A Project of the Zeev & Paula Racker Social Welfare Initiative

Sunday 31 July, 7pm (UK) on Zoom

Watch the replay:

Profiles:

Panel Chair: Lord Jonathan Kestenbaum
Lord Kestenbaum is the chief operating officer of RIT Capital Partners plc and a Labour member of the House of Lords. He is a former Chief Executive of the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA).

Before becoming active in business, he started his career in education, building an international training programme for young educators. Subsequently, he was Chief Executive of the Office of the Chief Rabbi, Lord Sacks and then Chief Executive of the United Jewish Israel Appeal (UJIA). He has also worked as Chief of Staff to Sir Ronald Cohen, the Chairman of Apax Partners and was founding Chief Executive of The Portland Trust.

In 2001, he represented Great Britain at football in the 16th Maccabiah Games, returning in 2009 as Manager, where he took the team to the silver medal.

Rabbi Boruch B Bender – President and Founder, Achiezer Community Resource Center, New York, USA

Achiezer is a unique organization, which combines the strengths of all existing communal resources along with its own formidable capabilities. Achiezer spearheads and coordinates the many different aspects involved in assisting individuals and families confronted by challenges, from start to finish.

Whether the situation calls for medical, financial, emotional, or practical support, Achiezer’s team of medical, mental health and other professionals enables clients to access the assistance that they need in a caring, professional and confidential fashion.

Boruch provides pastoral care at South Nassau Communities Hospital, he is a Senior Community Liaison at Northwell Health, Chaplain and Orthodox Jewish Community Liaison at Nassau County Police Dept, CEO at Premier Assist

Mr Saul Tomson – CEO, Chevra Kadisha Group – the Jewish Helping Hand and Burial Society, fondly referred to as “The Chev”, Johannesburg, South Africa

The Chevrah Kadisha is the oldest Jewish organisation in Johannesburg and the largest Jewish welfare and social service organisation on the African continent. Established in 1888, it has been taking care of the welfare and burial needs of the community ever since. From inception it provided a paternal, protective and unifying influence and accepted the leadership role in developing the community.

Through the vision of communal leadership, the Chevrah Kadisha has consolidated multiple welfare organisations under its umbrella. This has enabled economies of scale, a professional management infrastructure and an holistic approach to meeting the community’s needs. Today they are 95% focused on the living and their physical and emotional needs, from cradle to grave.

Saul has played a key role in the transformation and strategic direction of the Chevrah Kadisha over the past decade. Saul was appointed as joint CEO in 2016 and assumed the role of sole CEO in 2018.

Mrs Chaya Spitz OBE MBA – CEO Agudas Yisroel Housing and formerly CEO of Interlink, London, UK

Chaya Spitz is the Chief Executive of Agudas Israel Housing Association and joined the organisation in September 2021. At the same time she continues to lead the Interlink Foundation, the UK membership body for Orthodox Jewish community organisations, where she has worked for 25 years.

Chaya has wide ranging experience of developing community services, including new build capital projects, new services to address needs, and strategic planning and transformation. A community ambassador, she has years of experience of working with policy and decision makers to bring a community perspective to the policy-making table.

Chaya has an MBA from the Open University, where she won the Professor Derek Pugh Award for Outstanding Performance. She was awarded an OBE in 2018 for services to the British Jewish community.

Mr Mark Cunningham – CEO The Federation – Manchester, UK

The Fed is one of Greater Manchester’s oldest charities having been established in 1867. The Charity is based in Prestwich and today provides a wide range of social care and advice services to the Jewish and wider community across Bury and Greater Manchester, with a workforce of over 350 staff. Mark represents the organisation and care providers on several local and national forums. Mark joined the organisation 25 years ago as a student social worker and after working in various roles including Director of Community Services became Chief Executive in April 2017. Mark previously worked as a field social worker with older people and worked in residential care with children with disabilities and outdoor education.

Mr Moshe Schapiro – CEO, Yedidut Toronto, Jerusalem, Israel

The Yedidut Toronto Foundation, founded by the Friedberg Foundation has been operating in Israel since 2008. The Foundation is a greenhouse for developing innovative, professional and effective models for closing the gaps within populations in the social periphery. The Foundation initiates partnerships with government offices, municipalities, NGOs, the business community and philanthropists from Israel and from around the world, with the goal of bringing change as well as integration of the models into the Israeli public sector.

Mrs Bayla Perrin – CEO and Founder The Paperweight Trust, London, UK

The Paperweight Trust was launched in 2010 as the Jewish Community’s Advice Centre, providing free practical guidance and support across a range of legal, financial, welfare and administrative matters. Paperweight aims to help those who have arrived a vulnerable point in their lives to enable them to regain control and continue with confidence.

Bayla has been active in the charity world for many years. Co-founder of the Paperweight Trust. Developing it and being involved in all aspects to grow from a three-person kitchen-table idea on paper to a fully-fledged national charity. Paperweight is volunteer lead, and also comprises professional employees and contractors, premises, professional liaison and multidisciplinary working with scores of social welfare agencies and charities nationwide,