Advance registration for this event has now closed. Walk-ins will be accepted onsite.
Let’s show Greater Philadelphia — we are Here As One.
Join us for a celebration of our incredible achievements this past year — and connect with YOUR Jewish community!
Be inspired by Rabbi Mike Uram, author of the bestselling book “Next Generation Judaism,” and cast your vote for the future leaders of the Jewish Federation.
This special evening is open to all in the community who are passionate and invested in our Jewish present and future.
RSVP by Tuesday, May 27, 2025 at 9 a.m.
Date & Time:
Wednesday, May 28
6 – 8 p.m.
Location:
Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel
8339 Old York Rd, Elkins Park, PA 19027
Couvert:
$36 per person
Meeting Details
- Vote on the Board of Directors’ slate for Fiscal Year 2026, which will be available to view on this webpage as we draw closer to the event. Voting is open to all Jewish Federation members — generous donors who contribute $180 or more to ensure a vibrant, safe and secure future.
- Get a year to date review of the Jewish Federation’s accomplishments and future plans.
- Enjoy a light reception (Glatt Kosher by Deluxe Kosher Catering).
- For security purposes, advance registration is required.
- Government IDs are subject to verification and bags are subject to search.
- By attending this event, you agree to the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Terms and Conditions.
- Please email events@jewishphilly.org or call 215.832.0534 for any event-related questions.
More about the Spring Annual Meeting
In 2021, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia launched a Strategic Planning Process that identified key goals for strengthening our organization and community, including:
- Creating a premier philanthropic investor experience
- Delivering philanthropic opportunities with meaningful social returns
- Building a high-performing professional infrastructure
- Establishing a strong Jewish Community Endowment
- Implementing best-in-class governance
In 2022, a Governance Task Force was formed to help us achieve these goals by updating our bylaws. These new bylaws were voted on in August 2024 and began to take effect in FY25.
As part of this governance transformation:
- The Board of Trustees (previously our governing body) has been disbanded.
- Former Trustees have been invited to join the Jewish Federation Community Council or the Board of Ambassadors. You can learn more about these bodies by clicking here.
You’re invited because you are a valued part of our community:
- Affinity Group Member: If you’re part of JFRE, Women of Vision, Women’s Philanthropy, or NextGen, we invite you to celebrate a year of impact and come together with peers.
- Congregational Leader: You’ve been engaged through our Kehillah neighborhood groups and leadership development efforts. Join us as we come together as one Jewish community.
- Agency Leader: You’ve collaborated with others through our network of communal agencies. Let’s gather to reflect and celebrate.
- Donor of $180 or more: Per our updated bylaws, your generous contribution makes you a member of the Jewish Federation. Thank you for your support — this gathering is for you!
- Be inspired – Hear from Rabbi Michael Uram and reflect on how we move forward through challenge and opportunity.
- Be informed – Learn how your dollars are making a difference.
- Celebrate accomplishments – We’ll highlight key milestones from the past year.
- Come together – This is a chance to connect with fellow community members.
- Schmooze! – Enjoy light refreshments and great conversation with new and familiar faces.
Yes. As part of our membership structure, the Spring Annual Meeting includes a vote on the Board of Directors slate — an important moment of communal governance and involvement.
The nominations slate will be available to view on this webpage as we draw closer to the event date. After the voting, the final Board of Directors slate will be available to view here.
Individuals can be nominated to the Board of Directors through two primary methods.
- Nominated by the Governance and Nominations Committee
- Nomination by a member:
- Members have the right to nominate an individual for election to the Board of Directors by submitting a written nomination proposal to the Secretary by 90 days prior to the annual meeting. Written nominations can be submitted via email to boardsecretary@jewishphilly.org.
- This written proposal must identify the person being nominated and must be signed by at least 100 members. The individual being nominated must meet these eligibility requirements:
- Be a member of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia
- Be 18 years of age or older
- Contribute at a leadership level, created or begun discussions to create an endowment gift and recommend others to solicit contributions to the Jewish Community Fund.
- Cannot be the board chair or chief professional officer of any organization that receives financial support from the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia
- Demonstrate a commitment to the mission and purpose of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia.
If you cannot attend but are still interested in voting, please contact Director of Leadership Development & Governance Lori Rubin at lrubin@jewishphilly.org or 215.832.0828 for more information.
FISCAL YEAR 2026 BOARD OF DIRECTORS SLATE
Jewish Federation Members will have the opportunity to the vote on the following slate for next year’s Board of Directors.
Caren Barnet
Position for Nomination: At-Large
Dan Berger
Position for Nomination: At-Large
Andrew L. Cherry
Position for Nomination: Treasurer
George J. Danneman
Position for Nomination: Campaign Co-Chair
Harris L. Devor
Position for Nomination: Audit Chair
Mark Fishman
Position for Nomination: Board Co-Chair
Mindy Fortin
Position for Nomination: At-Large
David Gerald Gold
Position for Nomination: At-Large
Amir Goldman
Position for Nomination: Investment Chair
Jonathan Scott Goldman
Position for Nomination: Jewish Community Relations Council Chair
Richard J. Green
Position for Nomination: Vice Chair; Secretary
Michael Heller
Position for Nomination: Governance & Nominations Chair
Cristy B. Hollin
Position for Nomination: At-Large
Marjorie Honickman
Position for Nomination: At-Large
Karen Blum Kramer
Position for Nomination: Jewish Community Foundation Co-Chair
Susanna Lachs Adler
Position for Nomination: Jewish Community Foundation Co-Chair
Adam E. Laver
Position for Nomination: At-Large
Michele S. Levin
Position for Nomination: Board Co-Chair
Jason Alexander Morgan
Position for Nomination: At-Large
Holly Nelson
Position for Nomination: Campaign Co-Chair
Michael Markman
Position for Nomination: Immediate Past Board Chair
Milton S. Schneider
Position for Nomination: At-Large
Susan G. Schwartz
Position for Nomination: At-Large
Danielle M. Weiss
Position for Nomination: At-Large
About Caren Barnet
Caren Barnet is the former director of Institutional Advancement at Perelman Jewish Day School. She is currently vice president of their Board of Directors. She is also chair-elect at Jewish Family and Children’s Services. She is an at-large member of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Board of Directors. Barnet is married to Steve Abramson. They have five children: Alana (Matthew), Rebecca (Jake), Jacob, Sara (Jesse) and Cory (Rachel).
About Dan Berger
Dan Berger is the CEO of Berger Communities (rentberger.com), a vertically integrated real estate firm and one of the region’s leading multifamily owner-operators, with communities across Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and Ohio. Under Berger’s leadership, the company has experienced meaningful growth while remaining rooted in a people-first culture focused on values, service, and long-term impact. He is actively involved in shaping the company’s strategic vision, fostering leadership, and building a culture of excellence. Guided by the belief that great places to live start with great places to work, Berger Communities has been recognized nationally for its employee engagement and for delivering best-in-class resident satisfaction.
Berger earned both his JD and MBA from Temple University and began his career as an attorney before returning to real estate to pursue his passion for leading teams and building communities.
He is deeply committed to service and community impact. Berger serves as chair of the Jewish Federation Real Estate (JFRE) Executive Committee and is the founder and president of hope+door, a nonprofit dedicated to preventing family homelessness through emergency rental assistance. He also serves as treasurer of the YPO Philadelphia Chapter and the Benchmark School Board of Trustees.
Berger lives in Villanova with his wife, Ashly, and their two children, Isabella and Hudson. He is passionate about mentoring the next generation, fostering meaningful relationships, and strengthening the Jewish community in Philadelphia and beyond.
About Andrew L. Cherry
Andrew (Andy) L. Cherry is the co-leader of KPMG’s Private Enterprise Group in the firm’s Philadelphia Office. He has more than 25 years of experience in tax planning and tax compliance, working with rapidly growing businesses that are funded with Venture Capital and Private Equity across a variety of industries. Cherry is an active Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia volunteer – he is chair of the Finance Committees, Treasurer of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Board of Directors, and a member of the Audit Committee. Cherry is an active member of the Philadelphia community – he is a member of the Board of Directors at Enterprise Center of West Philadelphia, Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technology, and Students Run Philly Style. In addition, he is a member of the School of Business Administration’s Advisory Board at Thomas Jefferson University and a coach at Emerging Growth Companies’ Dream It program. He graduated from Jefferson University with a degree in accounting.
About George J. Danneman
George J. Danneman, Esq. is an attorney at The Danneman Firm, LLC, specializing in commercial real estate, affordable housing, community development, business formation, government affairs and administrative law. His broad experience includes being campaign treasurer for several successful gubernatorial campaigns. He serves on the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Board of Directors, Executive Committee, Jewish Community Foundation Board, and previously on the Strategic Planning Task Force. Previously, Danneman was a member of the Jewish Federations of North America’s National Young Leadership Cabinet. Originally from Delaware, Danneman has an extensive background and involvement with the Jewish Federation of Delaware and its surrounding institutions, such as his service as treasurer of the Board for Albert Einstein Academy. Danneman earned his bachelor’s degree from The George Washington University and his Juris Doctor from Dickinson Law at Penn State. He and his wife, Lauren, have four children – Elimelech, Michael (Mickey), Jonah and Miriam.
About Harris L. Devor
Harris L. Devor is a managing director at CBIZ Forensic Consulting Group, LLC and is nationally recognized as both an auditor and forensic/litigation support practitioner who has provided expert testimony in the U.S. and internationally. He has more than 50 years of experience as an accountant. He has served as the sole accounting and auditing expert in some of the largest, most high-profile securities fraud cases of the last several decades, most involving the compliance with GAAP, or lack thereof by companies reporting in financial statements, and the compliance or lack thereof with GAAS/PCAOB Standards, by some of the largest accounting firms in the world, in the conduct of audits they performed. He has taught and lectured on many topics ranging from securities law violations to accounting and auditing related subjects. Devor is the chair of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Audit Committee and a member of the Jewish Federation’s Board of Directors. Devor earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Temple University – Fox School of Business. He and his wife, Debra, have two daughters, Elizabeth and Rachel, and recently became grandparents to their grandson Brady.
About Mark Fishman
Mark Fishman is currently the CEO of TRF Holdings, LLC, a small investment company. Fishman was the executive director of Global Brands Group USA. He was formerly CEO and chairman of Fishman & Tobin, Inc., a Philadelphia-based clothing manufacturing company. In addition to his role as co-chair of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Jewish Community Foundation, he also serves on the Jewish Federation’s Board of Directors, Emergency Response Committee, Finance Committee, Investment Committee, and has served as a mentor for the Sharon and Joseph Kestenbaum Legacy Philanthropy Program. Fishman has served on the board of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) for over 30 years, the last 10 as its vice chairman. He is currently on CHOP’s Foundation Board of Overseers. Fishman also served on the Board of Visitors of Duke Law School for 10 years and is now a lifetime member. He serves on the boards of the Brodsky Research Institute at Johns Hopkins, the Center for Leadership and Learning (CLAL) in New York, and Atidim. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Economics from Williams College and his Juris Doctor from Duke University School of Law. He and his wife, Jill, have three children: Edward, Samantha and Josh.
About Mindy Fortin
Mindy Fortin is a member of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Community Impact Committee (CIC) and an at-large member of the Board of Directors. She is a past chair of Women of Vision (WOV) and is a member of the WOV Advancement, Advocacy, Grant Review and Executive Committees. She is a board member of Jewish Learning Venture and past vice-chair and board member of 18 Doors, a national organization serving interfaith families. Fortin is a longtime member and volunteer at Kesher Israel Congregation in West Chester and a member of Society Hill Synagogue, where her son-in-law is senior rabbi. She and her husband, Thad, have a family foundation, and she is also a director of the Lasko Family Foundation. She and her husband have three children: Caroline, Madeline and Matthew.
About David Gerald Gold
David Gerald Gold is a CPA and partner at Pellini Gold Cordes, LLC in West Chester. He has been involved with the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia for decades and is an active volunteer in the region. He is the immediate past treasurer and chair of the Finance Committee and an at-large member of the Jewish Federation’s Board of Directors. He is also a member of the Finance, Emergency Response, Israel and World Jewry Affairs, Partnership2Gether, and Strategic Plan Audit Committees.
About Amir Goldman
Amir Goldman is the founder and investor at Susquehanna Growth Equity (SGE). SGE leads minority and majority investments in expansion-stage companies ($5+ mIllion in revenues) in the software, payments, internet, and information services sectors. Goldman is an at-large member of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Board of Directors. He is the chair of the Investment Committee, and a member of the Finance Committee and Emergency Response Committee. He and his wife, Stacey, participated in the Sharon and Joseph Kestenbaum Legacy Philanthropy Program. Goldman served as president of Caskey Torah Academy’s board and a member of Kohelet Yeshiva High School’s and Lower Merion Synagogue’s boards. He is currently co-chairman of Teach PA, a board member of the Foundation for Jewish Day Schools and active in political advocacy through AIPAC. Goldman received a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania. He and his wife have five sons (Matan, Shai, Elan, Adin and Chaim) three daughters-in-law (Margalit, Esther and Atara) and two grandchildren (Uriel and Hallel).
About Jonathan Scott Goldman
Jonathan Scott Goldman is a seasoned trial lawyer and appellate attorney who leads Blank Rome’s State Attorneys General Team and represents the interests of clients in litigation, investigations, strategy development, and other advocacy matters before courts, offices of state attorneys general and various state government agencies across the country. He is an at-large member of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Board of Directors, chair of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) and its leadership team, and a member of the Domestic and Government Affairs Committee. He is also chair of the Pennsylvania Jewish Coalition, a statewide lobbying group that advocates for the priorities of Federations and the Jewish people across the Commonwealth. Goldman is a board member and chair of the Governance Committee for TILT Institute for Contemporary Image, a Philadelphia nonprofit that supports contemporary photographers, and Assistant Secretary of the Abraham J. Cohen Family Charitable Foundation. Goldman earned his Juris Doctor from Temple University Beasley School of Law, a Master of Fine Arts from Tufts University and a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University. He has two sons: Max and Asher.
About Richard J. Green
Richard J. Green joined Firstrust Bank in 1978 as general counsel, its Board of Directors in 1986, president and CEO in 1995, and Board Chairman in 2015, succeeding his father, Daniel B. Green, and grandfather, Samuel A. Green, before him. Green serves as chairman and CEO of Semperverde Holding Company, which owns Firstrust Bank. He also is chairman of the Board of Hatch Bank, an FDIC insured “challenger bank” headquartered in San Marcos, CA, wholly owned by Firstrust Bank.
Green is the owner, chair and CEO of Arborverde Holding Company, which is a private investment company engaged in direct real estate investment and commercial enterprises. He has been a limited partner in the NFL Philadelphia Eagles football team since 1994. In 2020, Firstrust became the team’s official bank. Green is the secretary and senior vice chair of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Board of Directors. He currently serves on the Executive Board of Federation Housing, Inc. and is trustee for the Green Family Foundation. The foundation’s mission is to invest in organizations that serve with impact, the basic human needs for food, shelter, healthcare and environmental sustainability. Green earned his bachelor’s degree from Tufts University, a Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School of Business, and a Juris Doctor from the Southern Methodist School of Law & University of Pennsylvania. He has three children: Brittany, Jeffrey, and Julia.
About Michael Heller
Michael Heller is the Chairman and CEO at Cozen O’Connor. Under his leadership and strategic direction, the firm has grown in revenue by more than 75 percent, with revenue of over $700 million, and has been recognized as one of the top 100 law firms globally. He chairs the firm’s Board of Directors and serves on its Management Committee. His business, entrepreneurial, and investing experience arms him with a unique ability to manage a global law firm in an ever-changing market and provide legal and business insight on countless complex client matters. Heller is the chair of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Ethics Committee and Governance and Nominations Committee, and he is a member of the Board of Directors. He also sits on several nonprofit boards, including Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Villanova Law School, Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, and Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technologies (PACT). He also sits on the boards of Beachbody, LLC, FS Investments, LLC and Hanover Fire and Casualty Insurance Company. Heller earned his bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania State University and a Juris Doctor from Villanova University School of Law. He and his wife, Lauren, have three children: Adam, Evan and Jordan.
About Cristy B. Hollin
Cristy B. Hollin earned her Juris Doctor from Delaware Law School of Widener University. She is a member at large of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Board of Directors. She is a member of the Judith Creed Horizons for Achieving Independence (JCHAI)’s Board of Directors. She and her husband, Mitchell, have three children: Matthew, Noah and Reid.
About Margie Honickman
In the past, Margie Honickman has worked in special events and public relations for Philadelphia Magazine and Philadelphia radio stations. Honickman is an at-large member of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Board of Directors and has been a dedicated volunteer for many years. She served as the chair of the Jewish Federation’s Israel 75, managing the overall planning and strategy. She serves on many boards, including Birthright Israel National Foundation, Birthright Regional Council, OROT, Abramson Center for Jewish Life, and Impact 100 Philadelphia. In September of last year, she was elected chair of the Foundation Board of Advisors for Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). She is the president of the Saramar Charitable Foundation. Honickman earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from George Washington University. She and her husband, Jeffrey, are proud parents and grandparents of Sara, Spencer, Theo and Noah Drotman, and Mauri and Billy Grenis.
About Karen Kramer
Karen Kramer has been active in the Philadelphia Jewish Community for over 30 years and has held many positions at the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, including: Women’s Philanthropy president, 2008-2010; Board of Directors 2002-2004 and 2024-present; Board of Trustees, 2002- 2024; Jewish Federation Executive Committee, 2024-present; Endowments vice-chair, 2021-2024; Jewish Community Foundation co-chair, 2024-present; Life & Legacy chair, 2023-present; Major Gifts co-chair, 2021-2022; Coordinating Council for the Elderly chair, 2005-2008; Women’s Philanthropy vice president, 2002-2008; Lion of Judah Campaign chair, 2006-2007; LOJE chair, 2004-2005; Women’s Philanthropy Campaign co-chair, 2002-200; Center for Social Responsibility chair, 2010-2012; Major Gifts for Renaissance chair, 2001-2002; Isidore Kohn Young Leadership Award recipient, 1999. She also held other various leadership positions, including: UJC’s National Young Leadership Cabinet, 2000-2005; UJC’s National Women’s Philanthropy Board, 2009-2014; Abramson Senior Care board member, 1998-current; OROT board member; Temple Sinai member and has served on its board and chaired many committees and fundraisers.
Kramer is married to Bill and they have 3 children: Melissa, Ben (Katie) and Josh.
About Susanna Lachs Adler
Susanna Lachs Adler is retired from her professional career as a commercial litigator and now dedicates herself to community volunteerism and philanthropy.
She currently serves on the Women’s Philanthropy Board, the Community Impact Committee and Emergency Response Committee at the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, and will be beginning her co-chairmanship of The Community Foundation Board. Lachs Adler has previously held a number of leadership roles at the Jewish Federation, including chair of the Jewish Federation ’s Board of Directors, chair of the Ethics Committee, chair of the Governance and Nominations Committee, co-chair of the Bylaws Committee, chair of the Compensation Committee, and has served on the Emergency Response Committee, the Endowments Committee, the Campaign Cabinet, and the Planning and Resourcing Commission. She has also been a mentor for the Sharon and Joseph Kestenbaum Legacy Philanthropy Program. She currently represents the Jewish Federation on the Board of Jewish Federations of North America and is a former member of National Young Leadership Cabinet and National Women’s Philanthropy.
Lachs Adler is a Trustee of Temple University and a member of the Board of Visitors of Temple’s Beasley School of Law. She is a former Trustee of the University of Pennsylvania and is a member of the Board of Penn’s Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies and the National Board of Penn Hillel. She currently serves on the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Foundation Board of Advisors.
About Adam E. Laver
Adam E. Laver is a partner at Blank Rome LLP. He concentrates his practice in the areas of real estate development, zoning and land use, and real property tax. Laver is the immediate past chairman of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Emergency Response Committee and “Philly Stands with Israel Emergency Fund.” He is also an alumnus of the Wexner Heritage Program. Laver and his wife, Sara, co-chaired Jewish Federation’s most recent Jewish Community Population Study.
Laver continues to serve on the Emergency Response Committee and he also serves as a member of the Strategic Plan Audit Committee. He is an at-large member of Jewish Federation’s Board of Directors.
Among his other civic and charitable endeavors, Adam is general counsel to the Committee of Seventy and serves on its executive committee and Board of Directors. He is also a founding member of the Urban Land Institute’s Philadelphia Housing Council. He is an appointed member of the Select Advisory Board of the Chamber of Commerce. Laver is a past chairman of Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Greater Philadelphia.
About Michele S. Levin
Michele S. Levin is president of MSL Consulting Group, which specializes in executive coaching, strategic planning and leadership development. She is also a Coach for BetterUp.
Her current extensive volunteer involvement includes roles on the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Board of Directors, Executive Committee and Campaign Team. She is currently a member of National Women’s Philanthropy. Previously, she was chair of the Committee for Israel and Global Strategy, was a member of the Center for Jewish Life and Learning, and served in numerous positions in Women’s Philanthropy.
Outside of the Jewish Federation, Levin has served on the national board of Americans For Ben Gurion University, several different committees for the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and local institutions, including chair of the board of Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy, member of the board of Jewish Learning Venture and numerous leadership positions at Har Zion Temple where she currently serves on the Board of Trustees.
Levin has a master’s degree in organizational development and leadership and is an International Coaching Federation (ICF) certified Executive Coach.
Levin and her husband, Robert, are parents of three wonderful children – Jacob, Samantha, and Andrew.
About Jason Alexander Morgan
Jason Alexander Morgan is co-president of Morgan Properties and president of Morgan Properties Special Situations. His primary responsibilities involve sourcing, underwriting, and executing multifamily acquisition and debt investment opportunities. Morgan is an at-large member of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Board of Directors and a member of the Real Estate Committee. He is also a board member of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia and the Chamber’s Policy Research and Legislation Committee. He is also on the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Real Estate Committee and a former board member of Federation Housing. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics with a concentration in Finance and Real Estate from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He and his wife, Jessica, have two daughters.
About Holly Nelson
Holly Nelson has a strong passion and dedication to Jewish philanthropy and volunteering. As the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, Nelson has been deeply entrenched in this work for over 25 years. She is a member of the Jewish Federation’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee, most recently serving as chair of the Jewish Federation’s Community Impact Committee. Nelson is also a member of the Emergency Response Committee, the Finance Committee, and the Bernard and Etta Weinberg Family Fund Committee. She is a member of the Jewish Federation of North America’s National Women’s Philanthropy Board as well as a member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of her synagogue, Temple Beth Hillel-Beth El. Nelson has a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and a Master’s of Journalism. She and her husband, Norm, are proud parents of two children, Danny and Sarah, both graduates of Perelman Jewish Day School and the Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy.
About Michael Markman
Michael Markman is a Greater Philadelphia-based real estate executive and entrepreneur. Under his leadership as president of BET Investments, Inc., a company he co-founded with Bruce E. Toll in 1998, the organization’s portfolio has grown to more than five million square feet of commercial space and over 4,000 apartments. Drawing from his extensive real estate expertise, he has planned, developed, financed and constructed over 100 distinct properties and projects. At the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, in addition to completing a two-year term as Board Chair, Markman has served in a number of leadership roles and has been a member of the Jewish Federation’s Board of Directors since 2019. He also served as the chair of the Jewish Federation’s Real Estate Committee, where he helped raise money and awareness for various Jewish causes and further facilitated the reworking of the organization’s real estate assets. In addition to his leadership at the Jewish Federation, Markman previously served on his local Planning Commission, was an elected member of his local government as well as a member of his County Economic Development Committee. He currently sits on the board of the local municipal authority. Markman is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley and the Temple University School of Law. He is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. Markman and his wife, Lynne, like to hike, exercise and spend time with their three grown children and three dogs. He is passionate about our community and is always looking for ways to help Greater Philadelphia.
About Milton S. Schneider
Milton (Tony) S. Schneider is the principal and founder of The Glenville Group, a real estate development and investment firm located in suburban Philadelphia, where he is involved in various phases of commercial and residential real estate development as well as general investment activities. He is an at-large member of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Board of Directors and a member of the Bernard and Etta Weinberg Family Fund Committee. He served in many other roles within the Jewish Federation, including chairing the Allocations Committee and chairing the Investment Committee and was the treasurer as well. Schneider has held numerous other leadership positions within the Jewish community, including serving on the inaugural Board of Directors of the Anti-Defamation League where he also served as president of the ADL Foundation and the treasurer. He is also the past board chair of Mural Arts Philadelphia. He is involved with other community organizations, including the Wistar Institute, Netter Center for Community Partnerships at the University of Pennsylvania and Vesper Boat Club. In 2010 , Schneider founded Philadelphia City Rowing.
About Susan G. Schwartz
Susan G. Schwartz is a retired veteran of the hotel and hospitality industries. She is an at-large member of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Board of Directors. She is active in the Regional Birthright Council and Philadelphia Holocaust Remembrance Foundation. Schwartz earned her bachelor’s degree from Penn State University. She and her husband, Jeffrey, have three children: Jonathan, Arielle and Remi Pearl.
About Danielle M. Weiss
Danielle M. Weiss is an attorney in Barrack, Rodos & Bacine’s Philadelphia office, where she represents institutional investors in securities fraud litigation, and protects the rights of injured consumers in class action litigation, related to harmful products, or as related to breaches of data security systems at businesses they patronize. Weiss is a member of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Board of Directors, and is the immediate past chair of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) and its leadership team. Currently at JCRC, she is a member of the Domestic and Government Affairs Committee and Israel and World Jewry Affairs Committee and a proud participant of the New Golden Age, a partnership between JCRC and Culture Changing Christians. She is a proud alum of the Jewish Federations of North America’s National Young Leadership Cabinet, and proudly served nationally as co-vice chair of engagement, co-vice chair of philanthropy and co-vice chair of alumni engagement. She earned a bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania and a Juris Doctor from the James E. Beasley School of Law, Temple University.
About Our Guest Speaker
Rabbi Mike Uram is the Chief Jewish Learning Officer for JFNA. Previously, he served as the head of Pardes North America and Executive Director of Penn Hillel for 16 years. He is the author of the best-selling book entitled, “Next Generation Judaism,” which won a National Jewish Book Award.
Rabbi Uram has worked with dozens of Jewish organizations including the Wexner and Schusterman Foundations, Hillel International, The RA, CCAR, and many local federations, synagogues and JCCs. Recently, Rabbi Uram co-authored a new educational framework for Birthright Israel.
Rabbi Uram holds a BA from Washington University and Rabbinic Ordination from JTS.
Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia Board of Directors
Board Chair
Michael Markman
Immediate Past Board Co-Chairs
Gail Norry
David Adelman
Campaign Co-Chairs
Michele S. Levin
George Danneman
President and CEO
Michael Balaban
Jewish Community Foundation Co-Chairs
Mark Fishman
Karen Kramer
Governance and Nominations Chair
Michael Heller
Community Impact Chair
Holly Nelson
Senior Vice Chair and Secretary
Richard J. Green
Treasurer
Andrew L. Cherry
At-Large Members
Caren Barnet
Harris Devor
Mindy Fortin
William Glazer
Dave Gold
Amir Goldman
Jonathan S. Goldman
Tracy H. Gordon
Cristy B. Hollin
Margie Honickman
Bradley A. Krouse
Adam E. Laver
Jason Morgan
Tony Schneider
Susan G. Schwartz
Danielle Weiss
Past Chairs
Bennett L. Aaron
Andrea B. Adelman
David Adelman
Leonard Barrack
Michael R. Belman, z”l
Alan E. Casnoff
Sylvan M. Cohen, z”l
Hon. Abraham L. Freedman, z”l
Morris A. Kravitz, z”l
Susanna Lachs Adler
Frank L. Newburger, Jr., z”l
Bernard Newman
Gail Norry
Edward H. Rosen, z”l
Ronald Rubin, z”l
Sherrie R. Savett
Miriam A. Schneirov
Theodore H. Seidenberg, z”l
Philip S. Seltzer, z”l
Beryl D. Simonson
Joseph Smukler, z”l
I. Jerome Stern, z”l
Hon. Nochem S. Winnet, z”l
Edwin Wolf, 2nd, z”l
Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia Executive Leadership
President and CEO
Michael Balaban
Senior Chief of External Affairs
Jeffrey Lasday
Senior Chief of Finances and Operations
Livi DiCaro
Chief Planned Giving Officer
Jennifer Brier, Esquire
Chief Marketing Officer
Rebecca Etter
Chief Human Resources Officer
Melissa Gabillon
Chief Strategy and Impact Officer
Dr. Kelly Romirowsky
Chief Development Officer
Sarah B. Solomon
Chief of JCRC
Jason Holtzman