Our People

Our board, composed of members from different backgrounds and with diverse perspectives, provides vision, guidance, and passion for our work, goals, and journey.

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Debbie Hochberg

Momentum’s Board President
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Helen Zalik

Immediate Past Board President
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Rachel Chafetz

Vice President
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Manette Mayberg

VP Institutional Advancement,
Trustee, Past President of the Board, Co-Founder
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Connie Lindenauer

Treasurer, Board Member
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Rivka Kidron

Secretary
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Cindy Zitelman

Past Board President, Co-Founder
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Andrea Shlipak Mail

Past Board President
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Lori Palatnik

Ex officio member,
Founding Director
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Michelle Leader

Trustee, Co-Founder
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Stacey Fisher

Board Member
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Betty Grinstein

Board Member
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Jeff Singer

Board Member
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Dafna Berman

Board Member
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Ellen Dayan

EX OFFICIO BOARD MEMBER (CANADA LIAISON)

Past Board Members

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Betsy Friedlander

BOARD MEMBER
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Dana Sicherman

BOARD MEMBER, CO-FOUNDER
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Ellen B. Kagen Waghelstein

BOARD MEMBER
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Jeanie Milbauer

FOUNDING PRESIDENT, CO-FOUNDER
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Mahra Pailet

BOARD MEMBER
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Cheryl Leon

Board Member
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Sheryl Hartman

Ex Officio Board Member (Canada Liaison)
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Charlie Harary

Ex Officio Board Member (Men’s Council Liaison)

In 2008, eight Jewish women from different walks of life, affiliations, observance, and ages – the “Utah 8” – came together to make a difference. They agreed that it was time to empower and inspire women with the rich beauty of their Jewish heritage, and Momentum was born.
“All eight of us had a sense that living and transmitting Jewish values was the key to realizing each human being’s greatest potential in all of her gorgeous singularity. Since then, ‘unity without uniformity’ has been a pillar of this impactful movement.” - Momentum Co-Founder Manette Mayberg.

Back Row (left to right):
Dana Sicherman, Lori Palatnik, Rebecca Dorfman, Cindy Zitelman

Front Row (left to right):
Manette Mayberg, Michelle Leader, Lara Novack, Jeanie Milbauer

In 2017, Momentum formed its Public Council in Israel. Composed of distinguished Israeli women of all religious, political and professional backgrounds, the council supports Momentum’s efforts in promoting ‘Unity, Not Uniformity’ in Israeli society and in the Jewish world.

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Adi Altschuler

Social Entrepreneur
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Adina Bar-Shalom

Educator, Recipient of the Israel Prize
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Aliza Lavie

Former MK, Chair of Mt. Herzl
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Batsheva Moshe

General Manager of Wix.com
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Lihi Lapid

Author and Journalist
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Mehereta Baruch Ron

Deputy Mayor of Tel Aviv
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Michal Cohen

CEO of the Rashi Foundation
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Miri Michaeli

Journalist, communicator, lecturer, facilitator and social activist.
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Miriam Peretz

Israeli Educator
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Orna Hozman-Bechor

Chairwoman of Ashdod Port
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Rachelle Sprecher Fraenkel

Torah Educator and Director of Matan’s Hilkhata Institute
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Prof. Rivka Carmi

President of Ben-Gurion University
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Rivka Ravitz

Chief of Staff to the President of the State of Israel
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Sonia Gomes De Mesquita

Senior Deputy CEO - Spero Impact Solutions and CEO of the Centre for Jewish Impact
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Yochi Brandes

Author and Educator

From the very beginning, Momentum has been blessed with a fantastic team. As we grow, we continue to be inspired by the impact of our work and the mark we are leaving on the Jewish world.

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Lori Palatnik

Founding Director
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Ben Pery

Chief Executive Officer
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Adrienne Gold Davis

Director of Experience & Engagement
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Allison Kent

Creative Services Manager
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Amy Cantor

Chief Financial Officer
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Anna Vainer

Associate Director CIS/Europe
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Andrea Gottlieb

Regional Development Director
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Ariella Baars Chernitzky

Senior Accountant
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CJ Torcellini

Office Manager
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Carmi Gold

Salesforce & Systems Administrator
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Chaya Baruch

Executive Assistant
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Daphna Kaminetsky

Partnership Relationship Manager
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Dana Sender-Mulla

Director of Leadership Development
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Donna Solomon

Project Manager
Trip Operations
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Dorina Zindel

Chief of Staff
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Einat Tessone

Israel Coordinator
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Gabrielle Jacobs

Partnership and Programs Coordinator
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Galia Rubinstein

Associate Director, IberoAmerica/Africa/Australia
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Gila H. Madjar

Partnership Relationship Manager
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Haleh Rabizadeh

Partnership Relationship Manager
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Ilene Rosen

Digital Communications Manager
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Ivonne Bengio

Partnership Relationship Manager
Partnerships & Programs
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Janel Herman

Staff Accountant
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Jenna Neulander

Associate Director - Foundation Engagement
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Jennifer Fechter

Education Project Manager
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Jennifer Jalowiec Carrocci

Associate Director – Information Systems
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Jessica Berkowitz

Senior Education Specialist
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Judy Victor

Senior Leadership Development Manager
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Julie Creinin

Partnership Manager
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Kate Blumenthal

Leadership and Engagement Coordinator
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Kayla Frankel

Senior Project Manager
Trip Operations.
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Laura Waldbaum

Development Coordinator
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Maya Barlev Eshel

Partnership Relationship Manager, Israel
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Melissa Stein

Partner Relationship Manager
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Nisa Felps

Director of Partnerships & Programs
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Rachel Stuart

Senior Human Resource Manager
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Reut Moshonov Kipnis

Director of Trip Operations and Government Relations
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Robyn Hartman

Director of Development
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Ronit Ziv-Kreger

Director of Education and Evaluation
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Sarah Goldstein

Partnership Coordinator
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Sharon Litwak

Partnership Relationship Manager - Western Region
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Tehilla Becker Feldman

Education Project Manager
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Tiferet Solomon-Sadan

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, MOMENTUM ISRAEL
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Tova Dworkin

Associate Director-Development OPS
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Yaakov Singer

Database Manager
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Zahava Klein

Partnership Project Manager​
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Zina Kutnovsky

Partnership Relationship Manager-Europe

THIS WEBSITE WAS CREATED IN LOVING MEMORY OF RITA KRAKOWER MARGOLIS

Choose your Journey

Mother to Mother Israel Unity Mission
May 13-19, 2024 | July 2-7, 2024

Join our leadership, alumnae, and our partner organizations in supporting our sisters and their families with love, strength, and taking action.

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Unity Mission for Men
May 13-19, 2024

Momentum leadership, alumni and fathers of lone soldiers are embarking on this critical mission to support our fellow Israeli fathers, brothers, and their families, as we take action and bring them spiritual strength.

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Apply to 2024 Fall Trips
For Jewish mothers with children age 18 and under

Participants only pay their acceptance fee and airfare

To participate in the Momentum Yearlong Journey, women must live in close proximity to a Partner Organization. See our partners list here. Please notify your Community Leader with any updates to your application

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Apply to 2024 Fall Trips
Mainly for the husbands of Momentum sisters

$900 for Momentum husbands

Each man get a scholarship of $2,100-$2,400

Partner Organization contributes $700 per man

The Israeli Government does not contribute to the Men’s Trips

To participate, men must live in close proximity to a Partner Organization. See our partners list here. Please notify your Community Leader with any updates to your application

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November 4-11, 2024

An exclusive, transformational, spiritual, and uplifting journey for women looking to invest in themselves and help us continue to build the Momentum movement.

Please note: This trip is not subsidized.

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