Press Release: Elluminate Names Ten Jewish Women Entrepreneurial Leaders to its Collective and Global Jewish Women’s Leadership Network
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Glenn Rosenkrantz, Media Rep
[email protected]
Elluminate Names Ten Jewish Women Entrepreneurial Leaders to its Collective and Global Jewish Women’s Leadership Network
New York – July 9, 2024 – Elluminate, a catalyst for gender justice and social innovation, today announced ten Jewish entrepreneurial women executives and leaders in the US, Israel and elsewhere around the world as members of The Collective, the organization’s signature leadership program.
The Collective promotes, strengthens and advances Jewish women’s leadership in the nonprofit world, empowering members to envision and create needed change through a Jewish and gender lens. Fellows are Jewish women nonprofit CEOs leading organizations tackling some of society’s most pressing and also emerging issues.
The ten Jewish women leaders named today are finding solutions and creating impact in diverse areas, from combating antisemitism and protecting access to abortions, to ensuring gender equality and ending child sex exploitation and trafficking.
Each year, ten visionary women are selected to participate in The Collective, which includes participation in a robust two-year curriculum led by noted social activist Ruth Messinger, and grant funding to their organizations. These ten women represent the sixth Collective cohort, bringing to 60 the number of Jewish women leaders in Elluminate’s Global Jewish Women’s Leadership Network.
“The challenges facing women and marginalized communities are on the rise in the US and around the world,” said Elluminate CEO Melanie Roth Gorelick. “We believe that visionary entrepreneurial women leaders working with a gender lens and on the frontlines need to be supported now more than ever. To that end, Elluminate has created a dedicated and vibrant space for Jewish women executives who are making positive social change.
“By creating a Global Jewish Women’s Leadership Network, we can advance social change of equity and justice faster and help to gain support for women leaders. We need to see women at all levels of decision-making tables, and these women already have power and influence and are on the rise.
“Less than two percent of charitable dollars go to women social entrepreneurs. Our aim is to raise awareness within the philanthropic community and drive funds that correspond to women’s priorities.”
The cohort participants were selected after a seven-month competitive process that included more than 100 applicants, reviewed during an intense decision-making process. Criteria for participation includes candidates’ feminist leadership, connection to Jewish values, and work in four areas: ending poverty; creating an equitable and inclusive Jewish community; promoting women’s equality and leadership; and advocating for gender justice, reproductive rights and women’s safety.
“Elluminate is honored to elevate these visionary and trailblazing leaders,” said Elluminate President Stephanie Garry, “and I am proud to welcome them into The Collective. One of our aims is to ensure a diverse group of Jewish women leaders who can learn from each other and collaborate, especially at this critical moment marked by growing antisemitism, war in Israel, threats to gender equity and other great and formidable challenges.”
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Members of the Sixth Cohort of Elluminate’s Collective:
Ifat Baron, Founder and Executive Director, itworks
Ifat is Founder and Executive Director of itworks, leading a pioneering nonprofit organization that focuses on bridging employment gaps and fostering diversity in Israel’s high-tech sector.
Lori Cohen, CEO, Protect All Children from Trafficking (PACT)
Lori is CEO of Protect All Children from Trafficking (PACT), a leading policy, advocacy and educational organization whose mission is to end child sex trafficking and exploitation.
Cheryl Cook, CEO, Avodah
Cheryl is CEO of Avodah, developing Jewish social justice leaders in the United States. Under her leadership, Avodah has built out innovative leadership development models, invested in racial and economic justice, and developed a values-driven culture.
Julia Jassey, Co-Founder and CEO, Jewish on Campus
Julia is Co-Founder and CEO of Jewish on Campus, the leading voice for Jewish students in the United States, combating antisemitism, engaging in grassroots activism, and advocating for the Jewish community.
Moran Zer Katzenstein, Founder, Bonot Alternativa
Moran is the visionary Founder of Bonot Alternativa, a leading activist NGO in Israel dedicated to advancing women’s rights and gender equality, championing the integration of women into all levels of public decision-making, and combating the threat of democracy backsliding and its implications for women in Israeli society.
Julie F. Kay, Executive Director and Co-Founder, Abortion Coalition for Telemedicine (ACT)
Julie is Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Abortion Coalition for Telemedicine (ACT), a new nonprofit that supports licensed providers to make legal, affordable telemedicine abortion care available anywhere in the US.
Shoshana McKinney Kirya-Ziraba, Executive Director and Co-Founder, Tikvah Chadasha Uganda
Shoshana is Executive Director and Co-Founder of Tikvah Chadasha Uganda, which engages Jewish communities in the United States and Uganda to work for gender justice, disability access and educational opportunity as human rights.
Daphne Lazar Price, Executive Director, Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance
Daphne, Executive Director of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance (Jofa), leads its mission to expand women’s rights and opportunities within the framework of halakha, to build a vibrant and equitable Orthodox community.
Tamar Shwartz, CEO, Women’s Spirit
Tamar is CEO of Women’s Spirit, an organization promoting the economic independence of women survivors of physical, sexual, emotional and economic abuse in Israel — while striving to effect social change from a feminist perspective and with a commitment to gender equality and social justice.
Rabbi Mary Zamore, Executive Director, Women’s Rabbinic Network
Rabbi Mary is Executive Director of Women’s Rabbinic Network (WRN), a partner organization of the Reform Movement, representing Reform female, nonbinary, genderfluid rabbis and advocating for their values and voices.
Full bios can be found here.
About Elluminate: Elluminate empowers trailblazing Jewish entrepreneurial women and visionary feminist philanthropists in their pursuit of systemic social change in the U.S., Israel, and beyond. Bringing together a diverse coalition of bold Jewish women, Elluminate addresses the unique challenges faced by female leaders, ensuring that they are supported and elevated as they battle to change the world. Elluminate is a force multiplier for vital social change, fostering collaboration, strengthening leadership capabilities, magnifying voices, and accelerating transformational influence and impact.