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Voices of Impact

WJC-Lauder Fellow and Harvard student Isaac Raskas Ohrenstein interviews people doing impactful work in the Jewish world. The opinions on this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the World Jewish Congress.

Latest Episodes

6 January 2024 • 45 minutes

Higher Education, Harvard, and Zionism: Dr. Einat Wilf

Dr. Einat Wilf is a former Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset for Independence and the Labor Party. She is leading thinker on topics such as Israel, Zionism, foreign policy, and education.

1 February 2024 • 35 minutes

Family, Philanthropy, and Activism: Ari Ackerman

Ari Ackerman is a serial entrepreneur, strategic investor, and philanthropist. He has served on the boards of JCRC, AIPAC, Hillel, and UJA, and is involved in many other Jewish organizations.

25 February 2024 • 42 Minutes

Corporations, Governance, and Leadership: Shira Goodman

Shira Goodman is an American businesswoman who was previously the president and CEO of Staples. She currently serves as a strategic advisor at Charlesbank Capital Partners.

3 March 2024 • 33 minutes

Writing, Real Estate, and The Altneu: Avital Chizhik-Goldschmidt

Avital Chizhik-Goldschmidt is a prolific author, journalist, and co-founder of an enormously popular synagogue on Manhattan's Upper East Side called The Altneu.

12 March 2024 • 26 Minutes

Inclusion, Education, and US-Israel Relations: Jay Ruderman

Jay Ruderman is an activist for disability rights and the US-Israel relationship. He serves as the president of the Ruderman Family Foundation.

17 March 2024 • 51 Minutes

Foundations, Tzedaka, and Jewish Unity: Andrés Spokoiny

Andrés Spokoiny is the Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Funders Network. Originally from Argentina, he is a leading voice in the Jewish philanthropic world.

24 March 2024 • 32 Minutes

Land, Trees, and The Billion-Dollar Roadmap: Russell Robinson

Russell Robinson is the CEO of the Jewish National Fund. He currently oversees the organization’s groundbreaking One Billion Dollar Roadmap for the Next Decade and has ranked on The Jerusalem Post’s list of the World’s 50 Most Influential Jews.

31 March 2024 • 38 Minutes

Yeshiva, Academia, and Entrepreneurship: Dean Noam Wasserman

Dr. Noam Wasserman is the Dean of Sy Syms Business School at Yeshiva University. He was previously a professor at Harvard Business School and is the author of The Founder’s Dilemmas: Anticipating and Avoiding the Pitfalls That Can Sink a Startup.

7 April 2024 • 32 Minutes

Bill Clinton, Kosher Food, and the Orthodox Union: Rabbi Menachem Genack

Rabbi Menachem Genack is the CEO of OU Kosher. He leads a synagogue in Englewood, NJ, and serves on the Board of Trustees of Touro College and NY Medical School.

7 April 2024 • 27 Minutes

Style, Success, and the Show Company: Jane Weitzman

Jane Weitzman is the former Executive Vice President of the Stuart Weitzman Shoe Company, founded by her husband Stuart Weitzman. She is now a full-time philanthropist.

12 April 2024 • 50 Minutes

Pluralism, Democracy, and Liberal Zionism: Dr. Andrew Rehfeld

Dr. Andrew Rehfeld is a political scientist and President of Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion.

17 April 2024 • 38 Minutes

Sefaria, Lehrhaus, Memory, and Creativity: Joshua Foer

Josh Foer is a co-founder of Sefaria and Lerhaus. He is also a wildlife journalist for National Geographic, a board member of the Jim Joseph Foundation, and the author of a 2011 book titled "Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything."

21 April 2024 • 44 Minutes

Terrorism, Antisemitism, and Foreign Policy: Special Envoy Elan Carr

Elan Carr serves as the CEO of the Israeli-American Council (IAC). He was previously the Special Envoy to Combat and Monitor Antisemitism under President Trump.

3 May 2024 • 44 Minutes

Venture Capital, Social Impact, and Palestinian Tech: Yadin Kaufmann

Yadin Kaufmann is a social entrepreneur and one of Israel’s leading venture capitalists. He has founded several nonprofits in Israel and the Palestinian Territories, in addition to the first venture fund targeting Palestinian tech companies.

15 May 2024 • 42 Minutes

Rafah, Hamas, and the War on Iran: Dr. Jonathan Schanzer

Dr. Jonathan Schanzer is senior vice president for research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), where he oversees the work of the organization’s experts and scholars.