Kulanu Credits: The 2012 Volunteer Community
It’s always such a pleasure to see the support come in at this time of year, with many gifts accompanied by heart-warming notes that remind us why we do this work. Of course, it’s not just the donors who make things happen here at Kulanu – in our grassroots organization, many of our projects are carried out by volunteers whose dedication to global Jewry is an inspiration to me. These board members, regional coordinators, project leaders, fundraisers, speakers, and other active volunteers are the core of Kulanu’s success. Not to mention all the folks who travel far and wide to spend time with isolated Jewish communities, either as visitors who build relationships across borders, or as volunteers who contribute their skills and energy in addition to helping strengthen our connections with each other.
And much credit is due to the individuals who help their own communities gain a connection with the worldwide Jewish community as well as a Jewish education. These community members also serve as “on-the-ground” liaisons to Kulanu, ensuring that projects are supervised and goals are met. The dedication of these leaders, educators, and organizers is incredible — we are constantly amazed at how many people are committed to living Jewishly despite the challenges of accessing resources, literature and information, Judaica items and other materials. There are too many of these community members to name, since every person contributes to their community’s success, but we are listing a select few to represent each of the groups we work with around the world.
Meet the Kulanu community members who made 2012 such a dynamic and rewarding year…
(Imagine the names below scrolling over a large movie screen – what a production!)
Kulanu Board Members and Officers:
Harriet Bograd, President
Judith Manelis, Vice President
Barbara Vinick, Secretary
Peter Persoff, Treasurer
Jack Zeller, President Emeritus
Sandy Leeder
Rabbi Stephen Leon
Andria Spindel
Marcy Stein
Rabbi Bonita Sussman
Aron and Karen Primack, Honorary Board Members
Regional Coordinators:
Brazil: Regina Igel, Dione Pereira, Robert Feron
Cameroon: Rabbis Bonita and Gerald Sussman
China: Jim Michaelson
Ecuador: Ed Samiljan
El Salvador: Rabbi Aaron Rehberg
Ethiopia: Lucy Steinitz, Sam Taddesse and Yohannes Zeleke
Ghana: Harriet Bograd, Michael Ramberg, and Allison Michael
Guatemala: Rabbi Elyse Goldstein
India: Romiel Daniel, Navras Jaat Aafreedi
Kenya: Ari Witkin
Latin America: Daneel Schaechter
Poland: Rabbi Haim Beliak
Puerto Rico: Rabbi Lawrence Goldstein
Suriname: Jacob Steinberg
Tutsi: Rabbi David Kuperman
Uganda: Laura Wetzler
Zimbabwe: Sandy Leeder
Liaison to Saudades: Rufina Mausenbaum
Speakers:
Individuals who make presentations about Kulanu and world Jewry in their home communities and elsewhere –
Rabbi Barbara Aiello
Joyce Alpiner
Jeanne Bodin
Jonina Duker
Serge Etele
Dolores Goldfinger
Modreck Maeresera
Judy Manelis
Aaron Kintu Moses
Rabbi Bonita Sussman
Rabbi Gerald Sussman
David Wise
Gil and Lil Zinn
Newsletter Editors:
Judy Manelis, Editor
Serge Etele, Layout and Photography Editor
Programming and Development Coordinator:
Katie Rosenthal (only paid staff, 4 days a week)
Office Administration Volunteers:
Jerry Krasny
Wathira Nganga
Ronit Socoloff
Maya Sokolsky
Community Member-Leaders –
There are many dedicated individuals in remote places who help encourage Judaism in their own communities, despite the challenges of being far from other Jewish communities and resources.
Here are just a few of the people we had the pleasure of working with this past year, who serve their respective communities as devoted members and leaders, and as liaisons to Kulanu and Jews everywhere:
Cameroon: Serge Etele
Ghana: Abigail Aidoo, Alex Armah, Joseph Armah, Patrick Armah, Akiva Kena, Joseph Mintah
Guatemala: Jeannette Orantes
India: Sadok Yacobi
Nigeria: Remy Ilona
Poland: Joanne Auron-Gorska
Uganda: Seth Jonadav, Aaron Kintu Moses, Naume Sabano, Samson Shadrack, Samson Wamani
Zimbabwe: Modreck Maeresera, Rabson Wuriga
Local Volunteers:
All the volunteers who arrange for Kulanu-related speaking events or educational programs,
fundraise with family and friends, spread the word on Facebook or blogs —
there are so many that we cannot list them all, but here are a few from the past year:
Harriet Bograd and Kenneth Klein
Mickey and Mordy Feinberg
Dr Elizabeth Feldman
Lisa Kassow
Joanie Levine
Howard Metzenberg
Karen and Aron Primack
Patti Scheinman
Community Visitors and Volunteers:
All the adventurous people who have visited or volunteered in Kulanu communities – we may miss many guests and helpers, but these are some who came through Kulanu –
Jeanne Bodin and her daughter Gail
Harriet Bograd
Nathan Devir
Kimberly Dueñas
Rabbi Elyse Goldstein
Lisa Kassow
Sandy Leeder
Rabbi Devorah Lynn
Judy Manelis
Irene Orleansky
Tara Parks
Rabbi Aaron Rehberg
Daneel Schaechter
Patti Scheinman
Rabbis Bonita and Gerry Sussman
Laura Wetzler
Photographers:
Harriet Bograd
Kimberly Dueñas
Serge Etele
joyofcolor.com
Sandy Leeder
Alan and Agnes Leshner
Tim Makins (www.gnomeplanet.com)
Lorne Mallin
Rabbi Aaron Rehberg
Andria Spindel
Rabbi Bonita Sussman
Vivianne Topp
Laura Wetzler
Roslyn Zelenka
Jack Zeller
Authors:
~ Individuals who wrote articles in the 2012 issues of KulanuNews ~
Harriet Bograd
Kimberly Dueñas
Blu Greenberg
Sandy Leeder
Jeff L. Lieberman
Modreck Zvakavapano Maeresera
Judy Manelis
Andria Spindel
Rabbis, Cantors, Teachers, and Educators
All the leaders and influential people who include Kulanu materials in their programs, classes, and other outlets –
there are too many to name, but you know who you are.
Thank you!
Blog and Social Media Coordinators:
Sidney Davis
Matt Feldman
Ally Levy
Wathira Nganga
Marcia Weingarten
Email Group Moderators:
Harriet Bograd
Sidney Davis
Remy Ilona
Shep Wahnon
Jack Zeller
Multimedia Coordinators:
Enid Bloch
Serge Etele
Emma Patterson
Jocelyn Spencer
Partners
American Jewish University – Brandeis Collegiate Institute
Crypto Judaic Society
David Weingarten, Far West USY
Diva Communications (Debra and David Vinick)
Friends of Jewish Renewal in Poland – Beit Polska
Hillel Council of New England
The Hillels of Wellesley College, Trinity College, and Babson College
Jemglo.org (Ellen Friedland and Curt Fissel)
Judy Gray, Masorti Olami
Michael Freund, Shavei Israel
Nick Schumner, martnet.com
Rabbi Barbara Aiello
Rabbis Arnie Belzer and Anson Laytner, Sino-Judaic Institute
Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, Ohr Torah Stone
Rabbi Jeffrey Summit, Tufts Hillel (Abayudaya Higher Education Program)
Rabbi Marvin Tokayer
Relly Coleman, Books for Zim
Sonya A. Loya, Bat-Tzyion Hebrew Learning Center
Thanksgiving Coffee Company
Young Judea Year in Israel – Olami Program
Business Partners: Free Services
Google: Mail, Docs (GoogleDrive), Calendar, Maps, Analytics
Phanfare.com – online photo albums (free for nonprofits)
Youtube.com – video channel
Business Partners: Paid Services
Blackbaud/eTapestry (donor database)
Grover Cleveland Press, Buffalo, NY (newsletter printers)
Marketing Tech, Buffalo, NY (printing and mailing services)
OLM.net (web hosting)
Paypal.com (online store payment processing)
Popular Printing (print materials)
Prostores.com (online storefront)
Donors of $4,000 to $32,000:
Ben and Esther Rosenbloom Foundation
The Cherna Moskowitz Foundation
Estate of Roslyn Stone
Estelle Friedman Gervis Family Foundation
The Good People Fund
The Irving I Moskowitz Foundation
Otto and Marianne Wolman Foundation
L Weider
Jack and Diane Zeller
… And thanks to our many other donors, with gifts from $5 and up!
As you can see, everything that Kulanu accomplishes is achieved through the hard work of “all of us”.
Many thanks to everyone who collaborates to support isolated and emerging Jewish communities around the world. We couldn’t do it without you!