Our Experts

Dr. Ron Katz, President

Ron Katz is an authority on rhetoric, propaganda, and persuasion. His research and writing have appeared in books, academic journals, and periodical publications. He received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley.

Hen Mazzig, Senior Fellow

A globally-recognized speaker, educator, and digital influencer. Historians credit him as the founder of "Mizrahi Hertiage Month," and he has written for NBC News, Newsweek, and the LA Times. He has appeared as an expert on Jewish issues on four continents, over 500 college campuses, BBC, SkyNews, TEDx, and countless Shabbat dinners. He was named in Algemeiner's top 100 people positively influencing Jewish life, the top 50 online pro-Israel Influencers, Top 50 LGBTQ+ Influencers, and won CAMERA’s Portrait in Courage Award.

Daniella Rabbani, Community Manager

Following our 2022 Lab in Tel Aviv, Daniella joined our team officially as a Community Manager. An actress known for her roles as Rabbi Zoe on CBS’ God Friended Me, Jane in HBO’s Scenes from a Marriage, and extensive stage work with The National Yiddish Theater Folksbiene. She hosts the podcast Mom Curious, a safe space to ask moms of all stripes what the real deal is. BFA: NYU Tisch. She sheps nachas over her two kids Ness and Paz + advocates for a better world.

Jessie Atkin, Director of Creative Strategy

Jessie is a writer who has had work published in The Times of Israel, Aish, The Rumpus, and elsewhere. She has over ten years of experience working in social media and marketing for not-for-profits including synagogues, production companies, and advocacy groups. She earned an MFA in creative writing from American University.

Yseult Polfliet Mukantabana, Research Fellow

Yseult Polfliet Mukantabana is Rwandan, Jewish and a queer woman. She is an author, creative director and social and art advocate. Mukantabana is the Co-founder of Kinswomen, sits on the Board Committee of POWarts, an organization meant to uplift professional womxn in the art industry, Ted Speaker and designer/ co-founder of YOAH, a gender-free children’s’ brand created with her brother Noah Polfliet. Her unique approaches to matters of race issues are global, located mainly in New York, she speaks four languages, lives and travels between Kigali, Paris and Tel Aviv.

Mukantabana has done consulting in anti-racism for small and large groups, her clients have ranged from corporate America, high profile art institutions and prestigious American universities such as Columbia and Yale. She has a distinct way of intersecting spaces and people. Her work aims at making the conversation possible and practical. She makes it available for people to build a realistic plan of action to be impactful and empowered in their advocacy.

Dr. Olga Kirschbaum-Shirazki, Visiting Fellow

Dr. Olga Kirschbaum-Shirazki is a historian and co-founder of the Tel Aviv Review of Books. She has a PhD in modern European history from NYU. As a researcher and translator she has collaborated with numerous  authors and organizations on the topics of Jewish history, inter-religious encounters and the universal in Judaism.  She is also the co founder and editor of Tel Aviv Review of Books, an online review that presents the entire spectrum of views from and about Israeli culture, religion, and politics to an international audience.

Dr. Matthias J. Becker, Visiting Fellow

A linguist whose research focuses on discrimination in mainstream society and the construction of implicit hate speech. Since 2020, Dr. Becker leads the international research project “Decoding Antisemitism”. In this 3-year pilot project, 9 researchers analyze antisemitism on mainstream news websites and social media platforms in Germany, France, and in the UK based on a mixed-methods approach, also integrating AI technology. who analyze antisemitism on news sites and social media using AI.

Yossi Klein Halevi

An award-winning journalist and NY Times Bestselling author. His book, Like Dreamers, won the Jewish Book Council's Everett Book of the Year Award. His latest book, Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor, is a New York Times bestseller. He writes for leading op-ed pages in the US, including the Times and the Wall Street Journal, and is a former contributing editor to the New Republic. A senior fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute, he co-directs the Institute's Muslim Leadership Initiative, which teaches Muslim American leaders about Judaism.

Aliza J. Sokolow

Aliza J. Sokolow an author of THIS IS WHAT I EAT (Random House). Prior to writing her book she worked as a food stylist and photographer for both digital and print. She got her start working for Jamie Oliver on his "Food Revolution" project. Her work has won 1 Emmy, 2 Emmy nominated and a James Beard literary award. Her photography work can be seen in the New York Times, Architectural Digest, Bon Appetit, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times and more.

Rev. Dr. Nigel A. Pearce

Senior Pastor of Grace Congregational Church of Harlem. Pastor Pearce has served on the Board of Directors for The Lighthouse, the Samaritan Health Services, Make-A-Wish Foundation and now currently serves on the board of HCCI and Chairperson of the real estate committee.
Before joining the ministry, Reverend Pearce was a successful investment banker. Here, he serviced and invested money for urban economic developments and helped entrepreneurs raise start-up funding, write business plans and organize.

Lahav Harkov

The Senior Contributing Editor and Diplomatic Correspondent of The Jerusalem Post. She reports on and analyzes Israel's relations with the world, the Prime Minister's office, the National Security Council, the Foreign Ministry, and more. She interviews major figures across the Israeli political spectrum and is well-connected to the country's top lawmakers and diplomats.

She is often invited to lecture on Israeli government and politics, and international news outlets, such as the BBC, France 24 and Sky News have sought her insights.

Lyn Julius

The daughter of Iraqi-Jewish refugees, Lyn Julius founded Harif, the UK Association of Jews from the Middle East and North Africa. This organization raises awareness of the history and culture of the vanishing Jews from Arab and Muslim lands. She has organized over 200 events - talks, film screenings, concerts, debates, and book launches on subjects ranging from Judeo-Arabic to the Iranian revolution. Her book Uprooted: How 3,000 years of Jewish Civilisation in the Arab World vanished overnight was published in 2017.

Ada Danelo

Ada Danelo is an attorney and advocate for queer and Jewish rights. They have worked in Jewish advocacy for over a decade, focusing on issues involving intersectionality and the identification and promotion of common ground among diverse communities. They are also the treasurer and secretary of Tel Aviv Institute.

Jake Cohen

The New York Times bestselling author of Jew-ish. Jake studied at the Culinary Institute of America. At SAVEUR magazine, where Jake led up recipe testing in the publication’s test kitchen. After SAVEUR, his career led him to write and contribute to dozens of food publications, as well as serving as the Food Editor of TastingTable.com and the food critic for Time Out New York. He's appeared in the Huffington Post, Food and Wine, Food52, Taste Cooking, Real Simple, Everyday with Rachel Ray, Extra Crispy, Genius Kitchen, and PureWow.

Ali Cobrin Resnick, Associate

Ali Cobrin Resnick is an actress who splits time between New York and Los Angeles. She has appeared in such films as "American Reunion" (Universal), “Neighbors" (Universal) and “The Iron Orchard." Her upcoming television show “The Baxter’s” (MGM) is slated to release in 2022.

Aly Silverberg, Associate

The meme queen behind @Jewishgirlprobs, a home to viral jokes related to Jewish women. She works full-time as a content specialist for Snapchat. She is a social media, digital marketing, and creative strategy maven with a combined 10+ years of experience in marketing communications roles. She has transformed the digital presence of 75+ top-tier global brands.

Amy Albertson, Associate

An advocate and educator from California, While living in Israel for over half a decade, she created "The Asian Israeli," where she cataloged her experiences as a Chinese-American Jewish woman. Previously, Amy was Hillel President and Co-Founder of the Israel group on campus at Portland State University.

Ariel Sara Tidhar, Associate

Born and raised in Chicago, she is from an American Israeli family. With a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Fashion Design, she works to combine Jewish humor and her Israeli roots into her designs of Judaica, home décor, and accessories. Ariel is currently based in Brooklyn, NY.

Ariel Scheer Stein, Associate

The founder of ArielLoves.com, an online community where she shares her journey of motherhood, building a home, and traveling the world, Ariel writes about navigating life with a baby, marriage,
finding work-life balance, and living with intention. She has a Master's degree focused in Jewish Education from The Jewish Theological Seminary.

Ash M. Seruya, Associate

A social worker and psychotherapist who specializes in trauma, eating disorders, the Jewish community, and fat liberation. Ash is also a storyteller, writer, and illustrator who uses their art and words to spread messages about Jewish identity, the complexities of mental health and eating disorders.

Chaya Lev, Associate

Chaya is an Israeli dancer and comedian. She uses humor, candidness, and bold-faced honesty to take on contemporary antisemitism and racism, unpacking the ways they connect.

Danielle Michaelov, Associate

A coffee lover (@yescoffeenodecaf) who is passionate about all things coffee, lifestyle, travel, and Judaism, she began her blog in 2017. She has expanded her content from more than just coffee. Danielle’s lifestyle page focuses on things that are important to her, like her Jewish culture and her love for Israel.

Dr. Logan Levkoff, Associate

An internationally recognized sexuality educator, writer, and speaker who has spent two decades deconstructing double standards, myths, and creating environments where young people have quality sexuality education. She uses these skills to destigmatize conversations about Jews. She's a Chair of Caravan for Democracy, which sends non-Jewish students to Israel on a leadership mission.

Elisheva Rishon, Associate

Elisheva Rishon is the founder of Eli7Designs, an indie apparel brand. She uses fashion to celebrate her identity as a Black dark-skinned American Orthodox Jewish girl, from her #Jewishvibe Collection, The Melanated Beauties collection, to the Ethnic-Racial Celebration Collection. She frequently appears as a speaker on how to end antisemitism and racism.

Emma Lahana, Associate

Originally from New Zealand, the actress is best known for her roles in Disney's "You Wish!", Power Rangers "DinoThunder", and "Cloak & Dagger". Emma is also known for speaking out on her Judaism and the preservation of marine life around the globe.

Eyal Berkover, Associate

An Israeli actor, model, personal trainer, TV host, and reality TV star, Berkover has appeared on Israeli Big Brother VIP. He also appeared on Survivor VIP Israel, where he came in eighth.

Hallel Silverman, Associate

Hallel Silverman is an American born, Israeli raised digital activist and blogger located in Tel Aviv. With nearly a decade in Israel Advocacy, Hallel has created and executed content for dozens of major organizations, and has been a leading voice online for progressive Zionism.

Hannah Bugas, Associate

A self-love podcaster (Hannah Says), content creator, heart-centered entrepreneur, and workshop facilitator, after Hannah was diagnosed with two chronic illnesses, she eventually found a badass human underneath all the self-doubt. She has since made it her life’s mission to help other driven humans find and maintain their inner confidence.

Hillary Cohen, Associate

The name behind the @UNfluential account on Instagram, her main focus online is to use her platform to spread awareness about ongoing issues in the world, positivity, and joy. She pokes fun at the influencer lifestyle by providing everyday, affordable fashion, a skincare routine that is less than perfect, and a wholesome lifestyle blog about the realities of life.

Hughie Stone Fish, Associate

An Emmy Award-winning songwriter and Jewish activist. Passionate about the connection between music, comedy, and social change, Hughie performs regularly across the country with his musical comedy band Lewberger, who were finalists on NBC's Bring the Funny and received a standing ovation on America's Got Talent.

Jenny Abrams, Associate

Formerly Shayna Batya, an editorial and commercial photographer, she is originally from Manchester, England. Her work focuses on the likeness of people, identity, and subcultures. Jenny has worked with clients including Google, Mercedes, Art Basel, Adidas, LVMH, Redbull, AT&T, Philips, Stella Artois, Soho House, San Pellegrino, SPG, Royal Caribbean, Ted Baker, and Rent The Runway. She has been published by Travel + Leisure, The Guardian, Instagram, NBC, Vice, Soccer Bible, and Stones Throw.

Jess Burke, Associate

(she/her, they/them) is an activist who focuses on anti-oppression and the inclusion of antisemitism in anti-racism practices. She has worked extensively with interreligious, queer, and equity-seeking communities across North America. Jess advocates for women and gender non-conforming representation in politics, combatting antisemitism in progressive spaces, intersectional frameworks when addressing oppression, and both digital and published communications. She is formerly a Director at CIJA (Toronto, Canada) and is Zioness’ incoming National Vice President of Advocacy.

Jessica Waks, Associate

A Toronto-based foodie and lover of all things lifestyle, she enjoys engaging her online community with delicious recipes and entertaining ideas mixed in with relatable snippets of her everyday life. Jessica combined her communications and design education in her role as Design Editor of Style At Home magazine.

Jordan Daniels, Associate

An activist and podcast host for, BlackFatFemmePod, he celebrates the intersections of identity and speaks out clearly and creatively on how he sees the world. With a focus on radical expression, Jordan is a writer and artist whose very existence is art.