Board and Staff

Board Members

Bonita Nathan Sussman, President

Bonita Nathan Sussman is a volunteer with Kulanu and serves as President. She is a graduate of Yeshiva University Stern College, has a Masters degree in religion from Columbia University, and a second Masters in Jewish Education from The Jewish Theological Seminary.

For Kulanu, Bonita serves as liaison for newly emerging, returning, and isolated Jewish communities around the globe. She is on the editorial staff of the Kulanu Magazine and Kulanu Board liaison for the Kulanu Academic Cohort which supports the academic study of emerging communities. Her current mission is to help integrate emerging Jewish communities into world Jewry.

Bonita and her husband Rabbi Gerald Sussman have traveled to Nicaragua, Cameroon, Gabon, Cote d’Ivoire, Papua New Guinea, Madagascar, and India addressing their Jewish development needs and encouraging their journeys to become part of the Jewish people. The photographs of her travels have been published and exhibited. Bonita’s vision for the future is that “after the Holocaust and the decimation of established Jewish communities in the Middle East, it is time for the Jewish people to rebuild itself as a people.”

Rabbi Barbara Aiello, Vice President

Rabbi Barbara Aiello is Italy’s first and only woman rabbi.  Currently, she serves the “b’nei anusim” congregation Ner Tamid del Sud, The Eternal Light of the South, a recognized Reconstructionist synagogue, and the first active synagogue in Calabria in 500 years since Inquisition times. Rabbi Barbara is a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania and holds an MS from The George Washington University.

She was ordained at The Rabbinical Seminary International and the Rabbinical Academy in New York City. She is a founding board member of the International Federation of Rabbis, mentoring rabbi for the international Jewish Studies program, Darshan Yeshiva, and Blogger for Times of Israel.

Barbara Vinick, Secretary

A graduate of Bryn Mawr College, Barbara earned a Ph.D. in sociology from Boston University and conducted post-doctoral work in human development at Harvard. She is currently a research associate at Hadassah-Brandeis Institute at Brandeis University, a center focused on Jews and gender worldwide. She is working on a volume of stories about Jewish brides around the world, a follow-up to her book Today I am a Woman: Stories of Bat Mitzvah Around the World published by Indiana University Press. As a long-time researcher in gerontology at the Department of Veterans Affairs and Boston University School of Public Health, Barbara has authored articles on lifestyles, attitudes, and experiences of mature Americans.

Lili Kaufmann, Treasurer

Kol Yisrael arevim zeh ba zeh – All of Israel is responsible for each other.

This mantra sums up the many years of involvement by Lili Kaufmann in her community of Tampa and overall in the world Jewish community. To achieve her goals, she was part of a small group of women across the US who asked to change the role of women in philanthropy and persuade them that they could be benefactors in their own name through an endowment. Her education and career in science and medical research gave her the focus and discipline to always stay the course; be it in business, parenting, or commitment to the Jewish people.

She and her husband are founders of the second Reform congregation in Tampa as well as serving as President of multiple organizations including President and Campaign Chair of the Tampa Jewish Federation.

She currently serves as a committee member of the Jewish Agency for Israel which oversees the joint government programs of Aliyah and Social welfare.  Initially involved with both the Russian and Ethiopian Aliyah 25 years ago, she became aware of the Jews of Color in the African nations. Although her linkage to the Jews of Tanzania was unexpected; it has become a most rewarding experience. The connecting of the Arusha, Tanzania Jewish community with Kulanu has become the best outcome for all. Indeed, we are a world family and caring for each other.

Dr. David Breakstone, Board Member

Dr. David Breakstone recently completed his tenure as deputy chair of the Executive of the Jewish Agency for Israel, culminating two decades of elected office in Israel’s National Institutions during which he also served as a member of the executives of the World Zionist Organization, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael (JNF), and Keren Hayesod. As such, for the past 20 years, he has been intimately involved in effecting policy on a wide array of issues on the agenda of world Jewry. A great deal of his energies have been invested in developing ties with and advancing the cause of small and emerging Jewish communities around the world.

A passionate Jewish educator with a doctorate in Contemporary Jewry and Israel education from Hebrew University, Dr. Breakstone was also the conceptual architect of the Herzl Museum and Educational Center in Jerusalem and in the past served as Director of Hebrew University’s Pedagogic Center for Jewish Education, Associate Dean of The Schechter Institute for Jewish Studies, supervisor of the TALI Education Fund, and Director of Ramah Programs in Israel. He is also a member of the directorates of Yad Vashem, the Ethiopian National Project, the Schechter Institute for Jewish Studies, the Nativ Center for Jewish Identity and Conversion.

Dr. Breakstone has published widely on matters of Israel and contemporary Jewry and as a columnist for The Jerusalem Post and a blogger for the Times of Israel, he continues to address contemporary issues in Israeli society and Jewish life worldwide.

Rabbi Michael Chernick, Board Member

Rabbi Michael Chernick graduated from Yeshiva University. He is an ordainee of Yeshiva’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS) and holds a Ph.D in Rabbinic Literature from Yeshiva’s Bernard Revel Graduate School. 

Rabbi Chernick, an Orthodox Jew, had a 40-year teaching career at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion’s New York School, the seminary of the Reform Movement,  and is Professor Emeritus of Rabbinic Literature there. He also held the chair in Jewish Law and Social Justice.  He refers to  himself as “A Jew for all Jews.”

Rabbi Chernick has authored three books on rabbinic methods of interpretation of the Torah, two in Hebrew and one in English titled  A Great Voice That Did Not Cease. He has written many scholarly and popular articles on rabbinic literature, Jewish law and contemporary issues, the Jewish religious scene, and Israel.

Most recently, Rabbi Chernick has been active in Achvah: The Partnership for Abayudaya Rights, which is a social justice and political action organization working with our Abayudaya partners to gain the community’s just rights in Israel. These include the right to make Aliyah and the community’s youth to participate in Jewish educational programs in Israel.

Capers C. Funnye, Jr., Board Member

Capers C. Funnye, Jr. is Chief Rabbi of the International Israelite Board of Rabbis. In addition, he is rabbi and spiritual leader of Beth Shalom B’nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation in Chicago.

Rabbi Funnye earned a Bachelor of Arts in Hebrew Literature and rabbinic ordination from the Israelite Board of Rabbis, Inc., Queens, NY. Rabbi Funnye also earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Jewish Studies and a Master of Science in Human Service Administration from Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies, Chicago, Illinois.

Rabbi Funnye has lectured at numerous universities, synagogues, churches, and various community organizations throughout the United States. He has appeared on several national and local television programs and spoken on numerous radio programs both national and local.

Rabbi Funnye is married and he and his wife Mary have four children and are the proud grandparents of 12 grandchildren, 3 granddaughters, and 9 grandsons.

Judi Kloper, Board Member

Judi Kloper, born and raised near Boston, graduated from Oregon State University with degrees in Child Development and Family Studies, and in Home Economics and Health Education. Judi has five children—three from India, one from China, and one birth child, as well as two beautiful grandchildren. As an international child welfare specialist, Judi worked for many years finding families for children with special needs from India. Judi has served on many boards in Oregon and in her home community of Corvallis, Oregon, including her congregation, Beit Am, and still maintains her connection though she has moved to Portland. Her volunteer work for non-profits has included editing and proofreading newsletters, websites, and blogs, assisting in immigrant programs, and traveling overseas to teach English.

Judi has been traveling to India since 1987.  Her trip to India in 2014-2015 included living with the Bene Ephraim in Andhra Pradesh, a Kulanu community, as well as maintaining connections with other Jewish communities in India. From 2015-2016, she lived in Nicaragua immersing herself in the life of the Congregacion Israelita de Nicaragua, and in 2017, she assisted the Beit Din in Nicaragua as two new Jewish communities were born. She continues to maintain close ties to the communities in India and Nicaragua. In her free time, she rides her bicycle and searches for the best chai in Oregon. Judi is now the editor of Kulanu’s magazine.

Clive Lawton, Board Member

Benjamin Lefkowitz, Board Member

Ben Lefkowitz is a product of the Modern Orthodox yeshiva day school system. He graduated from Wesleyan University in 2020 with a degree in the College of Social Studies and Jewish and Israel Studies and is currently earning an MA in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School. He hopes to start a career in Israeli civil service or Jewish NGO’s once he’s finished his masters. In his spare time, he likes board games, dungeons and dragons, travel, and Celtic music.

Modreck Maeresera, Board Member

Modreck Maeresera, Lemba Jew, is the current president of the Harare Lemba Synagogue in Zimbabwe. The Harare Lemba Synagogue is a synagogue for Lemba Jews in Harare, founded in May 2013 with sponsorship from Kulanu.

Modreck is married to Brenda and they are proud parents to 3 children, Aviv Yehudah, Shlomo Makomborero, and Maya Miriam. Modreck holds a diploma in journalism from the Institute of Commercial Management (ICM) in the UK. He works as a student recruiter for Malaysian universities.

Staff Members

Molly Levine, Executive Director

Molly Levine joined our staff as Kulanu’s Communications Director in 2018, became Deputy Director in 2021, and then Executive Director in 2022. She has an extensive background working in international nonprofits, having worked with StrongMinds, The Partnership for Jewish Learning and Life, Global Nomads Group, Peace Corps, and Seeds of Peace.

As Executive Director, Molly works with the President of the Board to direct the internal affairs and external communications of Kulanu. She supervises staff and interns, manages all our communications, takes a leading role in online programs, fundraising, press relations, and assists with budgeting and financial oversight.

Molly holds an M.A. from Emerson College in Global Marketing Communications and a B.A. in Communication Studies from Ursinus College.

Jo Ann Friedman, Program Manager

Jo Ann Friedman is a graduate of Wellesley College and received a Master’s Degree in Theological Studies from Harvard University. She graduated from Northeastern University of Law after many years of graduate school but eventually found her calling in the non-profit world. Jo Ann developed the “Family to Family” program in Montreal and worked to integrate the large influx of refugees from the former Soviet Union into the Jewish community there. She became the Director of the Montreal Mizrachi Organization and worked directly with Israel to support Hesder Yeshivot.

She remains very involved with the Jewish communities of Canada, where her family has been since the 19th century. Her work at Kulanu will enable her to pursue her driving goal, which is to bring us closer to Tikkun Olam.