foundation, she brings the educational mission and her mother’s story to students and communities across the globe.
Natalie Blitt
Natalie comes to The iCenter from The PJ Library®, where she created and led the book and manuscript selection process over the last 5 years. Prior to that, Natalie was the founder of Sippurim: Israel Books for Kids, a nonprofit aimed at developing new books for American children that take place in Israel. While Natalie claims that everything she knows in life she learned as a result of reading children’s books, she does understand that there are many ways to educate and inspire connections. Natalie has a BA from McGill University in Montreal and a Journalism degree from the University of King’s College in Halifax.
Neil Lazarus
Neil Lazarus is an internationally acclaimed expert in the fields of Middle East politics, Public Diplomacy and Effective Communication Training. He is one of Israel's leading keynote speakers. His presentations are motivating, informative and challenging. Neil speaks to over 30,000 people a year and his presentations are causing an international sensation.
He is a favored speaker for Jewish Federations, Community Leadership as well as student leadership groups. He is a welcomed guest at many Christian Friends of Israel organizations. Neil Lazarus has helped train a new generation of Israeli diplomats and spokespeople. He is the author of "The New 5 Rules of Effective Israel Advocacy".
His client list is extensive and has included: The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Israeli Ministry of Tourism, Jewish Federations, JCRCs, Sky TV, Russian English TV, Keshet Television, Yad Vashem, Hillel, Hadassah, Birthright, The Jewish Agency of Israel, The Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya and many more.
He is a favored speaker for Jewish Federations, Community Leadership as well as student leadership groups. He is a welcomed guest at many Christian Friends of Israel organizations. Neil Lazarus has helped train a new generation of Israeli diplomats and spokespeople. He is the author of "The New 5 Rules of Effective Israel Advocacy".
His client list is extensive and has included: The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Israeli Ministry of Tourism, Jewish Federations, JCRCs, Sky TV, Russian English TV, Keshet Television, Yad Vashem, Hillel, Hadassah, Birthright, The Jewish Agency of Israel, The Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya and many more.
Peggy Shapiro
Peggy Shapiro, Midwest Executive Director of StandWithUs, is also co-chair of Protect Our Heritage, the Midwest’s oldest and largest pro-Israel political action committee. She has been instrumental in educating legislators around the country about the dangers the BDS movement poses to both Israel and the U.S.
Peggy retired from the City Colleges of Chicago, where she was chairperson of the Foreign Language/ESL Department at Harold Washington College and professor for 31 years. She was the awarded the City of Chicago’s Kathy Osterman prize for excellence in teaching and honored as a “Distinguished Professor” of the City Colleges.
Child of teenage Holocaust survivors, Peggy Shapiro was born in a displaced persons’ camp in Lansberg, Germany. She immigrated to the United States as a young child and was raised in Chicago and its suburbs. She was one of the founding members and past president of The Association of Children of Holocaust Survivors in Chicago as well a founder of the International Second-Generation Association, which was formed in 1982. In cooperation with Yad Vashem, Peggy collected and documented over 4,000 pages of testimony for Chicago-area residents who had lost families in the Holocaust. She was appointed as special advisor to the President of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council by Elie Wiesel and served as the annual chairperson for the Elie Wiesel lecture series in Chicago for 26 years.
Peggy retired from the City Colleges of Chicago, where she was chairperson of the Foreign Language/ESL Department at Harold Washington College and professor for 31 years. She was the awarded the City of Chicago’s Kathy Osterman prize for excellence in teaching and honored as a “Distinguished Professor” of the City Colleges.
Child of teenage Holocaust survivors, Peggy Shapiro was born in a displaced persons’ camp in Lansberg, Germany. She immigrated to the United States as a young child and was raised in Chicago and its suburbs. She was one of the founding members and past president of The Association of Children of Holocaust Survivors in Chicago as well a founder of the International Second-Generation Association, which was formed in 1982. In cooperation with Yad Vashem, Peggy collected and documented over 4,000 pages of testimony for Chicago-area residents who had lost families in the Holocaust. She was appointed as special advisor to the President of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council by Elie Wiesel and served as the annual chairperson for the Elie Wiesel lecture series in Chicago for 26 years.
Rena Nasar First
Rena Nasar First has been with StandWithUs for five years and started as the tri-state campus director. Her Syrian background has fueled her passion for Middle East affairs and interest in Israel. In high school, Rena participated in the Write On for Israel Program and was recognized by the program organizers for her accomplishments on campus. Rena attended Baruch College, where she graduated with honors and a dual degree in journalism and Middle Eastern studies. She also wrote a thesis titled “Confidence Building Measures: A New Look at an Old Frontier for Peace in the Middle East” and held internships with JCRC-NY, the Israeli Consulate, and Foreign Policy Association. Rena served as founder and president of Baruch’s Israel club, YOFI—Youth Organization for Israel. The combination of her campus experiences and her growth within StandWithUs inspires her to take the StandWithUs Campus Department to new heights. Rena currently resides in Brooklyn, NY, with her husband, Jason.
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