Executive Team
Andrés Spokoiny
President and CEO
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Andrés is a longtime Jewish communal leader with a history of leading successful organizational transformations. He served as the CEO of Federation CJA in Montreal and, prior to that, Andrés worked for the American Jewish Joint Distribution Community (JDC) in Paris. As Regional Director for Northeast Europe, he was responsible for a number of pan-European projects. While at JDC, Andrés also served as the Director of Leatid Europe, a leadership training institute for Jewish lay and professional leaders, and directed the International Center for Community Development, a partnership of JDC and Oxford University to produce applied research and knowledge management for community development practitioners. Before his Jewish communal work, Andres worked for IBM and was responsible for training, development, hiring, and recruitment for IBM's Latin America Southern Region during a period of major restructuring. Originally from Argentina, Andres has a multidisciplinary academic background including business, education, and rabbinical studies in different institutions around the world. He is fluent in Hebrew, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Yiddish, and is proficient in Russian and German.
Rabbi Rebecca Sirbu
Executive Vice President
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As Executive Vice President, Rebecca works in partnership with the President & CEO to lead JFN's growth and transformation as the organization seeks to enhance its role as a catalyst for partnerships and coalitions in the Jewish philanthropic world. The founding director of four start-up Jewish organizations, Rebecca served most recently as Director of the Engagement Division at Hadassah: The Women’s Zionist Organization. Selected as one of the “Most Inspirational Rabbis in America” by The Forward, she is former Director of Clal’s Rabbis Without Borders, a pluralist network of rabbis dedicated to serving the needs of all people through the creative use of Jewish wisdom. She is also the founder and CEO of RabbiCareers.com, making it easier for rabbis and communities of all types to find one another. Rabbi Sirbu has consulted for synagogues, organizations, and individuals on leadership development, building creative capacity, actualizing ideas, and how to work across religious and cultural borders. In addition, she is a co-founder of the Gender Equity in Hiring Project which brings the best practices in gender-balanced hiring to lay and professional leaders. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Vassar College, Rebecca holds a master’s degree and ordination from The Jewish Theological Seminary of America and a certificate in Spiritual Entrepreneurship from Columbia Business School.
Sigal Yaniv Feller
Executive Director, JFN Israel
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Before becoming JFN Israel's Executive Director in November 2021, Sigal served as JFN Israel's Deputy Director and Senior Director of Advisory Services. During her years at JFN, Sigal has consulted with dozens of private funders, families, and foundations from around the world, assisting them in their philanthropic journey and in the development of philanthropic strategies for their Israel giving. Sigal has developed a variety of philanthropic programs, content, field mappings, and guides for funders, such as the Guide to Funder Collaboration with the Government of Israel. Sigal joined JFN in 2015 after living in Hong Kong for three years, where she and her family were based as Israeli diplomats. During these years she served as the Israeli representative of KH-UIA (Keren Hayesod) in Hong Kong and the Far East, working with the Jewish philanthropic community in HK and Asia in relation to their Israel giving. Sigal has over 20 years of experience with the Israeli and international philanthropic sectors; between the years 2001-2011, Sigal served as the founding Executive Director of the Green Environment Fund (GEF), a unique philanthropic partnership model of several foundations, supporting the environment in Israel through a joint strategy. Over the course of these years, the GEF was a significant player and leader in building the environmental movement in Israel. In 2006, Sigal was chosen as one of the 10 most influential people on the environment in Israel by the “The Marker” Israeli magazine. Prior to that, Sigal worked for Young Judaea in Israel over the course of nine years in various positions. Sigal was born in New York to Israeli parents and moved to Israel at the age of 6. She holds a B.Ac and M.Sc. degrees in biology and environmental science from Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Sigal lives in Reut with her husband and three children.
Nan Rossien
Vice President of Finance and Administration
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Nan is responsible for oversight of all finance, accounting, and reporting activities including functional responsibility over accounting, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and grants administration.
Immediately prior to joining JFN, Nan was Controller at the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, a nonprofit based in Princeton, N.J. focused on cultivating new approaches to address societal needs through education reform and innovation.
Previous positions included Controller at a privately held company in the Boston area that was general partner in numerous limited partnerships, nearly ten years with various investments houses (Bankers Trust, Merrill Lynch, and Fidelity) in finance and accounting roles, and six years in public accounting with Arthur Young.
Nan has a BA from Vassar College, where she majored in history, and holds an MBA. from Cornell University with a concentration in accounting and finance. She is a CPA, licensed in New York, and is a member of both the AICPA and NYSSCPA. She recently relocated back to New York City with her husband, daughter, and two dogs.
Ari Rudolph
Vice President of Philanthropic Engagement
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Ari has been in the Jewish communal field for the last 15 years, both in the US and Israel. Prior to joining JFN, he was the Chief Program Officer at the Legacy Heritage Fund, and before that was the Planning Director of the Jewish Life Planning Department at UJA-Federation of New York, overseeing a team of grant and program officers. Born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, Ari completed his undergraduate degree there in Finance and Economics. In 2002, he moved to Israel where he served as a lone soldier in the Israeli Army. Ari completed his Masters in Diplomacy and National Security at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, after which he moved to Washington D.C. (2007) to serve as the Israel Affairs Associate at the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington. From 2009-2010, Ari worked in the Department for Combating Antisemitism at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a Legacy Heritage Fellow, and from 2011-2013, was the Director of the Israel Research Fellowship in Jerusalem. Ari now lives in Riverdale, NY with his wife and three kids.
Mara Silvers
Vice President of Programs
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Prior to joining JFN, Mara worked for five years at The Jewish Federations of North America, most recently as the Managing Director of Program & Event Operations, responsible for the strategy and execution of all programs and conferences. Before joining the Jewish communal world, she spent 15 years in luxury retail at both Coach and Tiffany & Co., working in areas that included global marketing and strategy, brand partnerships, and creative production. She has a long history as a volunteer leader in the Jewish community as well, working as a Youth Director at several synagogues over the years, and is a current Board Member of the Syracuse Hillel, where she is also an alum. Mara lives on Long Island with her husband.
U.S. Staff
Debra Feldstein
West Coast Associate Director
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Following a brief career as an attorney in the Boston area, Debra entered the field of nonprofit management and development. She built her 25-year career as an executive director and consultant, working to increase the capacity of nonprofits. She also specializes in rebuilding organizations with management and infrastructure challenges following leadership transitions. Debra relocated to Silicon Valley in 1999 to lead Hillel at Stanford, and she then served as executive director for City Year San Jose/Silicon Valley and as a consultant for several local and national nonprofits. She has worked extensively with organizations that deliver programs in youth development, the arts, environmental education, academic support, and Jewish engagement. Debra lives with her family in Santa Cruz, Calif. Debra graduated from Tufts University with a degree in international relations, received a Juris Doctor from the Northeastern University School of Law in Boston, and completed a Master of Management degree at the Heller School at Brandeis University. She is a member of the Massachusetts and Illinois Bar Associations.
Tamar Frydman
Senior Director of Programs
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Tamar's work is centered on developing an understanding of the interests, passions, and needs of our membership in order to design impactful yearlong programs and engagement opportunities. She holds a B.S. in Psychology from Towson University and an M.S.W. from the University Of Maryland School Of Social Work. Tamar is a licensed clinical social worker and her previous experience has included positions as a social worker in Baltimore City Public Schools. She has also held numerous roles at UJA-Federation of New York, most recently as Director: Network Planning and Optimization & Information and Referral Center. In that role, Tamar developed and implemented a comprehensive network structure set up to be dynamic and capable of evolving to meet the needs of the community. She also led a team that annually connected over 4,000 people to services they needed in the community. Tamar has been published in The Jewish Week and has presented at the Jewish Federations of North America-General Assembly. She enjoys spinning and is currently working on a children's book.
Sarah Horowitz
Project Manager
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Sarah has been in the Jewish nonprofit field since 2012, both in New York and Chicago. Before joining JFN in 2021, she was part of the advancement team at Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School in Chicago, attending to multiple fundraising campaigns and cultivating relationships with donors and stakeholders. Prior to this, Sarah coordinated international missions for UJA-Federation of New York, including the Rosenwald Centennial Mission in 2017 that brought 350+ participants and staff to Israel in celebration of UJA's centennial year. Sarah is from Long Island, New York, and she attended Binghamton University (SUNY) for her Bachelor's Degree in human development. Most recently, she earned her Master's Degree in Public Policy and Administration from Northwestern University. Sarah enjoys reading, taking walks, spending time with friends and family, exploring Chicago and New York, and cooking with her husband, Jonathan.
Alana Rahmani
Project Manager
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Before joining JFN in 2020, Alana was the Program Director for the Center for Jewish Living at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, where she worked to build a vibrant hub for Jewish life on the Upper West Side through the JCC’s many Jewish learning classes, symposiums, and holiday events. Alana started out her career in Jewish communal work as the Program Assistant for Millennial Engagement at the Jewish Theological Seminary and subsequently joined the Rabbinical Assembly as its Communications Assistant and Project Manager in 2016. Alana is a recent alumna of the Pardes Center for Jewish Education (2018-19), where she completed the One-Year Program in Experiential Education. She received her B.A. in English from Ohio University’s Honors Tutorial College and completed a Master’s in Israel Studies through the Rothberg School at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In her spare time, Alana enjoys cooking Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food, weaving, learning halakha, and taking walks in Prospect Park. She lives with her husband and daughter in Brooklyn.
Tzivia Schwartz Getzug
Director of the West Coast Office
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Tzivia creates opportunities for network members to connect, to engage, and to strengthen and leverage their philanthropic work. Tzivia has a degree in Jewish Studies from UCLA and a law degree from Loyola Law School. She practiced labor and business law for several years before becoming the Western States Counsel for the Anti-Defamation League. There, Tzivia was responsible for the civil rights work of ADL’s seven offices in the 13 Western States. She left the ADL to work with DreamWorks’ founder, Jeffrey Katzenberg, as the Community Liaison on DreamWorks Animation’s first animated film, "The Prince of Egypt." Tzivia's extensive experience includes five years as the founding executive director of Jewish World Watch, an innovative nonprofit working to combat genocide and mass atrocities through targeted community engagement. Tzivia also served as the Senior Vice President for Public Affairs at the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, responsible for the interfaith, Israel advocacy, and political work of the Jewish Community Relations Committee. She is an active member of the Los Angeles Jewish community.
Talia Topper
Staff Accountant
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Before joining JFN, Talia worked in public and private accounting in New York. Talia is originally from Belgium and has lived in Israel and Los Angeles. She earned a Bachelor's degree in accounting from Yeshiva University’s Sy Syms School of Business. Talia lives on Long Island, New York with her husband and two daughters.
Julie Wiener
Director of Communications
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Julie oversees all aspects of JFN's communications, including media relations, blogs, newsletters, podcasts, speeches, creating and managing various websites, op-eds and other thought leadership, and eblasts. A longtime journalist, primarily at Jewish publications, she was managing editor of My Jewish Learning, online editor at the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, and associate editor at The New York Jewish Week, where she reported on education and wrote "In the Mix," a column and blog about intermarried life. Julie has a BA in history from Oberlin College. She lives in Jackson Heights, Queens with her husband and two daughters. She enjoys writing, biking, cooking, solving crossword puzzles, and exploring New York City.
JFN Israel
Sharon Dwek
Membership Director, JFN Israel
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Sharon joined JFN Israel after living in the Bay Area and Vancouver for 13 years. She worked at the San Francisco Federation staffing the Israel and Overseas Committee. In Jewish day schools, Sharon worked as Development and Program Director inspiring donors through social and emotional experiential programs. She was co-founder of Gvanim in the Bay, developing local Israeli leadership integrated into Jewish community life. As the Head of Strategy for the Vancouver JCC, Sharon served as a liaison between the Jewish community and local government to develop a Jewish community campus. Most recently she served as the Development Director of the Legal Clinics of Tel Aviv University. Sharon is a lawyer by practice and served as corporate counsel for Evergreen Venture Partners and later became Investor Relations of the Fund. She holds a Master’s degree in education from the University of British Columbia.
Maya Golan
Director of Family Philanthropy, JFN Israel
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Maya serves as Director of Family Philanthropy at JFN Israel. As part of her role, she is responsible for developing programs and services for multigenerational giving and leading the first Israeli Center for Family Philanthropy within JFN Israel. Maya has a rich experience of over a decade in various projects in the nonprofit sector. Before joining JFN Maya worked six years at the Ramon Foundation, founded by Rona Ramon, ultimately serving as the VP of Space Education. As part of that role, Maya established the space education department that includes programs in Israel and outside it, training, conferences, and events. Maya also established strategic relationships between the educational, business, and academic fields, as well as working with leading partners around the world. Today, Maya continues to take an active part in various educational projects, including as a consultant on the educational mission of the first Israeli on the International Space Station. Maya holds a BA in political science and education, and an MBA in social leadership, through a joint program of Ben-Gurion University and the Mandel Foundation. She lives in Tel Aviv with her husband Yotam and son Tomer.
Sarit Lior
Operations & Finance Manager, JFN Israel
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Sarit holds a B.A in psychology & human services and a mediation certificate from Tel Aviv University, where she studied Applied Behavioral Analysis. Prior to JFN, Sarit was a part of the Naor Family Office and Foundation, where she served as private assistant to the founder and administrative executive. Sarit lives in Ganey Tikva with her husband and three daughters.
Honeycomb Staff
Wayne Green
Executive Director, Honeycomb
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Wayne relocated to New York in 2017 from Melbourne, Australia after having worked in London and across Australia. Wayne came to New York under the auspices of an Australia Federal Government Endeavour Executive Fellowship to undertake professional development and research in youth programming and service delivery. Wayne has significant experience of over 15 years in nonprofit management and has worked on programs on a local, state, and national level. With a background in health and community lead programs, and more recently in working with Jewish communities, Wayne has a commitment and passion to continue his work with social justice based upon Jewish values. He has also worked to pursue equality and diversity of LGBTQ rights within Jewish communities and developed change initiatives to support inclusion. Wayne believes in teens as the next generation to lead significant change to support Tikkun Olam and is dedicated to building programs to support teen giving and connected engagement. Wayne is an avid filmgoer and is often seen at the local restaurants eating with friends. He also is obsessed with finding the perfect milkshake.
Alana Hollander
Community and Special Projects Manager, Honeycomb
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With a background in Jewish nonprofits, Alana began her career in the field at the Queens Regional office for Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America. She later continued on to serve as a Managing Supervisor for Hillcrest Jewish Center, a Conservative egalitarian synagogue in the Fresh Meadows neighborhood of Queens. During her seven years at Hillcrest Jewish Center, she assisted in developing and enhancing numerous programs and fundraisers. A graduate of SUNY Purchase with a BA in Theater Studies, Alana also has a great deal of experience in the arts. Early in her career, she spent several years working as a stage manager for a variety of off-Broadway productions and briefly worked as a lighting technician at MTV. In her spare time Alana enjoys playing guitar and writing music.
Alisha Mikluch
Communication and Engagement Manager, Honeycomb
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Inspired by her passion to harness the power of young people to create change in a global movement for good, Alisha is very excited to work to support Honeycomb’s vision to create generations of engaged, empowered, and experienced Jewish changemakers and givers. While studying political science at Baruch College, Alisha began her career in youth empowerment on the DoSomething.org campaigns team, where three million young people join volunteer, social change, and civic action campaigns to make a real-world impact on causes they care about.
Danielle Segal
Director of Programs, Honeycomb
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Danielle is from London, United Kingdom, and moved to New York in 2010. Inspired by her love of the Jewish community and combining her teaching, program management, and theater skills, Danielle has worked in the nonprofit Jewish field for 15 years as a Jewish educator, camp director and nonprofit manager. She has developed several curricula, including teen leadership courses, and has led workshops on teacher training, team management, and improvisation. Danielle presents at conferences and seminars nationwide about Jewish youth philanthropy, experiential education, and teen engagement. She was awarded the Jack Petchey Award for Outstanding Service to Young People in 2009. Danielle earned her Certificate in Jewish Leadership for Educators from Spertus Institute and Northwestern University in July 2021. Danielle is Vice Chair of the JPRO NY Board and serves on the Board Of Directors for Tkiya. She is also a trained StorahTelling Maven with LabShul. She presents and produces the Honeycomb podcast “Outside The Tzedakah Box”. Danielle enjoys musical theater, trivia nights, board games and eating out in New York restaurants. She resides with her husband and their son in Brooklyn.